Charismatic? Part IV



Charismatic? Part IPosted on January 24, 2012April 17, 2017 by Mark ?From a reader:You mention the Charismatic Renewal (in your writing The Christmas Apocalypse) in a positive light. I don’t get it. I go out of my way to attend a church that is very traditional—where people dress properly, remain quiet in front of the Tabernacle, where we are catechized according to Tradition from the pulpit, etc.I stay far away from charismatic churches. I just don’t see that as Catholicism. There is often a movie screen on the altar with parts of the Mass listed on it (“Liturgy,” etc.). Women are on the altar. Everyone is dressed very casually (jeans, sneakers, shorts, etc.) Everyone raises their hands, shouts, claps—no quiet. There is no kneeling or other reverent gestures. It seems to me that a lot of this was learned from the Pentecostal denomination. No one thinks the “details” of Tradition matter. I feel no peace there. What happened to Tradition? To silence (such as no clapping!) out of respect for the Tabernacle??? To modest dress?And I have never seen anyone who had a REAL gift of tongues. They tell you to say nonsense with them…! I tried it years ago, and I was saying NOTHING! Can’t that type of thing call down ANY spirit? It seems like it should be called “charismania.” The “tongues” people speak in are just jibberish! After Pentecost, people understood the preaching. It just seems like any spirit can creep into this stuff. Why would anyone want hands laid on them that are not consecrated??? Sometimes I am aware of certain serious sins that people are in, and yet there they are on the altar in their jeans laying hands on others. Aren’t those spirits being passed on? I don’t get it!I would much rather attend a Tridentine Mass where Jesus is at the center of everything. No entertainment—just worship.?Dear reader,You raise some important points worth discussing. Is the Charismatic Renewal from God? Is it a Protestant invention, or even a diabolical one? Are these “gifts of the Spirit” or ungodly “graces”?The question of the Charismatic Renewal is so important, so key in fact to what God is doing today—in fact, central to the end times—that I am going to answer your questions in a multi-part series.Before I answer your specific questions regarding irreverence and the charisms, such as tongues, I want to first answer the question: is the Renewal even from God, and is it “Catholic”???THE OUTPOURING OF THE SPIRITEven though the Apostles had spent three years learning at Christ’s feet; even though they had witnessed his Resurrection; even though they had already gone on missions; even though Jesus had already commanded them to “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel”, working signs and wonders, [1]cf. Mark 16:15-18 they were still not equipped with power to carry out that mission:…I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high. (Luke 24:49)When Pentecost came, everything changed. [2]cf. The Day of Difference! Suddenly, these timid men burst into the streets, preaching, healing, prophesying, and speaking in tongues—and thousands were added to their number. [3]cf. Acts 2:47 The Church was born that day in one of the most singular events in salvation history.But wait a minute, what’s this we read?As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:30)Whenever I am speaking in churches on this topic, I ask them what this aforementioned Scripture event is referring to. Inevitably, most people say “Pentecost.” But it’s not. Pentecost was back in Chapter 2. You see, Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit in power, is not a one-time event. God, who is infinite, can infinitely go on filling and refilling us. Thus, Baptism and Confirmation, while sealing us with the Holy Spirit, do not limit the Holy Spirit to being poured out in our lives over and over again. The Spirit comes to us as our advocate, our helper, as Jesus said. [4]Jn 14:16 The Spirit aids us in our weakness, said St. Paul. [5]Rom 8:26 Thus, the Spirit can be poured out time and again in our lives, most especially when the Third Person of the Holy Trinity is invoked and welcomed. …we ought to pray to and invoke the Holy Spirit, for each one of us greatly needs His protection and His help. The more a man is deficient in wisdom, weak in strength, borne down with trouble, prone to sin, so ought he the more to fly to Him who is the never-ceasing fount of light, strength, consolation, and holiness. —POPE LEO XIII, Divinum Illud Munus, Encyclical on the Holy Spirit, n. 11?“COME HOLY SPIRIT!”Pope Leo XIII went on to make such an invocation when, at the turn of the 19th century, he decreed and ‘commanded’ that the entire Catholic Church pray that year—and every subsequent year thereafter—a Novena to the Holy Spirit. And no wonder, for the world itself was becoming ‘deficient in wisdom, weak in strength, borne down with trouble, [and] prone to sin’:…he who resists the truth through malice and turns away from it, sins most grievously against the Holy Ghost. In our days this sin has become so frequent that those dark times seem to have come which were foretold by St. Paul, in which men, blinded by the just judgment of God, should take falsehood for truth, and should believe in “the prince of this world,” who is a liar and the father thereof, as a teacher of truth: “Godright000 shall send them the operation of error, to believe lying (2 Thess. ii., 10). In the last times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to spirits of error and the doctrines of devils” (1 Tim. iv., 1). —POPE LEO XIII, Divinum Illud Munus, n. 10Thus, Pope Leo turned to the Holy Spirit, “the giver of life”, to counter a “culture of death” that was fomenting on the horizon. He was inspired to do so through confidential letters sent to him by Blessed Elena Guerra (1835-1914), foundress of the Oblate Sisters of The Holy Spirit. [6]Pope John XXIII called Sr. Elena the “apostle of the devotion to the Holy Spirit” when he beatified her. Then, on January 1, 1901, Pope Leo sang the Veni Creator Spiritus near the Holy Spirit window in St. Peter’s Basillica in Rome. [7] That very day, the Holy Spirit fell… but not upon the Catholic world! Rather, it was upon a group of Protestants in Topeka, Kansas at the Bethel College and Bible School where they had been praying to receive the Holy Spirit just as the early Church did, in Acts Chapter 2. This outpouring birthed the “charismatic renewal” in modern times and the seedling of the Pentecostal movement.But wait a minute… would this be from God? Would God pour out His Spirit outside of the Catholic Church?Recall the prayer of Jesus:I pray not only for [the Apostles], but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. (John 17:20-21)Jesus foreshadows and prophesies in this passage that there are going to be believers through the Gospel proclamation, but also disunity—hence His prayer that “they may all be one.” While there are believers not in full unity with the Catholic Church, their faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, sealed in baptism, makes them brothers and sisters, albeit, separated brethren.?Then John said in reply, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow in our company.” Jesus said to him, “Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.” (Luke 9:49-50) And yet, Jesus’s words are clear that the world may believe in Him when we may “all be one.”?ECUMENISM… TOWARD UNITYI can remember several years ago standing on the lawn of a downtown park in a Canadian city alongside thousands of other Christians. We had gathered for a “March for Jesus” to simply proclaim Him as King and Lord of our lives. I’ll never forget singing and praising God in one voice with the non-Catholics standing beside me. That day, the words of St. Peter seemed to come alive: “love covers a multitude of sins.” [8]1 Pet 4:8 Our love for Jesus, and our love for one another that day, covered, at least for a few moments, the terrible divisions that keep Christians from a common and credible witness.And no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the holy Spirit. (1 Cor 12:3)False ecumenism [9]“ecumenism” is the principal or aim of promoting Christian unity occurs when Christians wash over theological andright000 doctrinal differences, often saying, “What’s most important is that we believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior.” The problem, however, is that Jesus Himself said, “I am the Truth,” and thus, those truths of the Faith that lead us into freedom are not insignificant. Furthermore, errors or falsehoods presented as truth can lead souls into serious sin, thereby putting their very salvation at risk.However, one cannot charge with the sin of the separation those who at present are born into these communities [that resulted from such separation] and in them are brought up in the faith of Christ, and the Catholic Church accepts them with respect and affection as brothers…. All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers in the Lord by the children of the Catholic Church. —Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 818True ecumenism is when Christians stand upon that which they have in left000common, yet, acknowledge what divides us, and dialogue toward full and true unity. As Catholics, that means holding fast to the “deposit of faith” that has been entrusted to us by Jesus, but also remaining open to the way the Spirit moves and breathes so as to make the Gospel ever new and accessible. Or as John Paul II put it,…a new evangelization — new in ardor, methods and expression. —Ecclesia in America, Apostolic Exhortation, n. 6In this regard, we can often hear and experience this “new song” [10]cf. Ps 96:1 of the Spirit outside of the Catholic Church.“Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth” are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: “the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements.” Christ’s Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church. All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him, and are in themselves calls to “Catholic unity.“ —Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 818Christ’s Spirit uses these Churches… and are in themselves calls to Catholic unity. Herein lies the key, then, to understanding why the outpouring of the Holy Spirit began upon those Christian communities separated from the Catholic Church: in order to prepare them for “Catholic unity.” Indeed, four years before Pope Leo’s song brought an outpouring of charisma or “grace” [11]kharisma; from Greek: “favor, grace” , he wrote in His encyclical on the Holy Spirit that the entire pontificate, from Peter to present, has been dedicated to the restoration of peace in the world (an Era of Peace) and Christian unity:We have attempted and persistently carried out during a long pontificate towards two chief ends: in the first place, towards the restoration, both in rulers and peoples, of the principles of the Christian life in civil and domestic society, since there is no true life for men except from Christ; and, secondly, to promote the reunion of those who have fallen away from the Catholic Church either by heresy or by schism, since it is most undoubtedly the will of Christ that all should be united in one flock under one Shepherd. —Divinum Illud Munus, n. 10Thus, what began in 1901 was God’s masterplan to prepare for Christian unity through the power of the Holy Spirit. Already today, we have seen a massive migration of evangelical Christians into Catholicism—this, despite the scandals rocking the Church. Indeed, truth draws souls to Truth. I’ll address this more in the last two Parts.?THE CATHOLIC CHARISMATIC RENEWAL IS BORNGod did intend to pour out His Holy Spirit in a special way upon the Catholic Church, all in His timing, according to a much greater plan unfolding in these latter times. Once again, it was a pope who invoked the coming of the Holy Spirit. In preparation for Vatican II, Blessed Pope John XXIII penned the prayer:Renew Your wonders in this our day, as by a new Pentecost. Grant to Your Church that, being of one mind and steadfast in prayer with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and following the lead of blessed Peter, it may advance the reign of our Divine Savior, the reign of truth and justice, the reign of love and peace. Amen. In 1967, two years after the official closing of Vatican II, a group of students from Duquesne University had gathered at The Ark and Dover Retreat House. After a talk earlier in the day on Acts chapteright000r 2, an awesome encounter began to unfold as students entered the upstairs chapel before the Blessed Sacrament:…when I entered and knelt in the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, I literally trembled with a sense of awe before His majesty. I knew in an overwhelming way that He is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. I thought, “You had better get out of here quick before something happens to you.” But overriding my fear was a much greater desire to surrender myself unconditionally to God. I prayed, “Father, I give my life to you. Whatever you ask of me, I accept. And if it means suffering, I accept that too. Just teach me to follow Jesus and to love as He loves.” In the next moment, I found myself prostrate, flat on my face, and flooded with an experience of the merciful love of God… a love that is totally undeserved, yet lavishly given. Yes, it’s true what St. Paul writes, “The love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.” My shoes came off in the process. I was indeed on holy ground. I felt as if I wanted to die and be with God… Within the next hour, God sovereignly drew many of the students into the chapel. Some were laughing, others crying. Some prayed in tongues, others (like me) felt a burning sensation coursing through their hands… It was the birth of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal! —Patti Gallagher-Mansfield, student eyewitness and participant, POPES EMBRACE THE RENEWALThe experience of the “Duquesne weekend” quickly spread to other campuses, and then throughout the Catholic world. As the Spirit set souls on fire, the movement began to crystallize into various organizations. Many of these gathered together in 1975 in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, where Pope Paul VI addressed them with an endorsement of what had become called the “Catholic Charismatic Renewal”:This authentic desire to situate yourselves in the Church is the authentic sign of the action of the Holy Spirit … How could this ‘spiritual renewal’ not be a chance for the Church and the world? And how, in this case, could one not take all the means to ensure that it remains so… —International Conference on the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, May 19, 1975, Rome, Italy, Shortly after his election, Pope John Paul II did not hesitate to recognize the Renewal:I am convinced that this movement is a very important component in the total renewal of the Church, in this spiritual renewal of the Church. —special audience with Cardinal Suenens and the Council Members of the International Charismatic Renewal Office, December 11th, 1979, emergence of the Renewal following the Second Vatican Council was a particular gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church…. At the end of this Second Millennium, the Church needs more than ever to turn in confidence and hope to the Holy Spirit, who unceasingly draws believers into the Trinitarian communion of love, builds up their visible unity in the one Body of Christ, and sends them forth on mission in obedience to the mandate entrusted to the Apostles by the Risen Christ. —Address to the Council of the International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Office, May 14th, 1992In a speech that leaves no ambiguity over whether or not the Renewal is meant to have a role among the entire Church, the late pope said:The institutional and charismatic aspects are co-essential as it were to the Church’s constitution. They contribute, although differently, to the life, renewal and sanctification of God’s People.?