Attack by the Holy Spirit

          A survival manual

                   by Darrell Walker

The wild goose embodies the untamable and unpredictable nature of the Spirit and is a reminder that the Spirit is a disturber as well as comforter.  It is a symbol for the Holy Spirit used by the Celtic people of Scotland and Ireland.

In the Celtic tradition the Holy Spirit is represented as a bird, but not the peaceful and serene dove landing on Jesus at his baptism.  Why did the Wild Goose speak to those ancient Celtic Christians? To begin with, wild geese aren't’t controllable. You can’t restrain a wild goose and bend it to your will. They’re raucous and loud. Unlike the sweet and calming cooing of a dove, a goose’s honk is strong, challenging, strident and unnerving – and just a bit scary.
In much the same way the Spirit of God can be, demanding and unsettling. Think about the story of Pentecost, and the impression the disciples made on the crowd. People thought they were drunk and disorderly!

Its one thing for a gentle dove to descend peacefully on Jesus – it’s something all together different when the Spirit descends like a wild, noisy goose!

            Taken from Eternal Echoes  webpage