Well, spring is officially here, and nothing says spring to a Michigander like apple blossoms (except robins, but that wasn't a template option). Hope you enjoy the new look.
I thought a reminder of why I have entitled this blog "Christian Witness" might be in order. This blog was inspired, in large part, by World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney, Australia. The theme that the Holy Father chose was the scripture you see at the head of this page, "You will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses" (Acts 1:8). In his "Message On the Occasion of the XXIII World Youth Day", Pope Benedict XVI observed that "the Holy Spirit continues today to act with power in the Church, and the fruits of the Spirit are abundant in the measure in which we are ready to open up to this power that makes all things new" (5). Further, "By allowing themselves to be guided by the Spirit, each baptized person can bring his or her own contribution to the building up of the Church because of the charisms given by the Spirit, for 'to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good'" (6, cf. 1 Cor 12:7). Finally, he declared, "Together we shall invoke the Holy Spirit, confidently asking God for the gift of a new Pentecost for the Church and for humanity in the third millennium" (8).
I was, at that time, experiencing something of a spiritual renewal in my own life. I was learning about the power of the Holy Spirit, as manifested in His charisms, and about the grace of the "new Pentecost". I began, that summer, to discover my own gifts, and to consider how I might best use them to build up the Church. I was especially intrigued by the idea that the Spirit is the "first agent of evangelization", and therefore of witness, as articulated by Pope Paul VI.
Now, "witness" in the context of this blog has a twofold sense. First and foremost, it denotes a witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ; that God exists and that He has revealed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ, who out of love for mankind suffered and died, and on the third day rose again as a proof of His divinity and a promise of eternal life for those who believe in His Name. However, it also denotes a particular manner of seeing things, aided by the light of the Holy Spirit. By this reading, even as I "witness to" the Gospel, I also endeavor to "witness" literature, music, film, politics, etc., from a uniquely Christian perspective. Whether this endeavor is successful will be for my readers to judge. (So please comment on my posts!)
O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit did instruct the hearts of Thy faithful, grant that by the same Spirit we may be truly wise, and ever rejoice in His consolation, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Showing posts with label charisms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label charisms. Show all posts
27 March 2011
02 September 2008
A Gift for All People
It is lamentably common to hear Catholics admit to the undoubted authenticity of the charismatic renewal, but in the same breath attemt to disassociate themselves from it, saying something like, "It may be alright for them (i.e. the hyper-emotive or, worse, the especially holy), but it's just not my cup of tea." So that's it... You do your thing and I'll do mine, summarily dismissing the immense weight of support for the charismatic experience from Scripture, the Church Fathers, Vatican Council II and three modern Popes, not to mention the lived experience of thousands of charismatic Catholics throughout the world.
But let this be absolutely clear: the Catholic charismatic renewal is more than a spirituality; it is the gift of the Holy Spirit for all believers. But you need not take my word for it; Popes Paul VI, John Paul the Great and, most recently, Benedict XVI, have all lent their support for the renewal, even calling it "a chance for the Church." It is the firstfruit of the Council, and the answer to John XXIII's prayer that the Lord "renew [his] wonders in our day as by a new Pentecost."
The renewal is primarily an experience, an encounter with the living God, but it is also a mindset. A friend of mine has been frequenting a Baptist church on Sunday mornings and our Catholic church on Sunday evenings. Naturally, his Baptist friends have questions about his Catholic faith, which are more or less familiar: Do you believe that Jesus is really present in the Eucharist and, come to that, why is it so important anyway? Or, Why is Mary so important in the life of the Church?
The first question is easily answered with a few key scriptures, John 6 among them. Jesus makes it absolutely (and unapologetically) clear that He is "the bread of life," and that His body is "true food" and His blood "true drink" and that "unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you" (35, 53, 55). Period. Many of His hearers find this revelation so offensive that they leave him. And Jesus, who after all is wont to speak in metaphors (parables, to be exact), does not run after them saying, "Wait, come back... you misunderstood me!" He turns to His disciples and asks, "Do you also want to leave?" (67).
Of course, the next logical question is a "what if". What if a remote island tribe has belief in Christ, but no priest to celebrate the Eucharist? Will they be saved? Well, yes. There are precious few things that are neccessary for salvation, baptism and belief in Christ being the only two that come to mind, and even there we admit exceptions. But a far better question is, If the Lord offers us this extraordinary grace (i.e. the Eucharist), as we know He does, and if this grace is His real and substantial presence in the Eucharist, as we know it is, why would we not take it?
