“He is under the influence…” This expression has come to be used for someone “driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.”
But is can be heard as well when speaking of a child acting “under the influence” of siblings or peers. Again a person seen as being weak in character will be said to be “under the influence” of anyone showing him or her some friendship.
Sadly, those examples have somehow a negative connotation but the expression itself need not be understood negatively. There are some good and positive influences. There are people who display some inspiring attitudes and generous behaviour and it is good to be under the influence of such men and women. We can sometimes see a brilliant student and people exclaim: “He is exactly like his Prof!” Or, those meeting a young artist painter or sculptor notice how he or she reproduces the skill of the famous master who trained him or her.
And today, on the Feast of Pentecost, it may be appropriate to think that we should be “under the influence” of the Holy Spirit, no less!
Of the apostles who, on the day of the first Pentecost, received this Spirit, the 1st reading (Acts 1:1-11) tells us: “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit”. And, in the 2nd reading (1 Cor.12:3-7,12-13), Paul reminds the first Christians of Corinth that the “Spirit was given to us all.” And this is valid for us as well.
To be under the influence of the Spirit means to allow him to inspire us, to mold us, to move us. To lead us so that we may follow God’s way, take on God’s thoughts, adopt Christ’s values and imitate his attitudes – simply that, all of that!