—Speech to the World Congress of Ecclesial Movements and New Communities, vatican.valeft000Fr. Raniero Cantalemessa, who has been the papal household preacher since 1980, added:…the Church… is both hierarchical and charismatic, institutional and mystery: the Church that lives not by sacrament alone but also by charism. The two lungs of the Church body are once again working together in full accord. — Come, Creator Spirit: meditations on the Veni Creator, by Raniero Cantalamessa, p. 184Lastly, Pope Benedict XVI, while a Cardinal and Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, said:At the heart of a world imbued with a rationalistic skepticism, a new experience of the Holy Spirit suddenly burst forth. And, since then, that experience has assumed a breadth of a worldwide Renewal movement. What the New Testament tells us about the charisms — which were seen as visible signs of the coming of the Spirit — is not just ancient history, over and done with, for it is once again becoming extremely topical. —Renewal and the Powers of Darkness, by Leo Cardinal Suenens (Ann Arbor: Servant Books, 1983)As Pope, he has continued to praise and promote the fruits that the Renewal has brought and continues to bring:The last century, sprinkled by sad pages of history, is at the same time full of wonderful testimonies of spiritual and charismatic awakening in every realm of human life… I hope the Holy Spirit will meet with an ever more fruitful reception in the hearts of believers and that the ‘culture of Pentecost’ will spread, so necessary in our time. —address to an International Congress, Zenit, September 29th, 2005 … the Ecclesial Movements and New Comunities which blossomed after the Second Vatican Council, constitute a unique gift of the Lord and a precious resource for the life of the Church. They should be accepted with trust and valued for the various contributions they place at the service of the common benefit in a an ordered and fruitful way. —Address to the Catholic Fraternity of Charismatic Covenant Communities and Fellowships Hall of Blessings Friday, 31 October, 2008?CONCLUSION TO PART?IThe Charismatic Renewal is a “gift” from God that was implored by the popes, and then further welcomed and encouraged by them. It is a gift to prepare the Church—and the world—for a coming “Era of Peace” when their will be one flock, one Shepherd, one united Church. [12]cf. The Coming Dominion of the Church, and The Coming of the Kingdom of God Yet, the reader has raised questions as to whether or not the Renewal Movement has perhaps gone off the rails. In Part II, we’ll look at the charisms or gifts of the Spirit, and whether or not these often extraordinary outward signs are indeed from God… or ungodly.?Charismatic? Part IIPosted on January 30, 2012April 17, 2017 by Mark ??THERE is perhaps no movement in the Church that has been so widely accepted—and readily rejected—as the “Charismatic Renewal.” Boundaries were broken, comfort zones moved, and the status quo shattered. Like Pentecost, it has been anything but a neat and tidy movement, fitting nicely into our preconceived boxes of just how the Spirit should move among us. Nothing has been perhaps as polarizing either… just as it was then. When the Jews heard and saw the Apostles burst from the upper room, speaking in tongues, and boldly proclaiming the Gospel…They were all astounded and bewildered, and said to one another, “What does this mean?” But others said, scoffing, “They have had too much new wine. (Acts 2:12-13)Such is the division in my letter bag as well…The Charismatic movement is a load of gibberish, NONSENSE! The Bible speaks of the gift of tongues. This referred to the ability to communicate in the spoken languages of that time! It did not mean idiotic gibberish… I will have nothing to do with it. —T.S.It saddens me to see this lady speak this way about the movement that brought me back to Church… —M.G.As my daughter and I walked along the Island coast of Western Canada this week, she pointed to the rugged shoreline noting that left000“beauty is often the combination of chaos and order. On the one hand, the shoreline is random and chaotic… on the other hand, the waters have their limit, and they do not go beyond their appointed boundaries…” That is a fitting description of the Charismatic Renewal. When the Spirit fell upon the Duquesne weekend, the usual silence of the Eucharistic chapel was broken by weeping, laughter, and the sudden gift of tongues among some of the participants. The waves of the Spirit were breaking upon the rocks of ritual and Tradition. The rocks remain standing, for they too are a work of the Spirit; but the force of this Divine wave has shaken loose the stones of apathy; it has hewn away hard-heartedness, and stirred into action sleeping members of the body. And yet, as St. Paul preached time and again, the gifts all have their place within the body and a proper order to their use and purpose.Before I discuss the charisms of the Spirit, what exactly is this so-called “baptism in the Spirit” that has revived the charisms in our times—and countless souls??A NEW BEGINNING: “BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT”The terminology comes from the Gospels where St. John distinguishes between the “baptism of repentance” with water, and a new baptism:I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Luke 3:16)Within this text lies the seedling of the Sacraments of Baptism and right000Confirmation. In fact, Jesus was the first, as head of His body, the Church, to be “baptized in the Spirit”, and through another man (John the Baptist) at that:…the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove… Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert… God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the holy Spirit and power. (Luke 3:22; Luke 4:1; Acts 10:38)Fr. Raneiro Cantalamessa has had, since 1980, the distinguished role of preaching to the papal household, including the Pope himself. He raises a crucial historical fact about the administration of the Sacrament of Baptism in the early Church:At the beginning of the Church, Baptism was such a powerful event and so rich in grace that there was no need normally of a new effusion of the Spirit like we have today. left000Baptism was ministered to adults who converted from paganism and who, properly instructed, were in the position to make, on the occasion of baptism, an act of faith and a free and mature choice. It is sufficient to read the mistagogic catechesis on baptism attributed to Cyril of Jerusalem to become aware of the depth of faith to which those waiting for baptism were led. In substance, they arrived at baptism through a true and real conversion, and thus for them baptism was a real washing, a personal renewal, and a rebirth in the Holy Spirit. —Fr. Raneiro Cantalamessa, OFMCap, (papal household preacher since 1980); Baptism in the Spirit, HYPERLINK "" catholicharismatic.usBut he points out that, today, that synchronization of grace has been broken as infant Baptism is most common. Still, if children were raised in homes to live a Christian life (as the parents and godparents pledge), then true conversion would be a normal process, though at a slower rate, with moments of grace or release of the Holy Spirit throughout that individiual’s life. But Catholic culture today has been greatly paganized; Baptism is treated often like a cultural habit, something parents “do” because that’s simply what you “do” when you’re a Catholic. Many of these parents rarely attend Mass, let alone catechize their children to live a life in the Spirit, raising them instead in a secular environment. Thus, adds Fr. Raneiro…Catholic theology recognizes the concept of a valid but “tied” sacrament. A sacrament is called tied if the fruit that should accompany it remains bound because of certain blocks that prevent its effectiveness. —ibid.That block in a soul could be something as basic as, again, a lack of faith or knowledge in God or what it means to be a Christian. Another block would be mortal sin. In my experience, the block of the movement of grace in many souls is simply the absence of evangelization and catechesis. But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? (Romans 10:14)For example, both my sister and my eldest daughter received the gift of tongues immediately after receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation. That was because they were taught the proper understanding of the charisms as well as the expectation to receiveright000 them. So it was in the early Church. The Sacraments of Christian initiation—Baptism and Confirmation—were commonly accompanied by a manifestation of the charisms of the Holy Spirit (prophecy, words of knowledge, healing, tongues, etc.) precisely because this was the expectation of the early Church: it was normative. [1]cf. Christian Initiation and Baptism in the Spirit—Evidence from the First Eight Centuries, Fr. Kilian McDonnell & Fr. George Montague If the baptism in the Holy Spirit is integral to Christian initiation, to the constitutive sacraments, then it belongs not to private piety but to public liturgy, to the official worship of the church. Therefore the baptism in the Spirit is not special grace for some but common grace for all. —Christian Initiation and Baptism in the Spirit—Evidence from the First Eight Centuries, Fr. Kilian McDonnell & Fr. George Montague, Second Edition, p. 370Thus, “baptism in the Spirit,” that is, praying for a “release” or “outpouring” or “in-filling” of the Spirit in a soul is really God’s way today to “unblock” the graces of the Sacraments that should normally flow like “living water”. [2]cf. John 7:38 ?Thus, we see in the lives of the Saints and many mystics, for example, this “baptism of the Spirit” as a natural growth in grace, accompanied by the release of charisms, as they gave themselves wholly over to God in their own “fiat.” As Cardinal Leo Suenens pointed out……although these manifestations were no longer evident on a large scale, they were still to be found wherever faith was lived intensely…. —A New Pentecost, p. 28Indeed, Our Blessed Mother was the first “charismatic,” so to speak. Through her “fiat,” Scripture recounts that she was “overshadowed by the Holy Spirit.” [3]cf. Luke 1:35 What does the Baptism of the Spirit consist of and how does it work? In the Baptism of the Spirit there is a secret, mysterious move of God that is His way of becoming present, in a way that is different for each one because only He knows us in our inner part and how to act upon our unique personality… theologians look for an explanation and responsible people for moderation, but simple souls touch with their hands the power of Christ in the Baptism of the Spirit (1 Cor 12:1-24). —Fr. Raneiro Cantalamessa, OFMCap, (papal household preacher since 1980); Baptism in the Spirit, HYPERLINK "" catholicharismatic.us?MEANS OF BAPTISM IN THE SPIRITThe Holy Spirit is not limited to how He comes, when or where. Jesus compared the Spirit to the wind that “blows where it wills.” [4]cf. John 3:8 However, we see in Scripture three common modes in which individuals have been baptized in the Spirit in the history of the Church.?I. PrayerThe Catechism teaches:Prayer attends to the grace we need for meritorious actions. —Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 2010Pentecost was merely a cenacle where they “devoted themselves with one accord to prayer.”? [5]cf. Acts 1:14 So too, the Holy Spirit fell upon those who came to simply pray before the Blessed Sacrament at the Duquesne weekend that birthed the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. If Jesus is the Vine and we are the branches, the Holy Spirit is the “sap” that flows when we enter into communion with God through prayer.As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit….” (Acts 4:31)Individuals can and should expect to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to one degree or another according to God’s providential designs, when they pray.?II. Laying on of HandsSimon saw that the Spirit was conferred by the laying on of the apostles’ hands… (Acts 8:18)The laying on of hands is an essential Catholic Doctrine [6]cf. ; Heb 6:1 whereby grace is communicated by the imposition of hands upon the recipient, for example in the Sacraments of Ordination or Confirmation. left000So too, God clearly communicates the “baptism in the Spirit” through this very human and intimate interaction:…I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. (2 Tim 1:6-7; see also Acts 9:17)The lay faithful, by virtue of their sharing in the “royal priesthood” of Christ, [7]cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 1268 can also be used as vessels of grace through the laying on of their hands. This is also the case in healing prayer. However, the difference between “sacramental” grace and “special” grace must be carefully understood, a delineation that pivots upon authority. The imposition of hands in the Sacrament of the Sick, Confirmation, Ordination, the rite of absolution, the prayer of Consecration, etc. belong exclusively to the sacramental priesthood and cannot be substituted by the lay, since it was Christ who instituted the priesthood; that is to say that the effects are different in that they achieve their sacramental end.However, in the order of grace, the spiritual priesthood of the lay faithful is a participation in the Godhead according to Christ’s own words to all believers:These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents [with their hands], and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. (Mark 16:17-18)?III. The Proclaimed WordSt. Paul compared the Word of God to a two-edged sword:Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged right000sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. (Heb 4:12)Baptism in the Spirit or a new in-filling of the Spirit can also occur when the Word is preached.While Peter was still speaking these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word. (Acts 10:44)Indeed, how often has a “word” stirred our souls into flame when it comes from the Lord??THE CHARISMSThe term “charismatic” comes from the Greek word charisma, which is ‘any good gift that comes from God’s benevolent love (charis).’ [8]Catholic Encyclopedia, With Pentecost also came extraordinary gifts or charisms. Hence, the term “Charismatic Renewal” refers to the renewal of these charisms in modern times, but also, and especially, the interior renewal of souls.?There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit… To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit; to another mighty deeds; to another prophecy; to another discernment of spirits; to another varieties of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues. (1 Cor 12:4-10)As I wrote in Part I, the popes have recognized and welcomed the renewal of the charisms in modern times, contrary to the error some theologians propound that the charisms were no longer necessary after the first centuries of the Church. The Catechism reaffirms not only the perpetual existence of these gifts, but the necessity of the charisms for the entire Church—not just certain individuals or prayer groups.There are sacramental graces, gifts proper to the different sacraments. There are furthermore special graces, also called charisms after the Greek term used by St. Paul and meaning “favor,” “gratuitous gift,” “benefit.” Whatever their character — sometimes it is extraordinary, such as the gift of miracles or of tongues — charisms are oriented toward sanctifying grace and are intended for the common good of the Church. They are at the service of charity which builds up the Church. —CCC, 2003; cf. 799-800The existence and need of the charisms were reaffirmed in Vatican II, not insignificantly, before the Catholic Charismatic Renewal was born:For the exercise of the apostolate he gives the faithful special gifts….? From the reception of these charisms or gifts, including those which are less dramatic, there arises for each believer the right and duty to use them in the Church and in the world for the good of mankind and for the upbuilding of the Church. —Lumen Gentium, par. 12 (Vatican II Documents)While I will not treat every charism in this series, I will address the gift of tongues here, often the most widely misunderstood of all.?TONGUES…we do also hear many brethren in the Church who possess prophetic gifts and who through the Spirit speak all kinds of languages and who bring to light for the general benefit the hidden things of men and declare the mysteries of God. —St. Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 5:6:1 (A.D. 189)One of the common signs that accompanied Pentecost and other moments when the Spirit fell upon believers in the Acts of the left000Apostles, was the gift whereby the recipient began to speak in another, usually unknown language. This has also been the case throughout the history of the Church as well as in the Charismatic Renewal. Some theologians, in an attempt to explain this phenomena, have erroneously claimed that Acts 2 was merely a symbolic literary device to suggest that the Gospel was now being proclaimed to the Gentiles, to all the nations. However, it is clear that something mystical in nature not only occurred, but continues to occur to this very day. The Apostles, all Galileans, could not speak foreign languages. So they were obviously speaking in a “different tongues” [9]cf. Acts 2:4 that they themselves likely did not recognize. However, those who heard the Apostles were from various regions and understood what was being said.American priest, Fr. Tim Deeter, in a public testimony, relays how while at a Mass in Medjugorje, he began to suddenly understand the homily that was being given in Croatian. [10]from the CD In Medjugorje, he told me the Secret, This is a similar experience of those in Jerusalem who began to understand the Apostles. However, this is more so the gift of understanding given to the hearer.The gift of tongues is a real language, even if it is not of this earth. Fr. Denis Phaneuf, a family friend and long-time leader in the Canadian Charismatic Renewal, recounted how on one occasion, he prayed over a woman in the Spirit in tongues (he did not understand what he was saying). Afterwards, she looked up at the French priest and exclaimed, “My, you speak perfect Ukrainian!”Just like any language that is foreign to the hearer, tongues may sound like “gibberish.”right000 But there is another charism St. Paul calls the “interpretation of tongues” whereby another person is given to understand what was said through an interior understanding. This “understanding” or word is then subject to the discernment of the body. St. Paul is careful to point out that tongues is a gift that builds up the individual person; however, when accompanied by the gift of interpretation, it can build up the whole body.Now I should like all of you to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. One who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be built up… If anyone speaks in a tongue, let it be two or at most three, and each in turn, and one should interpret. But if there is no interpreter, the person should keep silent in the church and speak to himself and to God.?(1 Cor 14:5, 27-28)The point here is one of order in the assembly.? (Indeed, speaking in tongues occurred in the context of the Mass in the early Church.)Some people reject the gift of tongues because to them it sounds like mere babble. [11]cf. 1 Cor 14:23 However, it is a sound and language that is not gibberish to the Holy Spirit.In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings. (Rom 8:26)Because one does not understand something does not thereby invalidate that which is not understood. Those who reject the charism of tongues and its mysterious character are, not surprisingly, those who do not have the gift. They have often, too readily, grasped on to the anemic explanation of some theologians who impart intellectual knowledge and theories, but have little experience in the mystical charisms. It is akin to someone who has never swam standing on the shore telling swimmers what it is like to tread water—or that it is not possible at all.After being prayed over for a new outpouring of the Spirit in her life, my wife had asked the Lord for the gift of tongues. After all, St. Paul encouraged us to do so:Pursue love, but strive eagerly for the spiritual gifts… I should like all of you to speak in tongues… (1 Cor 14:1, 5)One day, several weeks later, she was kneeling beside her bed praying. Suddenly, as she tells it,…my heart began to pound in my chest. Then just as suddenly, words began to rise from the depth of my being, and I couldn’t stop them! They poured out of my soul as I began to speak in tongues!After that intitial experience, which mirrors that of Pentecost, she continues to speak in tongues to this day, using the gift under her own will-power and as the Spirit leads.A fellow Catholic missionary I know found an old Gregorian Chant hymnal. Inside the cover, it said that the hymns therein were the codification of the “language of angels.” If one listens to an assembly singing in tongues—something that is truly beautiful—it resembles the flowing cadence of chant. Could Gregorian Chant, that holds a prized place in the Liturgy, in fact, be the offspring of the charism of tongues?left000Lastly, Fr. Raneiro Cantalemessa recounted at a Steubenville conference, where priests I personally know were present, how Pope John Paul II came to speak in tongues, emerging from his chapel in joy that he had received the gift! John Paul II was also heard to speak in tongues while in private prayer. [12]Fr. Bob Bedard, the late founder of the Companions of the Cross, was also one of the priests present to hear this testimony. The gift of tongues is, as the Catechism teaches, ‘extraordinary.’ However, among those I know who have the gift, it has become an ordinary part of their daily lives—including my own. Likewise, “baptism in the Spirit” was a normative part of Christianity that has been lost through many factors, not the least, an apostasy within the Church that has bloomed over the past few centuries. But thanks be to God, the Lord continues to pour out His Spirit when, and wherever He wills to blow.I want to share more of my personal experiences with you in Part III, as well as answering some of the objections and concerns raised in that first letter in Part I.Charismatic? Part IIIPosted on February 7, 2012April 17, 2017 by Mark Holy Spirit Window, St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City?FROM that letter in Part I:I go out of my way to attend a church that is very traditional—where people dress properly, remain quiet in front of the Tabernacle, where we are catechized according to Tradition from the pulpit, etc.I stay far away from charismatic churches. I just don’t see that as Catholicism. There is often a movie screen on the altar with parts of the Mass listed on it (“Liturgy,” etc.). Women are on the altar. Everyone is dressed very casually (jeans, sneakers, shorts, etc.) Everyone raises their hands, shouts, claps—no quiet. There is no kneeling or other reverent gestures. It seems to me that a lot of this was learned from the Pentecostal denomination. No one thinks the “details” of Tradition matter. I feel no peace there. What happened to Tradition? To silence (such as no clapping!) out of respect for the Tabernacle??? To modest dress??I was seven years old when my parents attended a Charismatic prayer meeting in our parish. There, they had an encounter with Jesus that profoundly changed them. Our parish priest was a good shepherd of the movement who himself experienced the “baptism in the Spirit.” He permitted the prayer group to grow in its charisms, thereby bringing many more conversions and graces to the Catholic community. The group was ecumenical, and yet, faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church. My dad described it as a “truly beautiful experience.”In hindsight, it was a model of sorts of what the popes, from the very beginning of the Renewal, wished to see: an integration of the movement with the whole Church, in fidelity to the Magisterium.?UNITY!Recall the words of Paul VI:This authentic desire to situate yourselves in the Church is the authentic sign of the action of the Holy Spirit … —POPE PAUL VI, —International Conference on the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, May 19, 1975, Rome, Italy, While head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI), in a foreword to Léon Joseph Cardinal Suenen’s book, urged a mutual embrace……for the ecclesial ministry—from parish priests to bishops—not to let the Renewal pass them by but to welcome it fully; and on the other… the members of the Renewal to cherish and maintain their link with the whole Church and with the charisms of her pastors. —Renewal and the Powers of Darkness,p. xiBlessed Pope John Paul II, echoing his predecessors, embraced the Renewal wholeheartedly as the Holy Spirit’s “providential response” to a “world, often dominated by a secularized culture which encourages and promotes models of life without God.” [1]Speech for the World Congress of Ecclesial Movements and New Communities, vatican.va He too strongly urged the new movements to remain in communion with their bishops:In the confusion that reigns in the world today, it is so easy to err, to give in to illusions. May this element of trusting obedience to the Bishops, the successors of the Apostles, in communion with the Successor of Peter, never be lacking in the Christian formation provided by your movements! —POPE JOHN PAUL II, Speech for the World Congress of Ecclesial Movements and New Communities, vatican.vaAnd so, has the Renewal been faithful to their exhortations???NEW LIFE, NEW MASS, NEW PROBLEMS…The answer is by and large yes, according to not only the Holy Father’s, but also bishop’s conferences throughout the world. But not without bumps. Not without the normal tensions that arise with sinful human nature, and all that brings. Let us be realistic: in every authentic movement in the Church, there are always those who go to the extremes; those who are impatient, proud, divisive, overly zealous, ambitious, rebellious, etc. And yet, the Lord uses even these to purify and “make all things work to the good for those who love Him.” [2]cf. Rom 8:28 And thus it is appropriate here to call to mind, with no little sadness, the liberal theology that also emerged after Vatican II from those who used the new impetus of the Council to introduce error, heresy, and liturgical left000abuses. The criticisms my reader describes above are inappropriately attributed to the Charismatic Renewal as causal. The destruction of the mystical, the so-called “Protestantization” of the Mass; the removal of Sacred Art, the altar rail, high altars and even the Tabernacle from the sanctuary; the gradual loss of Catechesis; the disregard for the Sacraments; the dispensing of kneeling; the introduction of other liturgical inventions and novelties… these came about as a result of an invasion of radical feminism, new age spirituality, rogue nuns and priests, and a general rebellion against the hierarchy of the Church and her teachings. They were not the intention of the Council Fathers (as a whole) or its documents. Rather, they have been the fruit of a general “apostasy” that cannot be attributed to any single movement, per se, and that in fact preceded the Charismatic Renewal:Who can fail to see that society is at the present time, more than in any past age, suffering from a terrible and deep-rooted malady which, developing every day and eating into its inmost being, is dragging it to destruction? You understand, Venerable Brethren, what this disease is—apostasy from God… —POPE ST. PIUS X, E Supremi, Encyclical On the Restoration of All Things in Christ, n. 3; October 4th, 1903left000In fact, it was Dr. Ralph Martin, one of the participants in the Duquesne weekend and founders of the modern Charismatic Renewal who warned:There has never been such a falling away from Christianity as there has been in the past century. We are certainly a “candidate” for the Great Apostasy. —What in the World is Going On? Television documenatary, CTV Edmonton, 1997If elements of this apostasy showed up in certain members of the Renewal, that was indicative of a ‘deep-rooted maladay’ infecting great portions of the Church, not to mention nearly all of the religious orders.…there’s no easy way to say it. The Church in the United States has done a poor job of forming the faith and conscience of Catholics for more than 40 years. And now we’re harvesting the results—in the public square, in our families and in the confusion of our personal lives. —Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Rendering Unto Caesar: The Catholic Political Vocation, February 23rd, 2009, Toronto, CanadaWhat is said here of America could easily be said of many other “Catholic” nations. Thus, a generation has been raised where “irreverence” is normal, where the mystical language of 200 centuries of signs and symbols have been often eliminated or ignored (especially in North America), and are no longer even part of the “memory” of new generations. Therefore, many of today’s movements, Charismatic or otherwise, share to one degree or another in the common language of the parish that has, in most of the Western Church, radically changed since Vatican II.?THE RENEWAL IN THE PARISHWhat so-called Charismatic Masses did introduce, generally speaking, was a new vibrancy to many parishes, or at least an attempt to do so. right000This was done in part through the introduction of new “praise and worship” songs to the Liturgy where the words focused more on a personal expression of love and adoration for God (eg. “Our God reigns”) than hymns that sang more so about God’s attributes. As it says in the Psalms,Sing to him a new song, play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts… Sing praise to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and melodious song. (Psalm 33:3, 98:5)Often, if not very often, it was the music that drew many souls into the Renewal and into a new conversion experience. I have written elsewhere about why praise and worship carries a spiritual power [3]see Praise to Freedom , but suffice it here to quote the Psalms again:…you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel (Psalm 22:3, RSV)The Lord becomes present in a special way when he is worshipped in His peoples praises—He is “enthroned” upon them. The Renewal, thus, became an instrument by which many people experienced the power of the Holy Spirit through praise.The holy People of God shares also in Christ’s prophetic office: it spreads abroad a living witness to him, especially by a life of faith and love and by offering to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips praising His name. —Lumen Gentium, n. 12, Vatican II, November 21, 1964…be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart. (Eph 5:18-19)The Charismatic Renewal often inspired the lay to become more involved in the parish. Readers, servers, musicians, choirs, and other parish ministries were often boosted or started by those who, ignited by a new love for Jesus, wanted to devote themselves more to His service. I can remember in my youth hearing the Word of God proclaimed with a new authority and power by those in the Renewal, such that the Mass readings became much more alive.It was also not uncommon in some Masses, mostly at conferences, to hear singing in tongues during the Consecration or after left000Communion, what is called “singing in the Spirit,” another form of praise. Again, a practice not unheard of in the early Church where tongues were spoken “in the assembly.”What then, brethren? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. (1 Cor 14:26)In some parishes, the pastor would also permit extended periods of silence after Communion when a prophetic word could be spoken. This too was common, and encouraged, by St. Paul in the assembly of believers in the early Church.Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. (1 Cor 14:29)?OBJECTIONSThe Holy Mass, however, that has grown organically and evolved over the centuries belongs to the Church, not any one movement or priest. For that reason, the Church has “rubrics” or rules and prescribed texts that must be followed, not only to make the Mass universal (“catholic”), but also to protect its integrity.