Lighting the Kindling

AM Psalm 26, 28 • PM Psalm 36, 39
Isa. 5:13-17, 24-25 • 1 Thess. 5:12-28 • Luke 21:29-38

First Thessalonians is Paul’s earliest known letter. It is friendly and encouraging, filled with praise, affection and a feeling of familial love.1 It also contains his urgent insistence that these new Christians act virtuously, and in the verses for today, Paul lists several concrete ways in which to do that. One phrase in particular attracted my curiosity — don’t quench the Spirit. I used a parallel bible study tool comparing several versions of the same phrase:

Quench not the Spirit (King James)

Don’t suppress the Spirit (Common English Bible)

Don’t stifle the Spirit (Holman Christian Standard)

Do not restrain the Holy Spirit (Good News Translation)

Extinguish not the Spirit (Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible)

Do not put the light out of the Spirit (The Bible in Basic English)

Don’t put out the Holy Spirit’s fire (New International Reader’s Version)

Do not hold back the work of the Holy Spirit (New Century Version)

Logic follows then that if we don’t suppress, stifle, restrain, extinguish, or put out its fire and light, the Holy Spirit will live in each of us. This gave me pause. In what ways do I constrict the space in me available to the Spirit? Deny its flame of oxygen? How do I hold back the Spirit’s work? While I reflect on this, I know extending an invitation every day is a good start.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love.

Written by Bernadette Reda

The Spirit quench not.
— Yoda