O.I.L. for Holy Spirit Fire

(Part of the Church Militant Training Series. This follows from the post: God Strong)

Recall Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins (Matt. 25:1-12), five of who were wise and five who were foolish. When the time came to meet the Bridegroom, and go in to join the festivities, the foolish ones did not have enough oil for their lamps. They were forced to go get more oil, while everyone else went in to “join the dance.”

For those who have yielded to a deep, devoted love relationship with Jesus, there is a distinctive serenity and joy about them. There seems to be an extra spring in their step and twinkle in their eye. Far from the boredom and misery of sloth, they radiate a supernatural love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity and gentleness (Fruit of the Holy Spirit, Gal. 5:22-23). They seem to have found the way to “join the dance” of life. In the meantime, like the five foolish virgins, there are those who seem to be “on the outside looking in,” wondering what it takes to be invited to “the dance of life.”

Now, the Holy Spirit is often seen as fire. Jesus said, “I have come to cast fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled” (Luke 12:49). When Pentecost arrived, the Holy Spirit appeared as tongues of fire that came and rested on the disciples (Acts 2:3).

We know fire needs fuel to ignite, whether it’s kindling or, as in the story of the ten virgins, oil for a lamp. Spiritually speaking, the Holy Spirit will come to rest on those hearts that have provided the fuel for its fire.

So, what is the fuel we may offer for the Holy Spirit’s fire? Amazingly, the word “oil” provides a superb acronym to describe the necessary fuel for receiving the fire of the Holy Spirit: O.I.L. = Obedience In Love. St. Ignatius of Loyola said, “It is not hard to obey when we love the one whom we obey.” Blessed Charles de Foucauld called obedience the “yardstick of love.”  It’s a clear way we measure the fidelity and unselfishness of our hearts.

Recall Christ’s summons to Divine Life (or invitation to “join the dance” of life):

Abide in my love. If you obey my commands, you will abide in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and abide in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be fulfilled. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command (John 15:9-14).

Therefore, to be in a state of grace means to be in friendship with God. Sadly, far too many wrongly see God as an oppressive slave master, even after Jesus assures them “I no longer call you servants but, instead, I call you friends” (John 15:15). And so, this O.I.L. (Obedience In Love) is actually what Sacred Scripture refers to as Fear of the Lord, or Holy Fear. As distinct from servile fear (fear of punishment), Holy Fear is a fear of disappointing or being separated from the one we love (e.g., a son fears to disappoint his father or to damage the relationship in any way).

(Church Militant Training Series continues with next post)