…regulation of the sacred liturgy depends solely on the authority of the Church… Therefore, no other person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority. —Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Art 22:1, 3The Mass is the prayer of the Church, not an individual prayer or the prayer of a group, and thus, there should be a coherent unity among the faithful and a deep reverence for what it is, and has become over the centuries (excepting, of course, modern abuses which are serious and even a breech of the “organic” development of the Mass. See Pope Benedict’s book The Spirit of the Liturgy.)So, my brothers, strive eagerly to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues, but everything must be done properly and in order. (1 Cor 14:39-40)??On Music…In 2003, John Paul II publicly lamented the state of liturgical music in the Mass:The Christian community must make an examination of conscience in order that the beauty of music and song increasingly return within liturgy. Worship must be purified of stylistic rough edges, of sloppy forms of expression, and of clumsy music and texts, which are hardly consonant with the greatness of the act being celebrated. —National Catholic Reporter; 3/14/2003, Vol. 39 Issue 19, p10left000Many have wrongly condemned “guitars,” for example, as inappropriate for Mass (as if the organ were played in the upper room at Pentecost). What the Pope criticized, rather, was poor execution of music as well as inappropriate texts.The pope noted that music and musical instruments have a long tradition as an “aid” to prayer. He cited Psalm 150’s description of praising God with trumpet blasts, lyre and harp, and clanging cymbals. “It is necessary to discover and constantly live the beauty of prayer and the liturgy,” the pope said. “It’s necessary to pray to God not only with theologically exact formulas but also in a beautiful and dignified way.” He said music and song could assist believers in prayer, which he described as the opening of a “channel of communication” between God and his creatures. —Ibid.Thus, Mass music should be raised to the level of what is occurring, namely the Sacrifice of Calvary being made present in our midst. Praise and worship thus has a place, what Vatican II called “sacred popular music”, [4]cf. Musicam Sacram, March 5th, 1967; n. 4 but only if it attains……the true purpose of sacred music, “which is the glory of God and the sanctification of the faithful.” — HYPERLINK "" Musicam Sacram, Vatican II, March 5th, 1967; n. 4And so the Charismatic Renewal must also do an “examination of conscience” regarding its contribution to Sacred Music, weeding out music that is not appropriate for the Mass. There also has to be a re-evaluation of how music is played, by whom it is executed, and what are appropriate styles. [5]cf. Musicam Sacram, March 5th, 1967; n. 8, 61 One could say that “beauty” should be the standard. That is a broader discussion with varying opinions and tastes within cultures, which are more often than not losing the sense of “truth and beauty.” [6]cf. Pope challenges artists: make truth shine through beauty; Catholic World News John Paul II, for example, was very open to modern styles of music while his successor has been less attracted. Nonetheless, Vatican II clearly included the possibility of modern styles, but only if they are in keeping with the solemn nature of the Liturgy. The Mass is, by its very nature, a contemplative prayer. [7]cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2711 And therefore, Gregorian chant, sacred polyphony, and choral music have always held a prized place. Chant, along with certain Latin texts, were never intended to have been “dropped” in the first place. [8]cf. Musicam Sacram, March 5th, 1967; n. 52 It is interesting that many youth are in fact being drawn back to the extraordinary form of the Liturgy of the Tridentine Mass in some places… [9] ??On Reverence…One has to be careful about judging the reverence of another soul as well as categorizing the entire Renewal according to one’s personal experiences. One reader responded to the criticisms of the above letter, saying:How can we all be one when this poor person is so JUDGEMENTAL? What does it matter if you wear jeans to church— maybe that is the only clothing that person has? Didn’t Jesus say in Luke Chapter 2:37-41, that “you clean the outside, while inside yourselves, you are filled with filth“? Also, your reader is judging the way people PRAY. Again, Jesus said in Luke Chapter 2: 9-13 “How much more will the Heavenly Father, give THE HOLY SPIRIT to those who ask him.”Yet, it is sad to see that genuflection before the Blessed Sacrament has disappeared in many places, indicative of the vacuum of proper instruction, if not interior faith. right000It is also true that some people dress no differently for a trip to the grocery store than they do to participate in the Lord’s Supper. Modesty in dress has also taken a hit, particularly in the Western world. But again, these are more so a fruit of the aforementioned liberalization, particularly in the Western Church, that has led to a laxity in many Catholics approach to the awesomeness of God. One of the gifts of the Spirit after all is piety. Perhaps of greatest concern is the fact that many Catholics have stopped coming to Mass at all within just the past few decades. [10]cf. The Decline and Fall of the Catholic Church There is a reason John Paul II called upon the Charismatic Renewal to continue “re-evangelizing” societies where “secularism and materialism have weakened many people’s ability to respond to the Spirit and to discern God’s loving call.” [11]POPE JOHN PAUL II, Address to the ICCRO Council, March 14, 1992 Is clapping or raising one’s hands irreverent? On this point, one has to note cultural differences. In Africa, for example, the prayer of the people is often expressive with swaying, clapping, and exuberant singing (their seminaries are bursting too). It is a reverent expression on their part for the Lord. Likewise, souls who have been set on fire by the Holy Spirit are not ashamed to express their love of God using their bodies. There are no rubrics in the Mass that expressly forbid the faithful from raising their hands (the “orantes” posture) during, for example, the Our Father, though it would not be considered the Church’s custom in many places. Some bishop’s conferences, such as in Italy, have been granted permission from the Holy See to expressly permit the orantes posture. As for clapping during a song, I believe the same holds true that there are no rules in this regard, unless the music chosen fails to “direct the attention of the mind and heart to the mystery which is being celebrated.” [12]Liturgiae Instaurationes, Vatican II, September 5th, 1970 The issue at heart is whether or not we are praying from the heart. David’s prayer of praise brought him to leave all form of composure and to dance in front of the Lord with all his strength. This is the prayer of praise!… ‘But, Father, this is for those of Renewal in the Spirit (the Charismatic movement), not for all Christians.’ No, the prayer of praise is a Christian prayer for all of us! —POPE FRANCIS, Homily, January 28th, 2014; Indeed, the Magisterium encourages harmony between body and mind:The faithful fulfill their liturgical role by making that full, conscious and active participation which is demanded by the nature of the Liturgy itself and which is, by reason of baptism, the right and duty of the Christian people. This participation(a) Should be above all internal, in the sense that by it the faithful join their mind to what they pronounce or hear, and cooperate with heavenly grace,(b) Must be, on the other hand, external also, that is, such as to show the internal participation by gestures and bodily attitudes, by the acclamations, responses and singing. — HYPERLINK "" Musicam Sacram, Vatican II, March 5th, 1967; n. 15As for “women in the [sanctuary]”—female alter servers or acolytes—that again is not the produce of the Charismatic Renewal, but a relaxation in liturgical norms, right or wrong. The rules have at times been too relaxed, and extraordinary ministers have been used unnecessarily and given tasks, such as cleaning the sacred vessels, that should be performed by the priest alone.?WOUNDED BY THE RENEWALI have received several letters from individuals who were wounded by their experience in the Charismatic Renewal. Some wrote to say that, because they did not speak in tongues, they were accused of not being open to the Spirit. Others were made to feel as though they were not “saved” because they had not yet been “baptized in the Spirit,” or that they hadn’t yet “arrived.” Another man spoke about how a prayer leader was pushing him backward so that he would fall over “slain in the Spirit.” And yet others have been wounded by the hypocrisy of certain individuals.Does it sound familiar?Then an argument broke out among [the disciples] about which of them should be regarded as the greatest. (Luke 22:24)It is unfortunate if not a tragedy that these experiences of some occurred. Speaking in tongues is a charism, but not given left000to all, and thus, not necessarily a sign that one is “baptized in the Spirit.” [13]cf. 1 Cor 14:5 Salvation comes as a gift to a soul through faith that is born and sealed in the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. Thus, it is incorrect to say that a person who has not been “baptized in the Spirit” is not saved (though that soul may still need the release of these special graces so as to live more deeply and authentically a life in the Spirit.) In the laying on of hands, someone should never be forced or pushed. As St. Paul wrote, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” [14]2 Cor 3:17 And lastly, hypocrisy is something that plagues us all, for we often say one thing, and do another.Conversely, those who have embraced the “pentecost” of the Charismatic Renewal have often been unfairly labeled and marginalized (“those crazy charismatics!“) not only by laymen but most painfully by clergy. Participants of the Renewal, and the charisms of the Holy Spirit, have at times been misundertood and even rejected. This has at times led to frustration and impatience with the “institutional” Church, and most notably, the exodus of some to more evangelical sects. Suffice it to say that there has been pain on both sides.In his address to the Charismatic Renewal and other movements, John Paul II noted these difficulties that have come with their growth:Their birth and spread has brought to the Church’s life an unexpected newness which is sometimes even disruptive. This has given rise to questions, uneasiness and tensions; at times it has led to presumptions and excesses on the one hand, and on the other, to numerous prejudices and reservations. It was a testing period for their fidelity, an important occasion for verifying the authenticity of their charisms.Today a new stage is unfolding before you: that of ecclesial maturity. This does not mean that all problems have been solved. Rather, it is a challenge. A road to take. The Church expects from you the “mature” fruits of communion and commitment. —POPE JOHN PAUL II, Speech for the World Congress of Ecclesial Movements and New Communities, vatican.vaWhat is this “mature” fruit? More on that in Part IV, because it is the central key to our times.?Charismatic? Part IVPosted on February 9, 2012April 17, 2017 by Mark ??I have been asked before if I am a “Charismatic.” And my answer is, “I am Catholic!” That is, I want to be fully Catholic, to live in the center of the deposit of faith, the heart of our mother, the Church. And so, I strive to be “charismatic”, “marian,” “contemplative,” “active,” “sacramental,” and “apostolic.” That is because all of the above belong not to this or that group, or this or that movement, but to the entire body of Christ. While apostolates may vary in the focus of their particular charism, in order to be fully alive, fully “healthy,” one’s heart, one’s apostolate, should be open to the entire treasury of grace that the Father has bestowed upon the Church.Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens… (Eph 1:3)Think of a water droplet hitting the surface of a pond. From that point, co-centric circles radiate outward in every direction. The goal of every Catholic should be to place him or herself at the center, for the “water droplet” is our Sacred Tradition entrusted to the Church that then expands in every direction of the soul, and then the world. It is the conduit of grace. For the “droplet” itself comes from the “Spirit of truth” who leads us into all truth: [1]cf. John 16:13 The Holy Spirit is “the principle of every vital and truly saving action in each part of the Body.” He works in many ways to build up the whole Body in charity: by God’s Word “which is able to build you up”; by Baptism, through which he forms Christ’s Body; by the sacraments, which give growth and healing to Christ’s members; by “the grace of the apostles, which holds first place among his gifts”; by the virtues, which make us act according to what is good; finally, by the many special graces (called “charisms”), by which he makes the faithful “fit and ready to undertake various tasks and offices for the renewal and building up of the Church.” —Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 798However, if one were to reject any one of these ways in which the left000Spirit works, it would be like putting oneself on the crest of a ripple. And rather than let the Spirit move you in every direction from the center (that is, to be accessible and have access to “every spiritual blessing in the heavens”), one would begin to move in the direction of that one single wave. That is really the spiritual form of Protestantism.Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers: all good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change. (James 1:16-17)These all good and perfect gifts come to us, in the normal order of grace, through the Church:The one mediator, Christ, established and ever sustains here on earth his holy Church, the community of faith, hope, and charity, as a visible organization through which he communicates truth and grace to all men. —Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 771?NORMAL CHRISTIAN LIVINGNearly every day, someone emails to me a special prayer or devotion. If one were to try to pray all the devotions that have sprung up over the centuries, he would have to spend his entire day and night in prayer! There is a difference, however, between picking and choosing this or that devotion, this patron saint, that prayer or this novena—and choosing to be open or closed to the vessels of grace that are fundamental to Christian living.When it comes to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the charisms, these do not belong to any one group or even the “Charismatic Renewal,” which is merely the title that describes a movement of God in salvation history. Hence, to label someone a “Charismatic” does a certain damage to the underlying reality. For every single Catholic should be charismatic. That is, every Catholic should be filled with the Spirit and open to receive the gifts and charisms of the Spirit:Pursue love, but strive eagerly for the spiritual gifts, above all that you may prophesy. (1 Cor 14:1)right000…this grace of Pentecost, known as Baptism in the Holy Spirit, does not belong to any particular movement but to the whole Church. In fact, it is really nothing new but has been part of God’s design for His people from that first Pentecost in Jerusalem and through the history of the Church. Indeed, this grace of Pentecost has been seen in the life and practice of the Church, according to the writings of the Fathers of the Church, as normative for Christian living and as integral to the fullness of Christian Initiation. —Most Reverend Sam G. Jacobs, Bishop of Alexandria; Fanning the Flame, p. 7, by McDonnell and MontagueSo why is this “normative” Christian living rejected even to this day, 2000 years after the first Pentecost? For one, the experience of the Renewal has been something that some find unsettling—remember, it came on the heels of centuries of conservative expression of one’s faith at a time when the lay faithful were mostly uninvolved in their parish life. Suddenly, little groups began to pop up here and there where they were singing exuberantly; their hands were raised; they spoke in tongues; there were healings, words of knowledge, prophetic exhortations, and… joy. Lots of joy. It shook the status quo, and frankly, continues to shake our complacency even to this day.But here is where we have to define the difference between spirituality and expression. The spirituality of every Catholic should be open to all the graces offered through our Sacred Tradition and obedient to all her teachings and exhortations. For Jesus said of His Apostles, “He who listens to you listens to me.” [2]Luke 10:16 To be “baptized in the Spirit,” as explained in Part II, is to experience the release or reawakening of the sacramental graces of Baptism and Confirmation. It also means to receive the charisms according to the Lord’s predilection:But one and the same Spirit produces all of these [charisms], distributing them individually to each person as he wishes. (1 Cor 12)How one expresses this awakening is individual and different according to one’s personality and how the Spirit is moving. The point is that, as declared in a statement by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, this new life in the Spirit is simply “normal”:As experienced in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, baptism in the Holy Spirit makes Jesus Christ known and loved as Lord and Savior, establishes or reestablishes an immediacy of relationship with all those persons of the Trinity, and through inner transformation affects the whole of the Christian’s life. There is new life and a new conscious awareness of God’s power and presence. It is a grace experience which touches every dimension of the Church’s life: worship, preaching, teaching, ministry, evangelism, prayer and spirituality, service and community. Because of this, it is our conviction that baptism in the Holy Spirit, understood as the reawakening in Christian experience of the presence and action of the Holy Spirit given in Christian initiation, and manifested in a broad range of charisms, including those closely associated with the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, is part of the normal Christian life.?