You are dispensers of the grace of God, not controllers!

Transcription

1 AUGUST 2014 Catholic Charismatic Renewal serving the church The newsletter of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. Melbourne, Australia. You are dispensers of the grace of God, not controllers! Pope Francis with 52,000 charismatics at the Olympic Stadium Rome 1/2 June Dear brothers and sisters! I thank you so much for your welcome. No doubt someone told the organizers that I very much like this song, The Lord Jesus Lives When I celebrated holy Mass in Buenos Aires with the Charismatic Renewal, after the consecration and after a few seconds of adoration in tongues, we sang this song with so much joy and force, as you did today. Thank you! I felt at home! I thank Renewal in the Spirit, the ICCRS and the Catholic Fraternity for this meeting with you, which gives me so much joy. I am grateful also for the presence of the first who had an intense experience of the power of the Holy Spirit; I believe that it was Patty, here You, Charismatic Renewal, have received a great gift from the Lord. You were born of the will of the Spirit as a current of grace in the Church and for the Church. This is your definition: a current of grace. What is the first gift of the Holy Spirit? The gift of Himself, who is love and makes you enamored of Jesus. And this love changes life. Because of this it is said: to be born again to life in the Spirit. Jesus said it to Nicodemus. You have received the great gift of the diversity of charisms, diversity that leads to the harmony of the Holy Spirit, to the service of the Church. When I think of you Charismatics, the image of the Church herself comes to me, but in a particular way: I think of a great orchestra, where every instrument is different from another and the voices are also different, but all are necessary for the harmony of the music. Saint Paul says it in chapter XII of the First Letter to the Corinthians. Therefore, as in an orchestra, no one in the Renewal can think of being more important or greater than another, please! No one can say: I m the head. You, as the whole Church, have only one head, only one Lord: the Lord Jesus. Repeat with me: who is the head of the Renewal? Continued on page 3 ACROSS MY DESK PAGE 2 COVER ARTICLE continued PAGE 3 THE POWER OF THE WORD OF GOD PAGES 4-5 POWER FROM SILENCE PAGES 6-7 HOW TO Evaluate Prosperity Teaching? PAGE 8 A Historic Event for Charismatic Renewal PAGE 9 We Were All Made to drink of one spirit PAGE 10 A WORD... FROM MIRIAM PAGE 11 MARK YOUR DIARIES PAGE 12

2 ACROSS MY DESK For enquiries about Catholic Charismatic Renewal, its events or prayer groups visit the: CCR CENTRE 101 Holden Street North Fitzroy VIC 3068 (Car park entry in Dean Street) Telephone: (03) Fax: (03) The Centre is open 10.00am pm, Monday - Friday, except Public Holidays. Good News Good News is published quarterly, on each Renewal Day (see back page). Editor: Lenyce Willason goodnews@ccr.org.au Assistant Editor: Andrea Baxter Editorial Assistant: Mary Crawford Distribution: CCR Centre Team Articles, news items and other contributions should be sent to the editor at the above address. Good News is published by Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR) in the Archdiocese of Melbourne, Australia, by the Co-ordinators: Lenyce Willason (Executive Director), Miriam Markis (Centre Manager), Daniel Serratore (Youth Co-ordinator), Tony Grieve, Diana Tominac, Ban Wee, Christine Grech and Gunawan Goh. Neither the Co-ordinators nor the Editor necessarily endorse opinions expressed in articles in this publication, nor does CCR necessarily endorse events mentioned, other than those events listed on the back page. Good News is distributed free of charge to registered CCR groups in the Archdiocese of Melbourne. For individuals who would like a copy mailed, the annual subscription is $15.00 for four issues. All subscription enquiries should be addressed to The CCR Centre, 101 Holden Street, North Fitzroy, VIC Ph: (03) Good News can be downloaded in Adobe Reader format from the CCR website: Unless otherwise indicated, any article printed in Good News may be reproduced without change and in its entirety (acknowledging the source) for non-commercial and non-political purposes without prior permission from Catholic Charismatic Renewal Melbourne. Copyright 2010 CCR Melbourne. All rights reserved. The deadline for the next issue of Good News is Friday 17 October The Joy of Sharing Oscar Wilde wrote: Anybody can sympathise with the sufferings of a friend, but it requires a very fine nature to sympathise with a friend s success. King Solomon wrote: The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and good news refreshes the body (Proverbs 15:30). One could take this reading to mean the light of one s own eyes, but here it is the light in another's eyes. So what might we take to be the light in another s eyes? It surely has to be something that the person is happy about. He/ she loves