Come, light of the heart
The Holy Spirit is the light which also pervades the darkness of our heart. It is from the heart that our evil things come (cf. Mt 15,19). It must be purified by the divine light. Thus, when we live in the state of grace, the Holy Spirit sinks into us. We then perceive his presence as a clear light that unites us more deeply with God. Where now this light shines, it encounters the darkness of our heart and attracts us to open the darkness to the light.
Let us make it concrete with an example: The Holy Spirit, who wants to bring forth the fruit of gentleness in us, for example, encounters our nature, which is easily aroused to anger. In his light we recognize this and he exhorts us to restrain our anger. He reminds us of the word: “Blessed are the gentle” (Mt 5,4). He is the one who reminds us of everything Jesus said and did (cf. Jn 14,26). In us a decision is now coming: Do we follow the invitation to the light or do we remain in the justification of our anger. If we now turn to the Holy Spirit and ask him to touch our anger, we open our darkness to his light and the situation changes. We can now apply this to many examples.
The light of the Holy Spirit is the love that is poured out into our hearts, because the Holy Spirit is the love between the Father and the Son. This divine love now warms and illuminates our hearts, touches the heart in its depth and now wants to draw us.
When Jesus spoke about the Holy Spirit, he spoke about the Comforter. He says that the Holy Spirit will always stays with us (cf. Jn 14,16). This does not only apply to the presence in the world, but also to the presence in our heart. The Holy Spirit remains in a heart that lives in the state of grace and not only enlightens the mind, but also shapes our heart. If we ask in a certain way of piety that our heart should be formed according to the heart of Jesus, then such a work is done by the Holy Spirit.
This presence of the Holy Spirit can sometimes be perceived in the heart, especially when we set out on the path of deeper inner prayer and also remain in conversation and contact with the Holy Spirit. After all, he is our spiritual teacher, because who could teach us the ways of God more than God himself!
The presence of the Holy Spirit is usually mild and tender. This we can read when we hear about the prophet Elija when he met God him in a gentle wind (cf. 1 Kgs 19,11-13). Of course, this was different at the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost! But it is different in the inner spiritual life.
But this tenderness of the Spirit does not mean softness and false yielding. The firmness of the Holy Spirit consists in the truth. But this truth is now expressed in love.
For example, self-knowledge in the Holy Spirit is not accusing and harsh, not depressing and destructive, but truthful and mild. The Holy spirit wants to draw the soul out of darkness, call it into the light and not force it. There is no violence.
This is already a help for the spirit of dicernement. The Holy Spirit shows us always a way for a solution of the problem and leads us to the cross of Jesus where we find foregiveness and a new beginning. The spirit of darkness on the other hand might show us also something about us. But he wants to bring us into despair that we will have no hope.
May the light of the Holy Spirit shine in uns and remain that we are led by him all our life!