—Grace for the New Springtime, 1997, catholiccharismatic.us?THE HOTPOINT OF SPIRITUAL WARFAREleft000However, as we have seen, the movement of God’s Spirit leaves life anything but “normal.” In the Renewal, Catholics were suddenly on fire; they began to pray with the heart, read the Scriptures, and turn away from sinful lifestyles. They became zealous for souls, involved in ministries, and were passionately falling in love with God. And thus, the words of Jesus became real in many families:Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword. For I have come to set a man ‘against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s enemies will be those of his household.’ (Matt 10:34-36)Satan does not bother much with the lukewarm. They neither stir the pot nor tip it over. But when a Christian begins to strive for holiness—watch out!Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Pet 5:8)The charisms of the Spirit are intended for the building up of the body of Christ. Hence, Satan seeks to neuter the charisms, and thereby, tear the body down. If we are a Church that no longer prophesies, that does not preach in the power of the Spirit, that does not heal, give words of knowledge, works of mercy, and deliver souls from the evil one…. then indeed, we are no threat at all, and Satan’s kingdom advances rather than the Creator’s. Thus, persecution always follows in the wake of an authentic move of God’s Spirit. Indeed, after Pentecost, the Jewish authorities—not the least Saul (who would become St. Paul)—wanted the disciples put to death.?TOWARD HOLINESSThe point here is not whether one raises or claps his hands, speaks in tongues or not, or attends a prayer meeting. The point is to “be filled with the Spirit“:…do not get drunk on wine, in which lies debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit. (Eph 5:18)And we must be so as to begin to bear the fruit of the Spirit, not only in our works, but above all in our interior lives that then transforms our works into “salt” and “light”:…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control… Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit. (Gal 5:22-25)The great work of the Spirit is to make each of us holy, temples of the living God. [3]cf. 1 Cor 6:19 Holiness is the “maturity” that the Church is seeking as the fruit of the Charismatic Renewal—not just aright000 fleeting emotional experience, as emotional as it may be for some. In an Apostolic Exhortation to the laity, Pope John Paul II wrote:Life according to the Spirit, whose fruit is holiness (cf. Rom 6:22;Gal 5:22), stirs up every baptized person and requires each to follow and imitate Jesus Christ, in embracing the Beatitudes, in listening and meditating on the Word of God, in conscious and active participation in the liturgical and sacramental life of the Church, in personal prayer, in family or in community, in the hungerand thirst for justice, in the practice of the commandment of love in all circumstances of life and service to the brethren, especially the least, the poor and the suffering. — HYPERLINK "" Christifideles Laici, n. 16, December 30th, 1988 In a word, that we live at the center of the “droplet” of our Catholic Faith. left000This is the “life in the Spirit” the world desperately thirsts to witness. It comes about when we live an interior life with God through daily prayer and frequenting the Sacraments, through ongoing conversion and repentance and a growing dependency upon the Father. When we become “contemplatives in action.” [4]cf.Redemptoris Missio, n. 91 The Church does not need more programs! What she needs are saints…It is not enough to update pastoral techniques, organize and coordinate ecclesial resources, or delve more deeply into the biblical and theological foundations of faith. What is needed is the encouragement of a new “ardor for holiness” among missionaries and throughout the Christian community… In a word, you must set yourselves on the path of holiness. —POPE JOHN PAUL II, Redemptoris Missio, n. 90And it is for this that the Spirit of God has been lavished upon the Church, for…Holy people alone can renew humanity. —POPE JOHN PAUL II, Message prepared before his death to the Youth of the World; World Youth Day; n. 7; Cologne Germany, 2005?Next, how the Charismatic Renewal is a grace to prepare the Church for the latter times, and my own personal experiences (yes, I keep promising that… but the Holy Spirit has better plans than me as I continue to try and write to you from the heart as the Lord leads…)?Your donation at this time is greatly appreciated! Click below to translate this page into a different language:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)PrintFriendly???[ + ]1.↑cf. John 16:132.↑Luke 10:163.↑cf. 1 Cor 6:194.↑cf.Redemptoris Missio, n. 91Charismatic? Part VPosted on February 13, 2012April 17, 2017 by Mark ??AS we look at the Charismatic Renewal today, we see a great decline in its numbers, and those who remain are mostly grey and white-haired. What, then, was the Charismatic Renewal all about if it appears on the surface to be fizzling? As one reader wrote in response to this series:At some point the Charismatic movement vanished like fireworks that light up the night sky and then fall back into the darkenss. I was somewhat puzzled that a move of Almighty God would wane and finally fade away.The answer to this question is perhaps the most important aspect of this series, for it helps us to understand not only where we’ve come from, but what the future holds for the Church…?HOPE IN HOPELESSNESSWe live in a world where everywhere from Hollywood, to the headline news, to those who are speaking prophetically to the Church and the world… there is a common theme of a coming breakdown of society, its structures, and left000consequently, nature as we know it. Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, summed it up eighteen years ago:It is evident today that all the great civilizations are suffering in varying ways from the crises of values and ideas which in some parts of the world assume dangerous forms… In many places, we are on the brink of ungovernability. —”Ratzinger Speaks”, Catholic World Report, January 1194, p. 24In a word, we are descending into lawlessness, where it’s as though the restrainer upon the disordered appetites of human nature is being lifted (see The Restrainer). This calls to mind the Scriptures which speak of the coming of the “lawless one”…For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. But the one who restrains is to do so only for the present, until he is removed from the scene… For unless the apostasy comes first and the lawless one is revealed… the one whose coming springs from the power of Satan in every mighty deed and in signs and wonders that lie, and in every wicked deceit for those who are perishing because they have not accepted the love of truth so that they may be saved. Therefore, God is sending them a deceiving power so that they may believe the lie, that all who have not believed the truth but have approved wrongdoing may be condemned. (2 Thess 2:3, 7, 9-12)Can we as Christians, then, in a world that is rapidly abandoning reason itself [1]see Pope Benedict’s speech where he identifies the world passing into an “eclipse of reason”: On The Eve have cause to hope for a better future? The answer is yes, absolutely yes. But it lies within a paradox that Jesus illustrated:I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. (John 12:24)So on the one hand,An age is coming to an end, not just the end of a remarkable century but the end of seventeen hundred years of Christendom. The greatest apostasy since the birth of the Church is clearly far advanced all around us. —Dr. Ralph Martin, Consultor to the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization; The Catholic Church at the End of Age: What is the Spirit Saying? p. 292And on the other,“The hour of suffering is the hour of God. The situation is hopeless: this, then, is the hour for hoping… right000When we have reasons for hoping then we rely on those reasons…” Thus we should rely “not on reasons, but on a promise—a promise given by God…. We must admit that we are lost, surrender ourselves as lost, and praise the Lord who saves us.” —Fr. Henri Caffarel, A New Pentecost, by Léon Joseph Cardinal Suenens, p. xiAnd what is part of the promise?It will come to pass in the last days,’ God says, ‘that I will pour out a portion of my spirit upon all flesh. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. Indeed, upon my servants and my handmaids I will pour out a portion of my spirit in those days, and they shall prophesy. And I will work wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below: blood, fire, and a cloud of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and splendid day of the Lord, and it shall be that everyone shall be saved who calls on the name of the Lord. (Acts 2:17-21)There is coming, before the “day of the Lord,” a glorious outpouring of the Holy Spirit “upon all flesh….”?THE MASTER PLANThe Catechism explains this passage, which St. Peter proclaimed on Pentecost morning:According to these promises, at the “end time” the Lord’s Spirit will renew the hearts of men, engraving a new law in them. He will gather and reconcile the scattered and divided peoples; he will transform the first creation, and God will dwell there with men in peace. —Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 715The “end time” essentially began with Christ’s Ascension into Heaven. However, it remains for Christ’s “body” to follow the Head in fulfilling the mystery of salvation, which St. Paul says is “a plan for the fullness of times, to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.” [2]Eph 1:10 Not just in heaven, he says, but “on earth.” Jesus also prayed, “thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” There remains, then, a time when all the nations will be brought under the banner of Christ: when His spiritual kingdom, like a great mustard tree, spreading its branches far and wide, will cover the earth; [3]cf. The Coming Dominion of the Church when there will be at last the unity of the body of Christ that He prayed for hours before His own Passion.As far as the person of Jesus is concerned, the Incarnation of the Word left000is complete when he returns, glorified, to the Father; but it still remains to be carried out with regard to mankind as a whole. The intention is that mankind will be incorporated in the new and ultimate principle through the sacramental mediation of the “body” of Christ, the Church…. The Apocalypse that concludes the Word of God shows in the clearest manner that there can be no question of one-dimension progress in history: the nearer the end approaches, the more fierce becomes the battle…. The more the Holy Spirit becomes present in history, the more prevalent is what Jesus calls the sin against the Holy Spirit. —Hans Urs von Balthasar (1905-1988), Theo-Drama, vol. 3, The Dramatis Personae: The Person in Christ, p. 37-38 (emphasis mine)It is the Spirit of Christ that ultimately conquers the spirit of Antichrist and the “lawless one” himself. But it will not yet be the end according to the early Church Fathers.We do confess that a kingdom is promised to us upon the earth, although before heaven, only in another state of existence... —Tertullian (155–240 A.D.), Nicene Church Father; Adversus Marcion, Ante-Nicene Fathers, Henrickson Publishers, 1995, Vol. 3, pp. 342-343)Servant of God, Luisa Piccaretta (1865-1947), wrote 36 volumes directed toward this coming “era of peace” when the kingdom of God will reign “on earth as it is heaven.” Her writings, as of 2010, were granted a “positive” verdict by two Vatican theologians, further paving the way toward her beatification. [4]cf. ?In one entry, Jesus says to Luisa:Ah, my daughter, the creature always races more into evil. How many right000machinations of ruin they are preparing! They will go so far as to exhaust themselves in evil. But while they occupy themselves in going their way, I will occupy Myself with the completion and fulfillment of My Fiat Voluntas Tua? (“Thy will be done”) so that My Will reign on earth—but in an all-new manner. Ah yes, I want to confound man in Love! Therefore, be attentive. I want you with Me to prepare this Era of Celestial and Divine Love… —Jesus to Servant of God, Luisa Piccarreta, Manuscripts, Feb 8th, 1921; excerpt from The Splendor of Creation, Rev. Joseph Innanuzzi, p.80This reign on earth will be inaugurated by a “new” or “Second Pentecost” upon the entire earth—”upon all flesh.” In the words of left000Jesus to Venerable María Concepción Cabrera de Armida or “Conchita”:The time has come to exalt the Holy Spirit in the world… I desire that this last epoch be consecrated in a very special way to this Holy Spirit… It is his turn, it is his epoch, it is the triumph of love in My Church, in the whole universe.—Fr. Marie-Michel Philipon, Conchita: A Mother’s Spiritual Diary, p. 195-196; excerpt from The Splendor of Creation, Rev. Joseph Innanuzzi, p.80That is to say that Pentecost is not a one-time event, but a grace that will climax in a Second Pentecost when the Holy Spirit will “renew the face of the earth.”