whatever news they have received so much that one can see the light in their eyes. What does it do to the observer? It ought to give cause for rejoicing with the one who has received the good news. There have been many items cross my desk in the last couple of months that seem to have a common theme: the inability of friends to celebrate each other s good fortune. Another name for this is envy. When you envy someone you actually desire something that you do not have. If you continue in your envy the result will be at least frustration, and at worst sin to obtain the object of your envy. The first instance was someone who came in to speak with me about her experience at a recent gathering where she had won not only first prize in a competition but also fourth and fifth prizes as well. It did not seem to matter that she had generously bought many tickets to support the cause; the ill feeling in the room at her good fortune affected her. James reminds us that where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind (3:16). This proved to be the basis for another instance of envy and jealousy that crossed my desk. The culmination came when I read an article in the Sunday Life weekend magazine just recently. Jacinta Tynan was writing about her recent experience upon receiving the dream job she had wanted. 1 She discovered she had no one to share this joy with who would be happy for her. The friends whom she had congratulated as they achieved their milestones sat in stony silence when she told them about her exciting job offer. She writes: I am forever grateful for those who have hauled me through my down times, generous souls who keep the faith (when I can t), a cheer squad for my potential and deservedness. But when the tide turns for the better, it becomes evident some were just purveyors of schadenfreude, going all weird and dismissive when good fortune strikes. It takes effort to eradicate envy, to remember that there is enough joy to go around. She went on to say: The greater growth will come... when I can fly with or without recognition, motivated solely by the potential for betterment and making the most of life. Envy is almost inevitable in cultures driven by materialism. The adulation of celebrities and other conspicuous consumers constantly reminds us of all the things we could have, tempting us to want to end up with more toys than everyone else. Envy is one of the seven deadly sins it is not a fruit of the Spirit. Unfortunately being Christian does not protect us from this insidious human failure. Once we entertain envy in our hearts, its old cronies, resentment and anger, soon show up as well. The only antidote for envy and jealousy is good, old fashioned kindness. Let us pray for the gift of a generous heart. Loving Father, even as you are jealous over us, help me to be jealous for my time with you. It is only in your presence that I can be healed from the ungodly kind of envy that eats away at my spiritual attitudes. Fill me with your love and kindness, so that I may love others as you love them. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. Lenyce Willason, Executive Director 1 Life Matters, Sunday Life 12 July GOOD NEWS

3 Continued from page 1 The Lord Jesus! Who is the head of the Renewal? [those present]: the Lord Jesus! And we can say this with the strength that the Holy Spirit has given us, because no one can say Jesus is the Lord without the Holy Spirit. As you perhaps know - because news spreads - in the first years of the Charismatic Renewal I did not like Charismatics much. And I said of them: They seem like a school of samba! I did not share their way of praying and the many new things that were happening in the Church. Afterwards, I began to know them and in the end I understood the good that Charismatic Renewal does to the Church. And this story, which goes from the school of samba forward, ends in a particular way: a few months before taking part in the Conclave, I was appointed by the Episcopal Conference spiritual assistant of Charismatic Renewal in Argentina. Charismatic Renewal is a great force at the service of the proclamation of the Gospel, in the joy of the Holy Spirit. You received the Holy Spirit that made you discover the love of God for all his children and love of the Word. In the early times it was said that you Charismatics always carried the Bible with you, the New Testament Do you still do it today? [the crowd]: Yes?! I m not so sure. If not, return to this first love; always carry in your pocket, in your bag the Word of God! And read a little piece -- always with the Word of God. You, people of God, people of the Charismatic Renewal, be careful not to lose the freedom that the Holy Spirit has given you. The danger for the Renewal, as our dear Father Raniero Cantalamessa often says, is that of excessive organization: the danger of excessive organization. Yes, you need organization, but do not lose the grace of letting God be God! However, there is no greater