“When someone thinks they are important, that’s when the plague hits.”
"You, Charismatic Renewal , have received a great gift from the Lord: you have been born from a desire of the Holy Spirit as a current of grace in the Church and for the Church. This is your definition: a current of grace.
What is the first gift of the Holy Ghost? The gift of himself, who is love and helps us to fall in love with Jesus This love changes lives, for it is said 'to be born again to life in the Spirit' . Jesus said so to Nicodemus. You have you received the great gift of diversity of charisms , the diversity that the Holy Spirit brings to service to the Church.
The Charismatic Renewal is a great power at the service of the Gospel: you have found the love of God for all his children and the love for the Word.
The danger for the Renewal , as is often said, our dear Father Raniero Cantalamessa, is excessive organization : you need it, but do not lose the grace of allowing God to be God. There is no greater freedom than that to let the Spirit lead , refusing to calculate everything, and allow Him to guide us where He will, to enlighten us . He knows what is needed most at all times and in every era.
Another danger is to become "inspectors" of God's grace. Sometimes the leaders become perhaps unwittingly administrators of grace deciding who can and who cannot receive it. If some of you are doing this, I beg you to stop doing so! You are stewards of God's grace , not "inspectors" . Do not carry out a "customs control" of the Holy Spirit.
The Church expects this testimony , and the Spirit helps us to live in consistency with the Gospel for our holiness . I expect you to share the grace of the Church in the Holy Spirit. I expect you to evangelize with the word of God, which proclaims that Jesus is alive and loves all men; to bear witness to our ecumenical commitment: to remain united in the love that the Lord Jesus asks us to have for all men, and in the Holy Spirit in prayer, to arrive at this unity. Remember that the Renewal is by its very nature ecumenical: the Catholic Renewal rejoices at what the Spirit realizes in other churches . Be close to the poor, the needy, touch in their flesh the wounded flesh of Jesus." - Pope Francis
What a great grace of affirmation and mission for the Charismatic Renewal.
“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”
It was a wonderful gift to see Papa Francis praying with all those attending the Renewal conference. It made me smile as I remembered how I came back to my faith because of the Renewal and having experienced the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit in my own life.
ReplyDeleteThere are many times when I have forgotten His graciousness towards me, many times when I preferred the world to Him...but one thing remains until the day I die...I will praise the Holy Spirit and give Him thanks for such a gift of His love all the days of my life.
Amen!