?THE GRAIN OF WHEAT FALLS… IN THE DESERTThus, we see above in the words of Scripture, the Church Fathers, theologians, and mystics that God is bringing to death His Church, not to destroy her, but so that she may share in the fruits of the Resurrection.The Church will enter the glory of the kingdom only through this final Passover, when she will follow her Lord in his death and Resurrection. —Catechism of the Catholic Church, 677The Charismatic Renewal was a grace implored by Pope Leo XIII and John XXIII to fall upon the Church. In the midst of an accelerating apostasy, the Lord poured out a portion of His Spirit toright000 prepare a remnant. The Charismatic Renewal sparked a “new evangelization” and the revival of the charisms of the Holy Spirit, which have played a significant role in preparing a small army for these times. The impact of the Renewal on Paul VI, John Paul II, and Benedict XVI alone continues to be felt throughout the entire Church and globe.While there are many who are no longer active in their local Charismatic prayer groups or associations, they nonetheless experienced the “baptism of the Spirit” and have been given charisms—some which may still be latent and as yet un-released—for the days ahead. They are being prepared for “the final confrontation” of our times against the spirit of this world.The point of the Charismatic Renewal was not to create prayer meetings that would sustain themselves until the end of time. Rather, we can understand what God is doing in the Renewal by examining the first “baptism in the Spirit” upon the Lord Himself.After Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit in the Jordan river, the Scriptures say:Filled with the holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over he was hungry. (Luke 4:1-2)After the Holy Spirit began to be poured upon the Church in 1967, two years after the close of Vatican II, one could say that the body of Christ in the ensuing 40 years was led out “into the desert.” [5]cf. What Time Is It? – Part II …unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. (John 12:24)Just as Jesus was tempted to materialism, self-glorification, and self-reliance apart from the Father, so too has the Church endured these temptations to test and purifiy her. Thus, the season of the Charismatic Renewal has also been a painful one that has seen its share of divisions and sorrows as each of these temptations has been ceded to. For those who have not abandoned their faith and been docile to the Spirit, the crucible has borne the fruit of a greater obedience, humility, and trust in the Lord.My child, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for trials…. For in fire gold is tested, and the chosen, in the crucible of humiliation. (Sirach 1:5)As I wrote in Part IV, the goal of the “outpouring,” “effusion,” “in-filling,” or “baptism” in the Spirit was to produce in God’s children the fruit of holiness. For holiness is the odor of Christ that repels the stench of Satan and attracts unbelievers to the Truth living within. It is through a kenosis, this emptying of self in The Desert of Temptation, that Jesus comes to reign in me such that it is “no longer I but Christ living in me.” [6]cf. Gal 2:20 The Charismatic Renewal, as such then, left000is not so much dying as it is hopefully maturing, or rather, germinating. The delightful experience of God in the early years through praise and worship, intense prayer, and discovery of the charisms… has given way to the “absence of God” where the soul must choose to love Him whom he cannot see; to trust Him whom she cannot touch; to praise Him who does not seem to answer in return. In a word, God has brought the Church at the end of those forty years to a place where she will either abandon Him, or be hungry for Him.Jesus… was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days… and when they were over he was hungry. But read what Luke writes next:Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. (Luke 4:14)It is precisely the refinery of the desert [7]cf. Zech 13:9 that strips us of our self-reliance, of our false-notions that we are somehow powerful or in control. It is for this primary work in us that the Spirit has been given, to produce a faith that shines in good works:…by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body… (Rom 8:13)When we live in the center of truth, that is, our utter poverty apart from God, it is then that the power of the Holy Spirit can truly work miracles through us. To live in our poverty means to forsake our own will, to pick up our Cross, renounce ourselves, and follow the Divine Will. Jesus warned against the idea that the charismatic gifts were a sign of holiness in and of themselves:Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers. (Matt 7:21-23)If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. (1 Cor 13:1)The work of God among His remnant today is to strip us of our will so that we will live, and move, and have our being in His Will. Thus, following in the footsteps of Jesus, we may emerge from the desert as a people ready to move in the power of the Holy Spirit that will destroy Satan’s strongholds and prepare the world, even by our blood, for the birth of a new era of peace, justice, and unity.Once again, here is that powerful prophecy spoken in the beginning years of the Charismatic Renewal during a gathering with Pope Paul VI in St. Peter’s Square: [8]Watch the webcast series: The Prophecy at Rome Because I love you, I want to show you what I am doing in the world today. I want to prepare you for what is to come. Days of darkness are coming on the world, days of tribulation… Buildings that are now standing will left000not be standing. Supports that are there for my people now will not be there. I want you to be prepared, my people, to know only me and to cleave to me and to have me in a way deeper than ever before. I will lead you into the desert… I will strip you of everything that you are depending on now, so you depend just on me. A time of darkness is coming on the world, but a time of glory is coming for my Church, a time of glory is coming for my people. I will pour out on you all the gifts of my Spirit. I will prepare you for spiritual combat; I will prepare you for a time of evangelism that the world has never seen…. And when you have nothing but me, you will have everything: land, fields, homes, and brothers and sisters and love and joy and peace more than ever before. Be ready, my people, I want to prepare you… —given by Dr. Ralph Martin, Pentecost Monday, May, 1975, Rome, ItalyIn Part VI, I will explain why the preparation of the Church is a work of Our Lady, and how the popes have been interceding for the coming “New Pentecost”….???Your donation is greatly appreciated for this full time ministry! Click below to translate this page into a different language:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)PrintFriendly???[ + ]1.↑see Pope Benedict’s speech where he identifies the world passing into an “eclipse of reason”: On The Eve2.↑Eph 1:103.↑cf. The Coming Dominion of the Church4.↑cf. .↑cf. What Time Is It? – Part II6.↑cf. Gal 2:207.↑cf. Zech 13:98.↑Watch the webcast series: The Prophecy at RomeCharismatic? Part VIPosted on February 18, 2012April 17, 2017 by Mark Pentecost, Artist Unknown??PENTECOST is not only a single event, but a grace that the Church can experience again and again. However, in this past century, the popes have been praying not only for a renewal in the Holy Spirit, but for a “new Pentecost”. When one considers all the signs of the times that have accompanied this prayer—key among them the continued presence of the Blessed Mother gathering with her children on earth through ongoing apparitions, as though she were once again in the “upper room” with the Apostles… the words of the Catechism take on a new sense of immediacy:…at the “end time” the Lord’s Spirit will renew the hearts of men, engraving a new law in them. He will gather and reconcile the scattered and divided peoples; he will transform the first creation, and God will dwell there with men in peace. —Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 715This time when the Spirit comes to “renew the face of the earth” is the period, after the death of Antichrist, during what the Church Father’s pointed to in St. John’s Apocalypse as the “thousand year” era when Satan is chained in the abyss.He seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, which is the Devil or Satan, and tied it up for a thousand years… [the martyrs] came to life and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were over. This is the first resurrection. (Rev 20:2-5); cf. The Coming ResurrectionSo, the blessing foretold undoubtedly refers to the time of His Kingdom, when the just will rule on rising from the dead; when creation, reborn and freed from bondage, will yield an abundance of foods of all kinds from the heaven’s dew and the fertility of the earth, just as the seniors recall. Those who saw John, the Lord’s disciple, [tell us] that they heard from him how the Lord taught and spoke about these times… —St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Church Father (140–202 A.D.); Adversus Haereses, Irenaeus of Lyons, V.33.3.4, The Fathers of the Church, CIMA Publishing Co.; (St. Irenaeus was a student of St. Polycarp, who knew and learned from the Apostle John and was later consecrated bishop of Smyrna by John.)Unlike the heresy of millenarianism which held that Christ would literally come to reign on earth in His resurrected body amid lavish carnivals and feasts, the reign referred to here is spiritual in nature. Wrote St. Augustine:Those who on the strength of this passage [Rev 20:1-6], have suspected that the first resurrection is future and bodily, have been moved, among left000other things, specially by the number of a thousand years, as if it were a fit thing that the saints should thus enjoy a kind of Sabbath-rest during that period, a holy leisure after the labors of six thousand years since man was created… (and) there should follow on the completion of six thousand years, as of six days, a kind of seventh-day Sabbath in the succeeding thousand years… And this opinion would not be objectionable, if it were believed that the joys of the saints, in that Sabbath, shall be spiritual, and consequent on the presence of God… —St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430 A.D.; Church Doctor), De Civitate Dei, Bk. XX, Ch. 7, Catholic University of America PressAt the end of the six thousandth year, all wickedness must be abolished from the earth, and righteousness reign for a thousand years [Rev 20:6]… —Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius (250-317 A.D.; Ecclesiastical writer), The Divine Institutes, Vol 7.This reign of Christ in an era of peace and justice comes by means of a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit—a Second Advent or Pentecost (see also?The Coming Pentecost):The Church cannot prepare for the new millennium “in any other way than in the Holy Spirit. What was accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit ‘in the fullness of time’ can only through the Spirit’s power now emerge from the memory of the Church”. — POPE JOHN PAUL II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 1994, n. 44?THE RESTORATION OF ALL THINGSIn a statement that is both insightful and prophetic, Pope Leo XIII in 1897 initiated the followingright000 century of popes who would earnestly pray for a “new Pentecost.” Their prayers would be not just for a spiritual revival of sorts, but for the “restoration of all things in Christ.” [1]cf. POPE PIUS X, Encyclical E Supremi “On the Restoration of All Things in Christ” He indicated that the entire or “long” pontificate was not only drawing to its end (that is, the Church was entering the “last times”), but was moving toward “two chief ends.” One, I’ve already mentioned in Part I, was to promote the reunion of “those fallen away from the Catholic Church either by heresy or by schism….” [2]POPE LEO XIII, Divinum Illud Munus, n. 2 The second was to bring about……the restoration, both in rulers and peoples, of the principles of the Christian life in civil and domestic society, since there is no true life for men except from Christ. —POPE LEO XIII, Divinum Illud Munus, n. 2Thus, he initiated the Novena to the Holy Spirit to be prayed nine days before Pentecost by the entire Church, in communion with the Blessed Mother:May she continue to strengthen our prayers with her suffrages, that, in the midst of all the stress and trouble of the nations, those divine prodigies may be happily revived by the Holy Ghost, which were foretold in the words of David: “Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created, and Thou shalt renew the face of the earth” (Ps. ciii., 30). —POPE LEO XIII, Divinum Illud Munus, n. 14left000In the apparition of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary de Alacoque, she saw Jesus’s Sacred Heart aflame. This apparition, given as a “last effort” to mankind, [3]cf. The Last Effort ? ties together the devotion to the Sacred Heart with Pentecost when “tongues of fire” descended upon the Apostles. [4]cf. The Day of Difference Thus, it is no coincidence that Pope Leo XIII said this “restoration” in Christ would flow from “consecration” to the Sacred Heart, and that we should “expect extraordinary and lasting benefits for Christendom in the first place and also for the whole human race.” [5]Annum Sacrum, n. 1 It will at length be possible that our many wounds be healed and all justice spring forth again with the hope of restored authority; that the splendors of peace be renewed, and the swords and arms drop from the hand and when all men shall acknowledge the empire of Christ and willingly obey His word, and every tongue shall confess that the Lord Jesus is in the Glory of the Father. —POPE LEO XIII, Annum Sacrum, On Consecration to the Sacred Heart, n. 11, May 1899His successor, St. Pius X, expanded this hope in greater detail, echoing Christ’s words that the “gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the world as a witness to all nations,” [6]Matt 24:14 as well as the Fathers who taught that their would come a “sabbath rest” for the Church from her labors: [7]cf. Heb 4:9 And it will easily come about that when human respect has been driven out, and prejudices and doubting laid aside, large numbers will be won right000to Christ, becoming in their turn promoters of His knowledge and love which are the road to true and solid happiness. Oh! when in every city and village the law of the Lord is faithfully observed, when respect is shown for sacred things, when the Sacraments are frequented, and the ordinances of Christian life fulfilled, there will certainly be no more need for us to labor further to see all things restored in Christ… And then? Then, at last, it will be clear to all that the Church, such as it was instituted by Christ, must enjoy full and entire liberty and independence from all foreign dominion. —POPE PIUS X, E Supremi, On the Restoration of All Things, n. 14This restoration would also see creation experience a renewal of sorts, as the Psalmist prayed and Isaiah foretold. The Church Fathers spoke of this as well… [8]see Creation Reborn, Toward Paradise – Part I, Toward Paradise – Part II, and Back to Eden ?The earth will open its fruitfulness and bring forth most abundant fruits of its own accord; the rocky mountains shall drip with honey; streams of wine shall run down, and rivers flow with milk; in short the world itself shall rejoice, and all nature exalt, being rescued and set free from the dominion of evil and impiety, and guilt and error. —Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius, The Divine Institutes?PRAYING FOR A NEW PENTECOSTIn a continuous harmony in the Holy Spirit, the popes have continued this prayer for a new Pentecost:We humbly implore the Holy Ghost, the Paraclete, that He may “graciously grant to the Church the gifts of unity and peace,” and may renew the face of the earth by a fresh outpouring of His charity for the salvation of all. —POPE BENEDICT XV, Pacem Dei Munus Pulcherrimum, May 23rd, 1920The first signs of this new Pentecost, of this “new springtime” for the Church and the world, began with the Second Vatican Council whom Pope John XXIII opened, praying:Divine Spirit, renew your wonders in this our age as in a new Pentecost, and grant that your Church, praying perseveringly and insistently with one heart and mind together with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and guided by blessed Peter, may increase the reign of the Divine Savior, the reign of truth and justice, the reign of love and peace. Amen. —POPE JOHN XXIII, at convocation of Second Vatican Council, Humanae Salutis, December 25th, 1961During the reign of Paul VI, during which the “Charismatic Renewal” was birthed, he said in anticipation of a new era:The fresh breath of the Spirit, too, has come to awaken latent energies within the Church, to stir up dormant charisms, and to infuse a sense of vitality and joy. It is this sense of vitality and joy which makes the Church youthful and relevant in every age, and prompts her to proclaim joyously her eternal message to each new epoch. —POPE PAUL VI, A New Pentecost? by Cardinal Suenens, p. 88With the pontificate of John Paul II, the Church heard over and over again the call to “open wide your hearts.” But open wide our hearts to what? The Holy Spirit:Be open to Christ, welcome the Spirit, so that a new Pentecost may take place in every community! A new humanity, a joyful one, will arise from your midst; you will experience again the saving power of the Lord. —POPE JOHN PAUL II, in Latin America, 1992Implying the difficulties that will come to humanity if it does not open itself to Christ, Blessed John Paul exhorted that:…[a] new springtime of Christian life will be revealed by the Great Jubilee if Christians are docile to the action of the Holy Spirit… —POPE JOHN PAUL II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, n. 18 (emphasis mine)While still a Cardinal, Pope Benedict XVI said we are living in a “Pentecostal hour”, and indicated the kind of docility needed within the Church:right000What is emerging here is a new generation of the Church which I am watching with a great hope. I find it marvelous that the Spirit is once more stronger than our programs… Our task—the task of the office-holders in the Church and of theologians—is to keep the door open to them, to prepare room for them….”