Evening, March 3
Go To Morning Reading
“He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove.”
Matthew 3:16
As the Spirit of God descended upon the Lord Jesus, the head, so he
also, in measure, descends upon the members of the mystical body.
His descent is to us after the same fashion as that in which it fell
upon our Lord. There is often a singular rapidity about it; or ever we are aware, we are impelled onward and heavenward
beyond all expectation. Yet is there none of the hurry of earthly
haste, for the wings of the dove are as soft as they are swift. Quietness seems essential to many spiritual operations; the Lord is in the
still small voice, and like the dew, his grace is distilled in silence.
The dove has ever been the chosen type of purity , and the Holy Spirit is holiness itself. Where he cometh, everything
that is pure and lovely, and of good report, is made to abound, and
sin and uncleanness depart. Peace reigns also where the Holy Dove comes with power; he bears the olive
branch which shows that the waters of divine wrath are assuaged. Gentleness is a sure result of the Sacred Dove’s transforming power: hearts touched by his benign influence are meek
and lowly henceforth and forever. Harmlessness follows, as a matter of course; eagles and ravens may hunt their
prey—the turtledove can endure wrong, but cannot inflict it. We must be
harmless as doves. The dove is an apt picture of love , the voice of the turtle is full of affection; and so, the soul visited
by the blessed Spirit, abounds in love to God, in love to the brethren,
and in love to sinners; and above all, in love to Jesus. The brooding
of the Spirit of God upon the face of the deep, first produced order and life , and in our hearts, he causes and fosters new life and light. Blessed
Spirit, as thou didst rest upon our dear Redeemer, even so rest upon
us from this time forward and forever.