We may apply the same question to the issue of Mary. If God offers us this profound gift of His own mother, as we know He does, why would we not take it? God never ceases to bestow gifts upon us in abundance! And to say, "No thank you, Lord, I have enough, I need no more" is at best unwise, at worst simply blasphemous.
Thus so with the charisms. The Scriptures are abundantly clear on this too: "Strive eagerly for the spiritual gifts," says Paul, "especially that you may prophesy" (1 Corinthians 14:1). Paul takes personal prophecy as a given among the Corinthians, along with word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, discernment of spirits, miracles and even tongues (glossolalia), of which he says, "I would like all of you to speak in tongues" (1 Corinthians 14:5).
Docility, docility, docility! With Mary, Mother of charismatics, let us be docile to the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit, that we may be able to say with her, "May it be done unto me according to your word" (Luke 1:35).
In His peace.
But let this be absolutely clear: the Catholic charismatic renewal is more than a spirituality; it is the gift of the Holy Spirit for all believers. But you need not take my word for it; Popes Paul VI, John Paul the Great and, most recently, Benedict XVI, have all lent their support for the renewal, even calling it "a chance for the Church." It is the firstfruit of the Council, and the answer to John XXIII's prayer that the Lord "renew [his] wonders in our day as by a new Pentecost."
The renewal is primarily an experience, an encounter with the living God, but it is also a mindset. A friend of mine has been frequenting a Baptist church on Sunday mornings and our Catholic church on Sunday evenings. Naturally, his Baptist friends have questions about his Catholic faith, which are more or less familiar: Do you believe that Jesus is really present in the Eucharist and, come to that, why is it so important anyway? Or, Why is Mary so important in the life of the Church?
The first question is easily answered with a few key scriptures, John 6 among them. Jesus makes it absolutely (and unapologetically) clear that He is "the bread of life," and that His body is "true food" and His blood "true drink" and that "unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you" (35, 53, 55). Period. Many of His hearers find this revelation so offensive that they leave him. And Jesus, who after all is wont to speak in metaphors (parables, to be exact), does not run after them saying, "Wait, come back... you misunderstood me!" He turns to His disciples and asks, "Do you also want to leave?" (67).
Of course, the next logical question is a "what if". What if a remote island tribe has belief in Christ, but no priest to celebrate the Eucharist? Will they be saved? Well, yes. There are precious few things that are neccessary for salvation, baptism and belief in Christ being the only two that come to mind, and even there we admit exceptions. But a far better question is, If the Lord offers us this extraordinary grace (i.e. the Eucharist), as we know He does, and if this grace is His real and substantial presence in the Eucharist, as we know it is, why would we not take it?
We may apply the same question to the issue of Mary. If God offers us this profound gift of His own mother, as we know He does, why would we not take it? God never ceases to bestow gifts upon us in abundance! And to say, "No thank you, Lord, I have enough, I need no more" is at best unwise, at worst simply blasphemous.
Thus so with the charisms. The Scriptures are abundantly clear on this too: "Strive eagerly for the spiritual gifts," says Paul, "especially that you may prophesy" (1 Corinthians 14:1). Paul takes personal prophecy as a given among the Corinthians, along with word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, discernment of spirits, miracles and even tongues (glossolalia), of which he says, "I would like all of you to speak in tongues" (1 Corinthians 14:5).
Docility, docility, docility! With Mary, Mother of charismatics, let us be docile to the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit, that we may be able to say with her, "May it be done unto me according to your word" (Luke 1:35).
In His peace.
22 July 2008
The Barque of Peter
So... long time no blog. I apologize to my readers (whose existence I am inclined to doubt, but you may make a believer out of me by posting your words of thanks, praise and general accolade... ahem) for my absence. That said...
The Barque of Peter--along with a thirteen-boat flotilla--made port in Sydney Harbor Thursday and the Successor of Peter was met, as expected, to youthful cries of jubilation, the familiar papal soccer-chant ("Benedetto! Viva il Papa!"), and even a colorful Aboriginal honor guard. There is no question; Pope Benedict XVI knows how to arrive in style. But this maritime mode of transportation is more than mere theatrics.
Arrival by boat underscores well--as I am sure is the Holy Father's intention--the origins of the Petrine ministry, and it's various implications. Of His many disciples, our Lord chooses Peter, the fisherman, to be the Prince of Apostles and Head of His Church on earth. Peter, who denied the possibility of His Passion, Peter whom our Lord himself called "Satan" (Matthew 16: 22, 23), Peter who denied even knowing Him (Matthew 16: 69-75). A final observation completes our picture of this first and least of Apostles: the relics that presently reside beneath the high altar of the Vatican Basilica indicate that Peter was a large man. So that's it: A big dumb guy named Pete is chosen as the "Rock" upon which our Lord would build His Church, against whom the gates of hell would not prevail (Mathew 16:18).