?—Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger with Vittorio Messori, The Ratzinger ReportThe Charismatic Renewal and the outpouring of the gifts and charisms of the Holy Spirit were, he said, part of the first signs of this new springtime.I am really a friend of movements—Communione e Liberazione, Focolare, and the Charismatic Renewal. I think this is a sign of the Springtime and of the presence of the Holy Spirit. —Cardinal Ratzinger (POPE BENEDICT XVI), Interview with Raymond Arroyo, EWTN, The World Over, September 5th, 2003The gifts are also an anticipation of what is in store for the Church and the entire world:By means of these gifts the soul is excited and encouraged to seek after and attain the evangelical beatitudes, which, like the flowers that come forth in the spring time, are the signs and harbingers of eternal beatitude. —POPE LEO XIII, Divinum Illud Munus, n. 9The Era of Peace to come is in itself, then, an anticipation of Heaven by the fact that the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit will increase exponentially so as to sanctify and prepare the Church, the Bride of Christ, to meet her Groom when He returns at the end of time in His final coming in glory. [9]cf. Wedding Preparations ?THE COMING SANCTIFICATIONAs was explained in Part V, what Jesus accomplished in the “fullness of time” through His Passion, Death and Resurrection remains to be brought to complete fruition in His mystical Body. Thus, we see in the pattern of His life the pattern that the Church must follow. So it is also in terms of Pentecost. Said St. Augustine:He was pleased to prefigure His Church, in which those especially who are baptized receive the Holy Ghost. —On the Trinity, 1., xv., c. 26; Divinum Illud Munus, n. 4Thus,By the operation of the Holy Spirit, not only was the conception of Christ accomplished, but also the sanctification of His soul, which, in Holy Scripture, is called His “anointing” (Acts x., 38). —POPE LEO XIII, Divinum Illud Munus, n. 4So too, the Church was conceived when she was overshadowed by left000the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. But the “sanctification” of her soul remains a project of the Spirit that continues until the end of time. St. Paul describes the state of this sanctification that will precede the parousia, the return of Jesus at the end of time:Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word, that he might present to himself the church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. (Eph 5:25-27)It is not that the Church will be perfect, for perfection is only accomplished in eternity. But sanctity is possible by living in a state of union with God through the grace of the Sanctifier, the Holy Spirit. The mystics, such as Stes. John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila, spoke about the progression of the interior life through purgative, illuminative, and finally unitive states with God. What will be accomplished in the Era of Peace will be a corporative unitive state with God. Of the Church in that era, St. Louis de Montfort wrote:Towards the end of the world… Almighty God and His Holy Mother are to raise up great saints who will surpass in holiness most other saints as much as the cedars of Lebanon tower above little shrubs. —St. Louis de Montfort, True Devotion to Mary, Art. 47It is for this that the Church is destined, and it will be accomplished through the “woman clothed with the sun” who labors to give birth to the whole body of Christ.?MARY AND THE NEW PENTECOSTMary, as I have written elsewhere, is a prefigurement and mirror of the Church herself. She is the embodiment of the Church’s hope. Hence, she is also a key to understanding the plan of God in these last times. [10]cf. Key to the Woman She has been given not only as a model of and for the Church, but been made her Mother. As such, through her maternal intercession, she has been granted by the Father the profound role of distributing graces to the Church in the power of the Holy Spirit, through the mediation of her Son, Jesus.This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to heavenright000 she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation…. Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix. —Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 969Thus, the outpouring of the Spirit through the Charismatic Renewal, that followed immediately on the heels of Vatican II, was a Marian gift.The Second Vatican Council was a Marian Council guided by the Holy Spirit. Mary is the Spouse of the Holy Spirit. The Council opened on the feast of the Divine Motherhood of Mary (October 11, 1962). It closed on the feast of the Immaculate Conception (1965). There is no outpouring of the Holy Spirit except in communion with the intercessory prayer of Mary, Mother of the Church. —Fr. Robert. J. Fox, editor of Immaculate Heart Messenger, Fatima and the New Pentecost, In the pattern of Jesus, then, not only has the Church been conceived under the “shadow of the Holy Spirit”, [11]cf. Luke 1:35 been baptized in the Spirit through Pentecost, [12]cf. Acts 2:3; 4:31 but she will be sanctified through the Holy Spirit through her own Passion, and the graces of the “first resurrection.” [13]cf. The Coming Resurrection; cf. Rev 20:5-6 The times we are living in now—this “time of mercy”, of the charismatic movement, of the renewal of contemplative prayer, of Marian prayer, of Eucharistic Adoartion—this time has been given to draw souls into “the upper room” where Mary forms and molds her children in the school of her love. [14]“The Spirit calls each of us and the church as a whole, after the pattern of Mary and the Apostles in the Upper Room, to accept and embrace the baptism in the Holy Spirit as the power of personal and communal transformation with all the graces and charisms needed for the up building of the church and for our mission in the world.” —Fanning the Flame, Fr. Kilian McDonnell and Fr. George T. Montague There, she calls them into an imitation of her own humility and docility, of her own fiat that caused her Spouse, the Holy Spirit, to descend upon her.The Holy Spirit, finding his dear Spouse present again in souls, will come down into them with great power. He will fill them with his gifts, especially wisdom, by which they will produce wonders of grace… that age of Mary, when many souls, chosen by Mary and given her by the most High God, will hide themselves completely in the depths of her soul, becoming living copies of her, loving and glorifying Jesus. —St. Louis de Montfort, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin, n.217, Montfort Publications And why should we surprised? The triumph over Satan by a woman and her offspring was prophesied thousands of years ago:I will put enmity between you and the woman, and your seed and her seed: she shall crush your head, and you shall lie in wait for her heel. (Gen 3:15; Douay-Rheims, translated from the Latin Vulgate)Hence,On this universal level, if victory comes it will be brought by Mary. Christ will conquer through her because He wants the Church’s victories now and in the future to be linked to her… —POPE JOHN PAUL II, Crossing the Threshold of Hope, p. 221In Fatima, Mary foretold that,In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she shall be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world. —The Message of Fatima, vatican.va The triumph of Mary is also the triumph of the Church, for it is through the formation of her offspring that Satan will be conquered. Thus, it is also the triumph of the Sacred Heart, because Jesus willed that Satan would be crushed beneath the heel of his disciples:Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. (Luke 10:19)This power is the power of the Holy Spirit, who hovers again, waiting to descend upon the Church as in a New Pentecost….The more noteworthy of the prophecies bearing upon “latter times” seem to have one common end, to announce great calamities impending over mankind, the triumph of the Church, and the renovation of the world. —Catholic Encyclopedia, Prophecy, …let us implore from God the grace of a new Pentecost… May tongues of fire, combining burning love of God and neighbor with zeal for the spread of Christ’s Kingdom, descend on all present! —POPE BENEDICT XVI, Homily, New York City, April 19th, 2008 ??Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)PrintFriendly???[ + ]1.↑cf. POPE PIUS X, Encyclical E Supremi “On the Restoration of All Things in Christ”2.↑POPE LEO XIII, Divinum Illud Munus, n. 23.↑cf. The Last Effort4.↑cf. The Day of Difference5.↑Annum Sacrum, n. 16.↑Matt 24:147.↑cf. Heb 4:98.↑see Creation Reborn, Toward Paradise – Part I, Toward Paradise – Part II, and Back to Eden9.↑cf. Wedding Preparations10.↑cf. Key to the Woman11.↑cf. Luke 1:3512.↑cf. Acts 2:3; 4:3113.↑cf. The Coming Resurrection; cf. Rev 20:5-614.↑“The Spirit calls each of us and the church as a whole, after the pattern of Mary and the Apostles in the Upper Room, to accept and embrace the baptism in the Holy Spirit as the power of personal and communal transformation with all the graces and charisms needed for the up building of the church and for our mission in the world.” —Fanning the Flame, Fr. Kilian McDonnell and Fr. George T. MontagueCharismatic! Part VIIPosted on February 22, 2012April 17, 2017 by Mark ?THE point of this entire series on the charismatic gifts and movement is to encourage the reader to not be afraid of the extraordinary in God! To not be afraid to “open wide your hearts” to the gift of the Holy Spirit whom the Lord wishes to pour out in a special and powerful way in our times. As I read the letters sent to me, it is clear that the Charismatic Renewal has not been without its sorrows and failures, its human deficiencies and weaknesses. And yet, this is precisely what occurred in the early Church after Pentecost. Saints Peter and Paul devoted much space to correcting the various churches, moderating the charisms, and refocusing the budding communities over and over again upon the oral and written tradition that was being handed on to them. What the Apostles did not do is deny the often dramatic experiences of believers, try to stifle the charisms, or silence the zeal of thriving communities. Rather, they said:Do not quench the Spirit… pursue love, but strive eagerly for the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy… above all, let your love for one another be intense… (1 Thess 5:19; 1 Cor 14:1; 1 Pet 4:8)I want to devote the last part of this series to sharing my own experiences and reflections since I first experienced the charismatic movement in 1975. Rather than give my entire testimony here, I will restrict it to those experiences one might call “charismatic.”?TODAYToday, I do not belong to a prayer group or to the Charismatic Renewal as a member, but I am occasionally invited to speak at conferences sponsored by the movement. I write and record praise and worship songs, but when I listen to music, it is usually Gregorian Chant or Sacred Russian Choral. While I attend the Roman Catholic Mass with my family each weekend, for years I went to the daily left000Ukrainian Divine Liturgy, the ancient rite of St. John Chrysostom. When I pray, I join the universal Church each day in the Liturgy of the Hours, but I also close my eyes throughout the day and quietly pray in the gift of tongues I received as a child. My favorite place of worship is not in an auditorium filled with clapping and singing Christians, as beautiful as that can be… but in that holy space before the Blessed Sacrament where I sometimes raise my hands and whisper His precious Name. When people ask me to pray for them, I carry them in my daily Rosary or in the prayers of the Church; other times, I am moved to lay my hands upon their heads with their permission, and pray over them, which has brought both spiritual and physical healings to some. And when I write my blogs, I carefully follow the teachings of our Catholic Faith to the best of my ability, while also speaking from the heart the prophetic words I sense the Lord saying to His Church today.I am opening my personal life to you on this page, not because I consider myself a role model. Rather, it is to relax those readers who equate the “baptism in the Spirit” with having to act in a “Pentecostal” or “charismatic” kind of way. I certainly understand the joy of many Christians who readily express their faith in outward expressions. What I have learned over the years in the gentle school of the Holy Spirit is that it is the interior life He comes to cultivate above all else…?FAMILY PENTECOSTIt was 1975 when my parents joined the Charismatic Renewal as both participants and leaders. I was seven years old at the time. I can remember standing there, often the only child among a group of adults, who were singing and praising Jesus with a love and passion I hadn’t seen before. When either they or the parish priest, who fully embraced the Renewal, gave talks, I felt a great anointing and grace as I too began to fall in love deeper and deeper with Jesus.But in school, I was a bit of a rascal. I was known as the “class clown,” and by grade five, my teacher was quite fed up with me. True, I was pretty hyper and would rather be in the playground than behind a desk. In fact, as a toddler, my mother said she would come into my bedroom to find me bouncing on the bed… and still bouncing on the bed an hour later.In the summer between grades 5 and 6, my parents felt it was time that my brother, sister, and I should receive the “baptism in the Spirit” as it was commonly called [1]see Part II for an explanation of “baptism in the Holy Spirit“ . In reality, I was already receiving many graces at the right000prayer meetings. But just as the Apostles received not just one but several outpourings of the Holy Spirit, [2]cf. Acts 4:31 my parents felt it was wise to pray for a new outpouring of grace upon their children. After seven weeks of preparation (what was called “The Life in the Spirit Seminars”), we gathered at the lake in our cabin, and there mom and dad laid their hands upon us and prayed.Then I put on my bathing suit and went for a swim.I don’t recall anything extraordinary happening that day. But something did happen. When I returned to school in the Fall, I suddenly had a hunger for the Holy Eucharist. Instead of watching cartoons during lunch hour, I would often skip dinner and go serve at the daily Mass next door. I began to attend Confession more frequently. I lost any desire for the partying activities of my junior high peers. I became a quieter student, suddenly aware of the stress that disobedience and noise caused my teachers. I had a thirst to read the Word of God and to discuss spiritual things with my parents. And the desire to become a priest welled up in my being… a desire that, strangely, has not entirely faded with a wife and eight children.In a word, I had a strong desire for Jesus. That was the “first gift” I received from the Holy Spirit.?CALLED TO MINISTRYIn grade 10, some of my teammates and I were sexually violated by our football trainer. I know it awakened in me feelings that should have remained latent. After my only sister died in a car accident when I was 19 years old, I went back to university confused and broken. While I did not abandon the Lord, I began to struggle with powerful temptations to lust and sin. During a five year period, despite my attendance at daily Mass and my private prayers, I was attacked frequently by this spirit of lust. My desire to be faithful to the Lord prevented me from falling into very grave sin, and yet, I was not the man I should have been. To this day, I do penance and pray for those young women who deserved a better Christian witness than this man gave.left000Shortly after my marriage, it was in the midst of this stronghold that the Lord called me into ministry. I can only think of St. Mary Magdalene or Matthew, St. Paul or St. Augustine, and how the Lord does not always choose holy souls, but often great sinners to tend His vineyard. The Lord was calling me to begin using “music as a doorway to evangelize” (watch My Testimony).Shortly after, our group of leaders met to pray and plan our ministry events. That week, I had fallen into the sin of lust again. I felt like the black sheep in that room of other men who were there to serve God. That after all I had experienced in my life, all I knew about the Lord, His gifts, His graces… I still sinned against Him. I felt I was a great disappointment and a disgrace to the Father. I felt I shouldn’t be there….Someone handed out song sheets. I didn’t feel like singing. And yet, I knew, as a praise and worship leader, that singing to God is an act of faith (and Jesus said that faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains). And so, despite myself, I began to sing because He deserved to be praised. Suddenly, I felt a wave of power shooting through my body, as if I were being electrocuted, but without the pain. I felt this incredible love for me, so deep, so tender. How could this be?!