freedom than that of letting oneself be carried by the Spirit, refusing to calculate and to control everything, and allow Him to illuminate you, lead you, guide you, and push you where He wishes. He knows well what the need is in every age and moment. This calls to be mysteriously fruitful! (Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, 280). Another danger is that of becoming controllers of God s grace. So often the leaders (I prefer the name servants ) of some group or some community become, perhaps without wanting it, administrators of grace, deciding who can receive the prayer of the effusion or Baptism in the Spirit and who, instead, cannot. If some do so, I beg you not to do so anymore, don t do it anymore. You are dispensers of the grace of God, not controllers! Don t be a customs office to the Holy Spirit! You have a guide in the Documents of Malines, a sure course not to mistake the way. The first document is: Theological and Pastoral Guideline. The second is: Charismatic Renewal and Ecumenism, written by Cardinal Suenens himself, great protagonist of Vatican Council II. The third is: Charismatic Renewal and Service to Man, written by Cardinal Suenens and Bishop Helder Camara. This is your task: evangelization, spiritual ecumenism, care of the poor and needy and hospitality for the marginalized. And all this on the basis of adoration! The foundation of the renewal is to adore God! I have been asked to tell the Renewal what the Pope expects from you. The first thing is conversion to the love of Jesus, which changes life and makes of the Christian a witness of the Love of God. The Church expects this witness of Christian life and the Holy Spirit helps us to live the coherence of the Gospel for our holiness. I expect from you that you share with all, in the Church, the grace of Baptism in the Holy Spirit (expression that is read in the Acts of the Apostles). I expect from you an evangelization with the Word of God which proclaims that Jesus is alive and loves all men. I expect that you give witness of spiritual ecumenism with all those brothers and sisters of other Churches and Christian communities who believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior. That you remain united in the love that the Lord Jesus asks of us for all men, and in the prayer to the Holy Spirit to come to this unity, necessary for evangelization in the name of Jesus. Remember that the Charismatic Renewal is by its very nature ecumenical Catholic Renewal rejoices over what the Holy Spirit carries out in the other Churches. (1 Malines 5, 3) Be close to the poor, the needy, to touch in their flesh the flesh of Jesus. Be close, please! Seek unity in the Renewal, because unity comes from the Holy Spirit and is born of the unity of the Trinity. From whom does division come? From the devil! Division comes from the devil. Flee from internal fights, please! They must not exist among us! I want to thank the ICCRS and the Catholic Fraternity, the two organizations of Pontifical Right of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, at the service of global Renewal; be committed to preparing the world meeting for priests and Bishops, which will be held in June of next year. I know that you have also decided to share the office and to work together as a sign of unity and to manage the resources better. I rejoice greatly. I also want to thank you because you are already organizing the Great Jubilee of Brothers and sisters, remember: adore the Lord God: this is the foundation! To adore God. Seek sanctity in the new life of the Holy Spirit. Be dispensers of the grace of God. Avoid the danger of excessive organization. Go out into the streets to evangelize, proclaiming the Gospel. Remember that the Church was born in going forth that Pentecost morning. Be close to the poor and touch in their flesh the wounded flesh of Jesus. Let yourselves by led by the Holy Spirit, with that freedom and, please, do not cage the Holy Spirit! With liberty! Seek the unity of the Renewal, unity that comes from the Trinity! And I await you all, Charismatics of the world, to celebrate, together with the Pope, your Great Jubilee in Pentecost of 2017, in Saint Peter s Square! Thank you! Francesco 3 GOOD NEWS

4 Teaching & Formation The Power "The word of God has power" of the Word of God By Dr. Mary Healy Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, Michigan, USA Dr. Mary Healy Many Catholics are aware that the Church exhorts us to read and pray with Scripture every day. But not many know that the word of God has power - power to renew our minds, transform our lives, and equip us for the unique mission that God has for us. When we read and pray with the word of God, we enter the truth zone. We begin to see more clearly the awesome truth about who God is and who we are in him. Our own problems fade in importance as we come to understand God s love for us, his marvelous plan, Jesus victory on the cross, our own dignity as God s sons and daughters, our glorious destiny of eternal life with him. Scripture heals our minds. It demolishes strongholds of lies and distortions that can exist in us because of wounds we have received - lies such as I am not worthy to be loved or I can never change. Scripture also frees us from self-deception. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb 4:12). Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, the preacher to the pope, tells the story of one man who experienced the power of God s word. This man was an alcoholic who had tried in many ways over the years to get free of his addiction, but repeatedly failed. One night he came to a prayer meeting and heard someone speak out a verse from the Song of Songs: Your love is better than wine. The moment he heard that verse, he was set free! He experienced the love of the Lord that quenches our deepest thirst, and he no longer had any desire for alcohol. Why does Scripture have such unique power? St. Paul wrote, All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work (2 Tim 3:16-17). The Greek word for inspired, theopneustos, literally means God-breathed. The Holy Spirit has breathed into Scripture so that it is alive and life-giving. It is not a dusty volume from the past, but a living word through which God continues to speak to his children today. St. Thomas Aquinas explained the uniqueness of Scripture this way. 4 GOOD NEWS

5 He asked the question: Why do we call only Scripture inspired, since we believe that anything true is from the Holy Spirit, no matter who said it? And he answered: because God works in two ways - directly and indirectly. God works directly when he acts by himself without any other causes. For example, if someone is sick but then is healed miraculously, God has worked directly. God works indirectly when he works through created things. For example, if someone is sick and is healed through the ministry of doctors, nurses and medicine, God has worked indirectly through them. Thomas then concluded: So God instructs our minds directly through Scripture but indirectly through other writings. This means that when we read Scripture, God himself touches our minds, so that we begin to understand him and see all of reality in his light. Through his word God speaks to us personally in our own language, as a father stoops down to speak to his little children. Today the whole Church is being mobilized the New Evangelization. We are being called to proclaim the good news of Christ everywhere, to change the world! But to do that we have to start with our own hearts. And there is nothing more powerful than the word of God to transform the human heart at the deepest level. As Scripture transforms our own minds and hearts it equips us to evangelize the culture. As Pope Francis has said, The sacred Scriptures are the very source of evangelization. Consequently, we need to be constantly trained in hearing the word. The deeper our knowledge of God s word, the more the Holy Spirit is able to inspire us during the day with words that inspire, build up, and encourage others. If we read God s word prayerfully every morning, we will be able to say like Isaiah, The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him that is weary. Morning by morning he wakens, he wakens my ear to hear as those who are taught (Isa 50:4). The prophet Jeremiah also had a deep love for God s word. He wrote, When I found your words, I devoured them; they became my joy and the happiness of my heart, Because I bore your name, O LORD, God of hosts (Jer 15:16). To devour means to eat with gusto, to eat like you re starving! One who has devoured the word comes to know the word s power to change us and give us divine life. Here are some practical steps to increase your knowledge and love for the word of God. 1. Read Scripture prayerfully every day. You can do this either with the daily Mass readings or by going through a whole book of Scripture, such as Ephesians, reading a little each day. As you read, God is speaking to you; then you speak back to him in prayer. Tell him your thoughts, ask him questions, and let your reading become a dialogue of love with the Lord. 2. Decide to get to know a book of Scripture well by reading it along with a good commentary such as the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture or the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible. It is best to begin with one of the Gospels or the letters of Paul. 3. Choose a verse that touches you, and memorise it. Write down your memory verses and put them on your mirror, or your computer monitor, or some place where you will see them often. 4. If you have a smart phone, get a Bible app such as YouVersion, and share your favorite Scripture passages with others. Dr. Mary Healy teaches at the Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Michigan, USA and the Chair of the ICCRS Theological Commission. Dr Mary Healy will be one of the guest speakers at our Annual Retreat in January Presence At any time of the day or night we can call on Jesus. He is always waiting, listening for our call. What a wonderful blessing. No phone needed, no s, just a whisper. Sacred Space Friday 19 July GOOD NEWS