What are we to make of this startling fact? I would assert that the Lord chooses the least of people--children, house-wives, blue-collar workers, government drones, wacked-out revolutionaries and ex-whores--even shy professorial types--to build His kingdom on earth. (Where on earth did this Man learn administration skills?) The import for World Youth Day is that youth can and should aspire to holiness, no matter what their particular walk of life, because "it was not you who chose me, but I chose you" (John 15:16). This "choosing" makes all the difference in the world. As a wise priest once said, "God does not ask that we be worthy; He only asks that we be willing." And the Spirit will give us the necessary gifts (charisms): "I will ask the Father, and he will send you another Advocate... the Spirit of truth" and "he will guide you" (John 14:16, 17, 16:13).
Of course, the Holy Father said this far more eloquently than I ever could:
This is our Christian faith! Our risen Lord has revealed Himself to us, we who are poor sinners, and calls us to repentance and baptism; He pours His Spirit upon us, the Spirit that drives out fear and empowers us to proclaim the Gospel!
In His peace.
Coming soon... "Babel, Cenacle... Ranwick".
The Barque of Peter--along with a thirteen-boat flotilla--made port in Sydney Harbor Thursday and the Successor of Peter was met, as expected, to youthful cries of jubilation, the familiar papal soccer-chant ("Benedetto! Viva il Papa!"), and even a colorful Aboriginal honor guard. There is no question; Pope Benedict XVI knows how to arrive in style. But this maritime mode of transportation is more than mere theatrics.
Arrival by boat underscores well--as I am sure is the Holy Father's intention--the origins of the Petrine ministry, and it's various implications. Of His many disciples, our Lord chooses Peter, the fisherman, to be the Prince of Apostles and Head of His Church on earth. Peter, who denied the possibility of His Passion, Peter whom our Lord himself called "Satan" (Matthew 16: 22, 23), Peter who denied even knowing Him (Matthew 16: 69-75). A final observation completes our picture of this first and least of Apostles: the relics that presently reside beneath the high altar of the Vatican Basilica indicate that Peter was a large man. So that's it: A big dumb guy named Pete is chosen as the "Rock" upon which our Lord would build His Church, against whom the gates of hell would not prevail (Mathew 16:18).
What are we to make of this startling fact? I would assert that the Lord chooses the least of people--children, house-wives, blue-collar workers, government drones, wacked-out revolutionaries and ex-whores--even shy professorial types--to build His kingdom on earth. (Where on earth did this Man learn administration skills?) The import for World Youth Day is that youth can and should aspire to holiness, no matter what their particular walk of life, because "it was not you who chose me, but I chose you" (John 15:16). This "choosing" makes all the difference in the world. As a wise priest once said, "God does not ask that we be worthy; He only asks that we be willing." And the Spirit will give us the necessary gifts (charisms): "I will ask the Father, and he will send you another Advocate... the Spirit of truth" and "he will guide you" (John 14:16, 17, 16:13).
Of course, the Holy Father said this far more eloquently than I ever could:
Almost two thousand years ago, the Apostles, gathered in the upper room together with Mary and some faithful women, were filled with the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 1:14; 2:4). At that extraordinary moment, which gave birth to the Church, the confusion and fear that had gripped Christ’s disciples were transformed into a vigorous conviction and sense of purpose. They felt impelled to speak of their encounter with the risen Jesus whom they had come to call affectionately, the Lord. In many ways, the Apostles were ordinary. None could claim to be the perfect disciple. They failed to recognize Christ (cf. Lk 24:13-32), felt ashamed of their own ambition (cf. Lk 22:24-27), and had even denied him (cf. Lk 22:54-62). Yet, when empowered by the Holy Spirit, they were transfixed by the truth of Christ’s Gospel and inspired to proclaim it fearlessly. Emboldened, they exclaimed: repent, be baptized, receive the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 2:37-38)! (Festival of Welcome Address)
This is our Christian faith! Our risen Lord has revealed Himself to us, we who are poor sinners, and calls us to repentance and baptism; He pours His Spirit upon us, the Spirit that drives out fear and empowers us to proclaim the Gospel!
In His peace.
Coming soon... "Babel, Cenacle... Ranwick".