“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.” So [the prodigal son] got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, andright000 was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. (Luke 15:18-20)That night when I left, the power of that sin that I had been struggling with for years, that bound me like a slave, was broken. I cannot tell you how the Lord did it. All I know is that the Father poured His Spirit of love into my soul and set me free. (Read also my encounter with this spirit again in A Miracle of Mercy. Also, for those really struggling in serious sin right now, read:? To Those in Mortal Sin)?NEW CHARISMSI don’t exactly remember when I started speaking in tongues. I just remember using the charism, even as a child. It flowed naturally and with an instinctual sense that I was not babbling but praying. After all, this is what Jesus said would happen:These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. (Mark 16:17-18)But God had more to give. In the second year of my ministry, we planned a Life in the Spirit Seminar [3]a planned format and talks for evangelizing and preparing participants to receive the “baptism in the Holy Spirit.” for about 80 teens. During the course of the weekend, left000we shared the Gospel, testimonies, and teachings to prepare them for the “baptism in the Holy Spirit.” On the final evening, as teams laid hands on and prayed over the young people, the Spirit fell powerfully upon nearly everyone gathered. The young began to laugh and cry and sing in tongues. That timid group of teens was suddenly turned into a living flame of love, dancing in the Heart of God. [4]Several youth and leaders went on to form ministries. Some went on to study theology, as well as enter the religious life or priesthood. Some of those ministries are now international in scale, with regular appearances on EWTN and other Catholic media. Up until that time, I had never written a praise and worship song, drawing instead upon the large collection of evangelical praise and worship songs that were available. As the teams began to wrap up their prayers with the youth, some leaders came over to me and asked if I wanted to be “prayed over” (I had been singing music in the background until then.) I said “Sure,” since I knew that the Spirit can fill us over and over again. As the prayer leader extended his hands over me, I suddenly fell backward on the floor, my body cruciform. [5]Falling down or “resting in the Spirit” is a common manifestation of “baptism in the Spirit.” For reasons not entirely known, the Holy Spirit often brings a soul into a place of total rest and surrender as He continues to minister deep within. It is one of those ways that God works that often leaves the soul much more humble and docile as they realize more deeply that He is Lord. I had a strong desire rise up from deep within my soul to give my entire life toright000 Jesus, to be martyred for Him. When I stood up, I felt the same power from my previous experience coursing through my body, this time through my fingertips and my mouth. From that day forward, I wrote hundreds of praise songs, sometimes two or three in an hour. It flowed like living waters! I also felt an irresistible need to speak the truth to a generation drowning in falsehoods…?CALLED TO THE RAMPARTIn August of 2006, I was sitting at the piano singing a version of the Mass part “Sanctus,” which I had written: “Holy, Holy, Holy…” Suddenly, I felt a powerful urge to go and pray before the Blessed Sacrament.At the church, I began to pray the Office. I noticed immediately that the “Hymn” was the same words I’d just been singing: “Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty…” My spirit began to quicken. I continued, praying the words of the Psalmist, “Burnt offering I bring to your house; to you I will pay my vows…” Within my heart welled up a great longing to give myself completely to God, in a new way, on a deeper level. Once again, I felt my soul becoming cruciform. I was experiencing the prayer of the Holy Spirit who “intercedes with inexpressible groanings” (Rom 8:26).During the course of the next hour, I was led through the texts of the Liturgy of the Hours and the Catechism that were essentially the left000words that I had just been crying out. [6]To read the entire encounter, go to About Mark on this website. I read in the book of Isaiah how the Seraphim flew to him, touching his lips with an ember, sanctifying his mouth for the mission ahead. “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” Isaiah responded, “Here I am, send me!” In hindsight, it would seem that the charism to operate in the prophetic was given to me years before at that youth retreat when I felt my lips tingling with the power of the Holy Spirit. It seemed now that it was being released in a greater way. [7]Of course, all “The faithful, who by Baptism are incorporated into Christ and integrated into the People of God, are made sharers in their particular way in the priestly, prophetic, and kingly office of Christ.” —Catechism of the Catholic Church, 897 This experience seemed to be confirmed while I was in my spiritual director’s chapel during a visit with him in the United States. I was praying before the Blessed Sacrament when I heard the words in my heart, “I am giving you the ministry of John the Baptist.” The next morning, an elderly man showed up at the rectory door saying he felt compelled to give me something. He placed in my hand a first class relic of St. John the Baptist. [8]A first class relic means it is a part of a saint’s body, such as a bone fragment. As I was praying again before the Blessed Sacrament, I sensed in my heart the words, “Lay hands on the sick and I will heal them.” My first response was one of grief. I thought of how people can clamor toward souls who have been given the charism of healing, and I did not want that. I enjoyed my obscurity! So I said, “Lord, if this is a word from you, then please confirm it.” I sensed at that moment the “order” to pick up my bible. I opened it randomly and my eyes fell directly upon Mark 16:These signs will accompany those who believe… They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. (Mark 16:17-18)At that moment, as quick as lightning, I felt for a third distinct and unexpected time the power of the Spirit coursing through my trembling hands… Since then, I have been waiting for the Lord to show me how and when He wants me to use that charism. I recently learned, however, that a woman with symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis whom I prayed over, has not experienced those symptoms now in nearly two years since that day… How mysterious are the ways of God!?OPEN TO THE SPIRITAs I look back on all those moments when the Lord poured out His Spirit, they were often meant to equip me to respond in my own particular calling to serve the Kingdom. Sometimes, the graces came by the laying on of hands, other times simply in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament… but always from the Heart of Jesus. He is the one who sends the Paraclete upon His Bride, to anoint her and equip her to carry out her sacred mission.The Eucharist is “the source and summit” of our faith. [9]cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 1324 In Part IV, I spoke about how we, in order to be fully Catholic, should always embrace the very center of our Catholic Faith, that is, all that our Sacred Tradition gives us.The very center is the Holy Eucharist, “the source and summit” of our Faith. From this efficacious Gift we have been reconciled to the Father. From the Eucharist, which is the Sacred Heart, gushes forth the living water of the Holy Spirit to renew, sanctify, and empower the children of God.Thus, the Charismatic Renewal is a gift, too, of the Eucharist. And thus, it should lead us back to the Eucharist. When I began my music ministry nearly 20 years ago, we led people “where two or three are gathered” [10]cf. Matt 18:20 into the presence of God through song and word.? But today, I now conclude my ministry wherever possible by bringing the congregation into the Eucharistic Presence of Jesus for a time of Adoration. My role is to decrease that He may increase as I point to the source of Mercy: “Behold the Lamb of God!”The Charismatic Renewal should also lead us then to contemplative prayer with a distinctively Marian character and inclusion, since she right000was the first contemplative, model of prayer, and mother of the Church. There is a time and a season for praise and worship, an outward song of the heart. As it says in Psalm 100:Enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courts with praise. (Psalm 100:4)This is a reference to the Temple of Solomon. The gates led into the courts, which then lead to the Holy of holies. There, in the intimate presence of God, we must learn to,Be still and know that I am God! (Psalm 46:10)And there,All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord who is the Spirit. (2 Cor 3:18)If we are being transformed more and more into Jesus, then the Charismatic Renewal should lead us from contemplation into action, to a deeper service in the body of Christ through the charisms of the Holy Spirit. It should lead each of us to become witnesses in the marketplace, in the home, in the school, wherever God places us. It should lead us to love and serve Jesus in the poor and lonely. It should lead us to lay down our lives for our brothers. However, the agent of our evangelization is the Holy Spirit, and thus, the Charismatic Renewal should lead us back again to that wellspring of grace so that our words and actions are always filled with His divine power:Techniques of evangelization are good, but even the most advanced ones could not replace the gentle action of the Spirit. The most perfect preparation of the evangelizer has no effect without the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, the most convincing dialect has no power over the heart of man.?—POPE PAUL VI, Hearts Aflame: The Holy Spirit at the Heart of Christian Life Today by Alan SchreckThat is to say that the Charismatic Renewal is more a “filling station” than a “parking lot.” It is a grace to renew the Church as she passes through her ministry. I don’t believe it was ever meant to be a club, per se. Even then, through prayer, frequenting the Sacraments, and the incredible mediation of Mary in our lives, that ember of faith that has been stirred into flame should remain burning brightly in so far as we are sincere and “seek first the Kingdom.”A musician came up to me after an event and asked me what he should do to get his music out there. I looked him in the eyes and said, “My brother, you can sing the song, or you can become the song. Jesus wants you to become the song.” Likewise, the Charismatic Renewal was not given to the Church to maintain the honeymoon that follows conversion, but to help souls enter more fully into the marriage, which is to lay down one’s life for his or her spouse, in this case, Christ and our neighbour. There is no other way but the Way of the Cross.In these times, the Renewal has a special character. And that is to equip and prepare a remnant for a new evangelization that is here and coming as we face “the final confrontation between the Church and the anti-church, of the Gospel and the anti-gospel…”: [11]POPE JOHN PAUL II cf. Understanding the Final Confrontation Let us not be afraid of this great Gift that will soon fall upon all of humanity, as we pray for the Holy Spirit to illuminate us in a New Pentecost!?[The Church] must inspire the cultural currents that are about to be born along this path toward the Third Millennium. We cannot arrive late with the liberating announcement of Jesus Christ to a society that struggles, in a dramatic and exciting moment, between deep needs and enormous hopes. —POPE JOHN PAUL II; Vatican City, 1996right000I wish to invite young people to open their hearts to the Gospel and become Christ’s witnesses; if necessary, his martyr-witnesses, at the threshold of the Third Millennium. —POPE JOHN PAUL II; Spain, 1989The New Testament communities, [John Paul II] said, were marked by a renewed outpouring of the Holy Spirit “at essential moments,” attentive listening to the Word of God through the teaching of the Apostles, sharing the Eucharist, living in community and ministering to the poor. —Western Catholic Reporter, June 5th, 1995??Your donation is greatly appreciated for this full time ministry! Click below to translate this page into a different language:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)PrintFriendly???[ + ]1.↑see Part II for an explanation of “baptism in the Holy Spirit“2.↑cf. Acts 4:313.↑a planned format and talks for evangelizing and preparing participants to receive the “baptism in the Holy Spirit.”4.↑Several youth and leaders went on to form ministries. Some went on to study theology, as well as enter the religious life or priesthood. Some of those ministries are now international in scale, with regular appearances on EWTN and other Catholic media.5.↑Falling down or “resting in the Spirit” is a common manifestation of “baptism in the Spirit.” For reasons not entirely known, the Holy Spirit often brings a soul into a place of total rest and surrender as He continues to minister deep within. It is one of those ways that God works that often leaves the soul much more humble and docile as they realize more deeply that He is Lord.6.↑To read the entire encounter, go to About Mark on this website.7.↑Of course, all “The faithful, who by Baptism are incorporated into Christ and integrated into the People of God, are made sharers in their particular way in the priestly, prophetic, and kingly office of Christ.” —Catechism of the Catholic Church, 8978.↑A first class relic means it is a part of a saint’s body, such as a bone fragment.9.↑cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 132410.↑cf. Matt 18:2011.↑POPE JOHN PAUL II cf. Understanding the Final Confrontation ................
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