6 Power from Silence By Br James Shin Power leadership means the Power to be loved and the Power to love. Many a times, leaders, do not move forward because they lack the power to be loved. They lack the opportunity to stand in awe and be still at the foot of the Triune God. All Christians know that God is love and that he loves us, but it is another thing being immersed in His love and experiencing His embrace. There is no power except that which comes from the power of silence: Today s people are afraid of being silent and being lonely. They meet someone, or chat on the smartphone and through the Internet, or make themselves connected through SNS such as facebook, or spend time to indulge in games in order to escape loneliness. They have to see and hear something in order not to become nervous. They cannot stand the silence. Staying silent by not doing anything and not meeting anyone makes them really hard. As Pope Francis pointed out in his apostolic exhortation, The Joy of the Gospel (Evangelii Gaudium), many of us are caught in sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness by consumerism and the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures. Our interior life becomes caught up in its own interests and concerns and there is no longer room for others, no place for the poor. God s voice is no longer heard, the quiet joy of his love is no longer felt, and the desire to do good fades (Article1-2). We will be liberated from our narrowness and self-absorption thanks solely to renewed encounter with God s love (Article 8). "Jesus is a model of charismatic leaders. He did many actions, used the greatest charisms" Even leaders of CCR may lose the balance, when they serve for healing and proclaiming the word, by choosing to focus on the service rather than to take silent time. They vindicate themselves saying Action is Prayer. They do not stay with the Lord nor to take time to immerse in his love and all of sudden they lose the strength and would not go forward any more. Jesus is a model for charismatic leaders. He did many actions and used the greatest charisms. However, he went out to find a quiet place when he faced the important moments. As we know well, before he began his public life, he fasted and prayed in a desert for 40 days led by the Holy Spirit. He overcame the devil s temptations. He received the power of the Spirit on the way back to Galilee from the desert and started evangelizing. The powers came upon him through fasting being alone, and praying in silence (Lk 4:14-15). Many believers came to Jesus after they experienced the astonishing actions such as healing, miracles, deliverance and etc. Nonetheless, Jesus left the crowds and went to find out a remote place such as a mountain and prayed alone and took time for silence (Mk 1:35, 6:46). He also sternly commanded the healed not to tell others about their healing (Mt 8:1-4). In addition, before he chose the twelve Apostles, he climbed a mountain and prayed alone (Lk 6:12). Choosing twelve Apostles was the most important work among his works. Like this, when Jesus did important work, he prayed alone and in silence he took time to become united with and to share love with God. Regarding Contemplative prayer, Article 2717 of CCC says: Contemplative prayer is silence, the symbol of the world to come or silent love. Words in this kind of prayer are not speeches; they are like kindling that feeds the fire of love. In this silence, unbearable to the outer man, the Father speaks to us his incarnate Word, who suffered, died, and rose in this silence the Spirit of adoption enables us to share in the prayer of Jesus. From Article 2709 of CCC, St. Teresa defines that contemplative prayer is nothing else than a close sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with him who we know loves us. Action and contemplation are in inseparable relation in the spiritual life. When one does deep contemplation, one who becomes amazed will naturally take action to deliver to neighbors the love he experienced. When one practices true actions of love diligently, one will naturally stay in contemplation. Therefore, contemplation and action are not two but one. One in contemplation can act and one in action can contemplate that these two become one. We have to know how to be loved by God and will serve others with powers of the Spirit in right way. Before Jesus died on the cross, he pointed at John and said: Woman, this is your son. (Jn 19:29) Jesus let Mary become Mother for all of us by giving John mother Mary as a gift at the greatest moment of his suffering. He gave to the Apostles for evangelization many charisms and Mary as their supporter and advocate. Pope Francis calls Mary Star of the new evangelization by saying: This interplay of justice and tenderness, of contemplation and concern for others, is what makes the ecclesial community look to Mary as a model of evangelization. Mary is the one who kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. (Lk 2:19) She is the one who suffered most among the characters in the Bible but she overcame everything by contemplating God s love in silence. It brings to mind the Icon of the Theotokos: Mary, being embraced by Jesus, she leaning her head and resting 6 GOOD NEWS