28 June 2008
Vocations and the Charisms
A Scripture passage occurred to me while praying yesterday, in a charismatic prayer meeting, as it happened. I was praying especially for strength and guidance in my vocational discernment to the priesthood (and possibly to the Carmelites). It is the words of our Lord to Peter on the sea shore, after His resurrection:
Just the night before, in another prayer meeting, of which priestly discernment was the purpose, I asked the question, "To what extent will the charismatic dimension of our faith influence vocations in the future?" To which a wise priest-friend responded (and I paraphrase), "Well, baptism in the Holy Spirit is, first, a total surrender to the will of God, so to that extent, it is essential to being open and responsive to a call from the Lord."
Yes, surrender is essential; and this is the heart of what those in the charismatic renewal (like the Fathers of the Church) call "baptism in the Holy Spirit". We give ourselves totally to God. And I mean totally--none of this "Oh God, make me good, but not yet" stuff. This constant reserve, this unwillingness to let God lead us in all our ways, of which I myself am often guilty.
A personal testimony: Until quite recently, I had never seriously considered a potential call to the religious life. It was always, "Oh, it's possible, but I don't think so." Always, "I'm all about doing the will of God, but I want the relative freedoms (or what I perceived as the relative freedoms) of a diocesan priest." But my faith, and thus my vocation, have grown tremendously in the past year (especially in the past month) and as I devour Carmelite literature, I find myself attracted to Carmelite spirituality. And as I throw myself headlong into the charismatic renewal, I find myself more open and more responsive to God's call... wherever He may lead me.
So I beg you, my brothers and sisters, open your hearts and your minds to the will of God, wherever He may lead you, trusting that He wants more for you than you could possibly want for yourselves, such is His inestimable love for you. Surrender yourselves totally to the movements of the Spirit. Always sing, in the words of John Michael Talbot, "I will go Lord, if You lead me/ I will hold Your people in my heart" ("Here I am, Lord").
This video features a prayer by one of my favorite Carmelite saints, Teresa of Avila. It is translated (roughly), "Let nothing trouble you, let nothing frighten you/ He who has God lacks nothing,/All things pass, God does not change, patience achieves everything/God alone suffices."
In His peace.
Amen, amen I say to you, when you were younger you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go... Follow me. (John 21:18)
Just the night before, in another prayer meeting, of which priestly discernment was the purpose, I asked the question, "To what extent will the charismatic dimension of our faith influence vocations in the future?" To which a wise priest-friend responded (and I paraphrase), "Well, baptism in the Holy Spirit is, first, a total surrender to the will of God, so to that extent, it is essential to being open and responsive to a call from the Lord."
Yes, surrender is essential; and this is the heart of what those in the charismatic renewal (like the Fathers of the Church) call "baptism in the Holy Spirit". We give ourselves totally to God. And I mean totally--none of this "Oh God, make me good, but not yet" stuff. This constant reserve, this unwillingness to let God lead us in all our ways, of which I myself am often guilty.
A personal testimony: Until quite recently, I had never seriously considered a potential call to the religious life. It was always, "Oh, it's possible, but I don't think so." Always, "I'm all about doing the will of God, but I want the relative freedoms (or what I perceived as the relative freedoms) of a diocesan priest." But my faith, and thus my vocation, have grown tremendously in the past year (especially in the past month) and as I devour Carmelite literature, I find myself attracted to Carmelite spirituality. And as I throw myself headlong into the charismatic renewal, I find myself more open and more responsive to God's call... wherever He may lead me.
So I beg you, my brothers and sisters, open your hearts and your minds to the will of God, wherever He may lead you, trusting that He wants more for you than you could possibly want for yourselves, such is His inestimable love for you. Surrender yourselves totally to the movements of the Spirit. Always sing, in the words of John Michael Talbot, "I will go Lord, if You lead me/ I will hold Your people in my heart" ("Here I am, Lord").
This video features a prayer by one of my favorite Carmelite saints, Teresa of Avila. It is translated (roughly), "Let nothing trouble you, let nothing frighten you/ He who has God lacks nothing,/All things pass, God does not change, patience achieves everything/God alone suffices."
In His peace.
20 June 2008
Spiritual Warfare
Night Prayer (Compline) for Tuesdays contains a rather alarming passage from 1 Peter:
Not the most comforting bedtime reading, that. It is, however, well worth reflection.
Intriguingly, Pope John Paul II read this precise passage the night before his assassination attempt. Many theories later developed (during the legal proceedings) in an effort to explain who was ultimately responsible and why: Did Mehmet Ali Agca, the Pope's would-be assassin, act alone, on his own motives, or as a Soviet agent? The Pope, it has been reported, was surprisingly uninterested in such speculation, simply saying, "I know well that the responsible one was the devil."
