Soakin' it up like a Sword of Gryffindor

Hermione threw the bag aside and raised a shining face to Harry.

"The sword can destroy Horcruxes! Goblin-made blades imbibe only that which strengthens them!"

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Colossians 3:12

"What. Was. That?" 

My NET team sister was staring at me, incredulous.

"What?" I asked, unaware of whatever mortal error I had just committed.

"That! You! Where did Kate go?"

"What do you mean? I was just talking to them."

"Your voice went up about an octave, you got all falsely enthusiastic, and - since when do you care about fashion?" 

I thought back over the last few minutes, analysing my actions and my motives. I was stumped. I hadn't deliberately changed anything. I hadn't even realised that my mannerisms had begun to mirror those of the young women I'd been talking to. 

That day was the first time anyone ever pointed out my "sponginess" to me. Over the course of the next ten months, my team sister repeatedly raised an eyebrow at me the moment I began to shift personality to fit in with a conversation. 

Unfortunately, it's a habit that sticks with me to this day - subconsciously adopting the traits of people I'm surrounded by. I sound like whatever friend I've talked to most recently (to the extent that people often ask me if I'm Irish on a Thursday afternoon). 

Beyond superficial mannerisms, I've recently become aware of just how 'spongy' I am. I soak up values and priorities - for the environment, for evangelisation, for adventure. I soak up moods - grief, anxiety, chirpiness, cynicism. I soak up competitiveness and selfishness and discouragement.

But God calls me to soak up the Spirit.

I think as Saints-in-progress, we're called to be like the Sword of Gryffindor - impervious to that which will weaken us, unable to be tarnished by rust or dirt, taking in only those things that make us stronger in faith, hope, and love.

Contemplating the feast of Pentecost yesterday, I felt prompted by God to take this new season of ordinary time as an intentional time of cultivating the fruits of the Holy Spirit:

"...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control..."

Galatians 5:22-23

To soak up these virtues is to soak up Christ.

Sponges take in whatever is present in their environment - and, trickily for us spongy moderns, that too often means apathy, discouragement, agitation, impatience, self-centredness, delight in evil, infidelity, assertiveness and easy satisfaction. But a Sword of Gryffindor will only take in that which makes it stronger.

Gryffindorish Christianity means discerning whatever is good and beautiful in our environment, and allowing that to be the thing that transforms our character. It means asking for the grace to imbibe the fruits of the Spirit rather than the turkish delight of the world (okay, yes, I'm mixing my references. But let's be real, C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowling would totally have been friends).

I've always had a bit of a dream of destroying Horcruxes (hearkening back my days of trying to convince my friends I was Henrietta Potter, Harry's long-lost cousin). It hurts so much to see suffering, destruction and lovelessness in the world, and I know I want to be an agent of positive change for Love's sake.

And I reckon, like good old Godric's sword, I will be able to help destroy the forces of evil at work in this world, so long as I continue to imbibe the Holy Spirit who strengthens me.

AMDG