7 upon him whom she is holding, her mouth shut and eyes open to the world. That is the power of silence. Silence does not mean that one is merely not speaking externally. But it is inner silence, having a conversation of love with God and immersing in his love. In order to pay attention to his word and to receive his love, we must cut off noise that disrupts silence. Like a loving couple finds a quiet place away from the noise for their conversation, we need to get away from inner noise for spiritual conversation and love with God. Inner noise leads us to judge the one who does wrong, to rage against others, to justify wrong accusations as well as listening to the whisperings of darkness and temptations. We ask for the graces of repentance and forgiveness in order to remove noise and to contemplate God s love in silence. Unless we repent, we cannot pray, unless we forgive, we cannot love, and unless we are grateful, we cannot praise. Let God have a chance to love us. By making Jesus a model and relying on the intercession of Mary, of silence and contemplation, we deeply experience God s love and evangelize this world. Please let Pope Francis prayer become ours: Virgin of listening and contemplation, Mother of love, Bride of the eternal wedding feast, pray for the Church, whose pure icon you are, that she may never be closed in on herself or lose her passion for establishing God s kingdom. Mother of the living Gospel, wellspring of happiness for God s little ones, pray for us. Amen. Alleluia! Reprinted from ICCRS Training Newsletter. Used with permission. Cycling with God At first, I saw God as my observer, my Judge, Keeping track of the things I did wrong, deciding whether I merited Heaven or Hell when I die. But later, it seemed as though life was rather like a bike ride; It was like a trainee bike, and God is in the back, helping me pedal. I don t know when it was that He suggested we change places, But life has not been the same since. When I was in control, I knew the way. It was rather boring and predictable; I took the shortest route to travel between two points. But when God took the front seat, He knew delightful paths; Up mountains, and through green gullies, through rocky places, And all at break-neck speeds! All I could do was to hang on. Even though it looked like madness, he said Pedal! I was worried and asked, Where are you taking me? He laughed and didn t answer me, and I started to learn to trust. I forgot my boring life and entered into an adventure. When I said, I m scared! He s lean back and touch my hand. He took me to people who had gifts that I needed, gifts of healing, Acceptance and joy. They gave me their gifts to take on my Journey our journey. And we were off again. He said, Give the gifts away. They are extra baggage, too much weight. So I did to the people we met, and I found That in giving I received, and still our burden was light. I didn t trust him at first in control of my life. I thought He would wreck it. But he knows bike secrets. He knows how to balance, take sharp corners, how to avoid rocks. And I am learning to shut up and to pedal to the strangest places. I m learning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face, And when I m sure I can t do any more, He smiles and says, Pedal! Anonymous 7 GOOD NEWS

8 HOW TO Evaluate Prosperity Teaching? Forms of prosperity teaching have spread very widely in Charismatic and Pentecostal circles. The common element in all prosperity teaching is that God is a God of blessings, and that obedient faith will lead to a life of increasing blessing in all spheres, including finances and possessions. As Catholics we often feel uneasy with this teaching and are aware that it seems far removed from the message of Pope Frances who desires a church of the poor for the poor. Some may be confused that Pope Francis sent a video message to a conference organised by Kenneth Copeland, a leading prosperity teacher. The Pope s example is instructive. He rejoiced because these Christians love the Lord Jesus, and desire to praise him. His message did not endorse a particular teaching. It was an example of openness and love for all others who confess the name of Jesus. The biblical passages appealed to by prosperity teachers are mostly from the Old Testament. Through the Law of Moses God sought to make Israel a holy people (Lev 19:2). Part of this schooling was to learn that obedience leads to blessings, and disobedience leads to all kinds of disasters (see for example Deut 28). So