Again and again the sacred authors warn us of our spiritual enemies. For the first century Christians, these spiritual enemies were as much a reality as were their temporal enemies--perhaps more so. John warns the early Christians, then suffering under the persecution of Emperor Domitian, "woe to you, earth and sea, for the Devil has come down to you in great fury, for he knows he has but a short time" (Revelation 12:12).
The fact is that Satan, whom our Lord calls "a murderer from the beginning" and "a liar" (John 8:44), is real. He is determined to destroy us, to separate us from the love of Christ and join him in that eternal separation that we call Hell (Revelation 12:13-17). His activity is as varied and extensive as human activity, such is his hatred and envy for us; he would, were he permitted, completely derail the entire Christian mission. A spiritual problem, therefore, calls for a spiritual solution.
Before his ascension, Christ told his disciples, "These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages... they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover" (Mark 16:17, 18). These signs correspond to the various spiritual gifts (Greek charismata) that the Holy Spirit often bestowed upon the early Christians (Acts 2:4, 1 Corinthians 12:7-10). In other words, Christ does not leave us defenseless, but gives us His own Spirit to protect us against spiritual attack. What's more, He gives us the protection of Saint Michael and the other angels (Acts 12:6-10, Revelation 12:7-9).
But how often do we invoke the help of our spiritual allies? How often do we, in effect, say, "No thank you Lord... I don't need help... I can handle this"? How many plans have come to ruin through such obstinate self-reliance? How many hearts have been broken, how many hopes crushed and how many faiths destroyed? My brothers and sisters, it is time to WAKE UP! It is time to face the hard fact that we were all born on a battlefield. War rages around us, whether seen or unseen, and we cannot afford to be drunk on "feel good" spirituality.
James instructs us to "resist the devil and he will flee from you" (4:7). Our Lord has given us His own Spirit, along with all the angels in Heaven, for our spiritual defense. What further weapons do we need? As it is written, "If the Lord is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31).
The prayer in this video (Pope Leo XIII's Prayer to Saint Michael) was recited after every Low Mass from 1888 to 1964.
In His peace.
Stay sober and alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, solid in your faith. (5:8, 9)
Not the most comforting bedtime reading, that. It is, however, well worth reflection.
Intriguingly, Pope John Paul II read this precise passage the night before his assassination attempt. Many theories later developed (during the legal proceedings) in an effort to explain who was ultimately responsible and why: Did Mehmet Ali Agca, the Pope's would-be assassin, act alone, on his own motives, or as a Soviet agent? The Pope, it has been reported, was surprisingly uninterested in such speculation, simply saying, "I know well that the responsible one was the devil."
Again and again the sacred authors warn us of our spiritual enemies. For the first century Christians, these spiritual enemies were as much a reality as were their temporal enemies--perhaps more so. John warns the early Christians, then suffering under the persecution of Emperor Domitian, "woe to you, earth and sea, for the Devil has come down to you in great fury, for he knows he has but a short time" (Revelation 12:12).
The fact is that Satan, whom our Lord calls "a murderer from the beginning" and "a liar" (John 8:44), is real. He is determined to destroy us, to separate us from the love of Christ and join him in that eternal separation that we call Hell (Revelation 12:13-17). His activity is as varied and extensive as human activity, such is his hatred and envy for us; he would, were he permitted, completely derail the entire Christian mission. A spiritual problem, therefore, calls for a spiritual solution.
Before his ascension, Christ told his disciples, "These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages... they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover" (Mark 16:17, 18). These signs correspond to the various spiritual gifts (Greek charismata) that the Holy Spirit often bestowed upon the early Christians (Acts 2:4, 1 Corinthians 12:7-10). In other words, Christ does not leave us defenseless, but gives us His own Spirit to protect us against spiritual attack. What's more, He gives us the protection of Saint Michael and the other angels (Acts 12:6-10, Revelation 12:7-9).
But how often do we invoke the help of our spiritual allies? How often do we, in effect, say, "No thank you Lord... I don't need help... I can handle this"? How many plans have come to ruin through such obstinate self-reliance? How many hearts have been broken, how many hopes crushed and how many faiths destroyed? My brothers and sisters, it is time to WAKE UP! It is time to face the hard fact that we were all born on a battlefield. War rages around us, whether seen or unseen, and we cannot afford to be drunk on "feel good" spirituality.
James instructs us to "resist the devil and he will flee from you" (4:7). Our Lord has given us His own Spirit, along with all the angels in Heaven, for our spiritual defense. What further weapons do we need? As it is written, "If the Lord is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31).
The prayer in this video (Pope Leo XIII's Prayer to Saint Michael) was recited after every Low Mass from 1888 to 1964.
In His peace.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)