The Tap-Tap-Tap of the Holy Spirit
On one of the trails at the Catholic Conference Center, I noticed an unusual sight: two trees standing side by side. They appeared to be the same age and type, likely sprouting from the same mother tree. Yet one was riddled with holes—evidence of the pileated woodpecker I often see darting from tree to tree, making its unmistakable monkey‑like calls. The other tree was untouched. In a sense, one tree was “holier” than the other (pardon the pun).
Why did the woodpecker choose one tree and not the other? Most likely, it sensed insects beneath the bark. To achieve this unexpected level of “holiness,” the bugs had to go. The untouched tree may have had just as many bugs, but for reasons unknown, the woodpecker didn’t perceive it as receptive to its probing.
Now past the midpoint of my Lenten journey, I find myself wondering: Which tree am I? Stretching the metaphor a bit, the woodpecker becomes the Holy Spirit—searching for receptivity among all the trees in the forest. When the Spirit finds a willing heart, it begins the work of removing the “bugs”: the habits, vices, and hidden faults that lie beneath our polished exterior.
This process leaves holes—visible wounds from purification. But holes are better than bugs. They become signs of healing and, ultimately, signs of holiness.
Another lesson from these two trees is that I cannot make myself holy. I often slip into that mistaken mindset during Lent. Giving up ice cream (which, by the way, has not gone particularly well) won’t make me holy. Holiness is not self‑manufactured; it is received. As Lumen Gentium reminds us, “By God’s gift, [the followers of Christ] complete in their lives this holiness they have received” (40).
Holiness begins with receptivity—being open to the gentle tap‑tap‑tap of the Holy Spirit.
As I look back on this Lent, I realize I resemble the unmarked tree: outwardly intact, yet hiding plenty of bugs beneath the surface. I find myself asking what keeps me from embracing the virtues that lead to Easter joy. The good news is that with God, it is never too late. There is still time to welcome the Spirit’s work and respond again to this universal call to holiness—a call not just for some trees, but for all.
Which tree best describes your Lent?