this teaching is not without some biblical foundation. However, the Israelites experienced that the wicked can flourish and that the just can suffer, often at the hands of the wicked. This experience leads to ardent prayer and heart searching before the Lord, as we see in Psalm 73 and in the book of Job. Gradually there emerges the idea that the suffering of the righteous is important for the deliverance of the people. This finds its deepest expression in the fourth servant song that we hear in the liturgy of Good Friday, (Is 52:12 53:12). But the full revelation concerning the suffering of the righteous awaits the coming of the Messiah Jesus, and in particular his death and resurrection. The Gospels bring a message that is new: If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it (Matt 16: 24-25). Here the Christian is invited to follow the self-sacrificial life of our Lord and Saviour. When the messages about God s desire to bless everyone make no reference to the cross and to the words of Jesus concerning self-renunciation, then something essential is lacking and the message is distorted. This remains true, even when preachers say that Jesus took all his sufferings upon himself so that we can simply enjoy blessing that is without suffering. We are saved by the passion of Jesus, and not by our own sufferings. But as we suffer because we follow Jesus, our sufferings are deeply purifying and contribute to filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of his Body. (Col 1:24). In some ways, the prosperity teaching is a reaction against a distorted presentation of Christian faith in which suffering seems to be exalted for its own sake, and the oppressed and afflicted never hear the good news of deliverance and freedom. Our duty to the suffering is to show them the love of Jesus and to present them his life and teaching. We do not bring hope by saying that their suffering is bearing great fruit, especially when they do not have a living knowledge of Christ. The prosperity teaching emphasizes how blessing will follow generous giving. Texts like 2 Cor 9:6 are often cited. There is a seed faith teaching that if you sow with money donations, you will receive back a hundred or a thousand fold in material blessing. It is true that there is a moral obligation on Christians to support the mission and ministry of the Church. In the Old Testament the Israelites were obliged to set aside ten per cent of their produce for the Levitical priesthood (Lev 27: 30 33). Paul tells the Corinthians to lay something aside on the first day of each week (1 Cor 16:2). The Church today does not teach an obligation to give ten per cent; the Catechism says that the precept you shall help to provide for the needs of the Church means that the faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability. (para 2043). The Church leaves us free to decide how to support the work of God; how much to give to our parish, how much to a community or church group, how much to charitable work. What can Catholics learn from prosperity teaching? As Christians we must learn to submit the realm of money, finances, property and possessions to the Lordship of Jesus. Priests should teach about this as part of living under the authority of Jesus, rather than simply making appeals for funds. If we submit all areas of our lives to the Lord, the funds will be there. ICCRS receives many questions about the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and we do our best to answer them with the help of the Doctrinal commission. Its members kindly take time to check their references and credit their sources. Reprinted from ICCRS Training Newsletter. Used with permission. Church Unite How good and pleasant it is when God s people live together in unity for there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore. (Psalm 133:1-3). Christians across Melbourne are not joined together by doctrine, by theology or style of meeting. Nor is it by denomination, profile or programs. We are joined together because of our love for Jesus and His immense and overwhelming love for us. We look forward to joining with you in this defining moment in the spiritual history of our magnificent city and its people. Church Unite invites Christians across Melbourne to gather for one night of worship and prayer. Sunday 19 October, Melbourne Convention Centre, 1 Convention Place, South Wharf. 5.00PM - This worship service will be family friendly including children s ministry. The service will also include amazing praise and worship, creative elements and prayer. Doors open: 4pm. Doors close: 4.55pm Service: 5pm Cost: General Admission $15 / Pensioner & Full Time Student $12 / Child $8. Early bird prices apply if registering prior to 1 August. 8.00PM - This service will incorporate vibrant worship, creative elements and prayer. Children s ministry will not be available. Doors open: 7.30pm. Doors close: 7.55pm Service: 8pm Cost: General Admission $15 / Pensioner & Full Time Student $12 / Child $8. Early bird prices apply if registering prior to 1 August. To Register: 8 GOOD NEWS

9 A Historic Event for Charismatic Renewal By BAN WEE Miriam Markis, Tony Grieve and Ban Wee, three coordinators from Melbourne, felt very privileged to represent Melbourne at the XXXVII Convocation of the Renewal with Pope Francis in Rome from 1 to 2 June The difficulties we encountered in getting the arrangements finalised raised our expectations that something exceptional would be happening in Rome. We were actually getting excited when the day of departure arrived. The flight was delayed and we arrived in Rome about an hour late. Thank goodness for mobile phones, we were met by a friend from the Renewal just when we exited the customs area. We checked into the Vintage Hotel at Anagnina early Friday morning after a quick coffee at the airport (Italian style.) As we were not sleepy we decided to go to the ICCRS office by bus and train to collect our tickets. Fortunately we met Michelle Moran at the gates and she showed us the way to the office. We met the other ICCRS staff including the Director, Oreste Pesare. Finally the big day arrived and our small contingent of guests consisting of people from Canada, England, Scotland, Spain, Brazil, etc. were eager to get going. We happily recited the Rosary, interspersed with praying in tongues (Tony s idea) on the shuttle bus and before we knew it we had arrived, albeit at a distance from the entrance which made it difficult for a couple of our participants due to age and infirmity. A hiccup with their tickets, after what seemed an interminable time, was sorted out and we made our way into an already packed stadium looking for a place to sit. The Convocation themes were Repent! Believe! Receive the Holy Spirit (cf Acts 2:38-40) and Going out in mission as one Church (Pope Francis). There was a sea of excited people and we were told there were 52,000 people there of which 2,000 were from overseas. Large video screens enabled us to see what was happening on the stage and the sound system was very clear. There was an excellent orchestra and a flash mob in colourful clothes dancing and singing away in the sports ground at the appropriate times. We were given clapper banners with Vatican colours to participate with the flash mob. The choreography was very impressive and everyone was waving, singing and clapping with great joy. The first talk was by Cardinal Angelo Comastri whose theme was Repent! He spoke engagingly about the story of the Prodigal Son and the need for a powerful, deeper and ongoing conversion in our lives if we were to be witnesses in the world. Miriam had to translate this talk and others to Tony and Ban as the FM radio reception was bad where we sat. Then Patti Gallagher Mansfield, a leader of the movement in the U.S. also dubbed as mother of the Renewal, led a prayer, for priests, young people, and the family. She said, "The Devil smiles when we make our plans and laughs when we become too busy, but the Devil trembles when we pray, especially when we pray together." This was followed by Preacher to the Papal Household, Franciscan Father Raniero Cantalamessa who was given the topic Believe! He spoke of the need for constant conversion of hearts and the need to grow in holiness and for the resurrection which need to change our hearts daily. He referred to Romans 10:9 and said we cannot rely on just the resurrection of the body but must change now. Cardinal Rylko celebrated Mass and said that the Renewal was one of the great signs of hope for the church. We were astonished at just how quickly the priests (over 1,000 of them present) distributed Holy Communion, within 17 minutes. The highlight of that Sunday evening was the arrival of Pope Francis who was greeted with great joy. As he was walking around the stadium to the stage, the 52,000 strong crowd sang the song Hosanna and used their clap banners. When he was on the stage he joined the crowd in singing his favourite song, Vive Jesus el Señor. Then he addressed representatives of 4 groups before he spoke to all of us. (See his address in a separate article.) In an extraordinary act of humility, the Pope knelt down beside his chair, no kneeler, and asked us to pray for him. Many were moved to tears by this. The whole stadium erupted with sustained praise mostly in tongues and this continued for two or three minutes as the pope knelt on the floor beside his chair. Next day, Ralph Martin from the Renewal Ministries in the US spoke about Receive the Holy Spirit. He said this was our second chance to humble ourselves like Pope Francis to ask God for more of the Holy Spirit (to fight against evil in the world.) Then he said a prayer of an Act of Entrustment to Mary our Mother to help, guide and support us along the journey. Gilberto Gomes Barbosa, newest member of ICCRS council, spoke about The Holy Spirit is Communion and Unity. He saw the need for stronger unity and communion in CCR. Then he asked Michelle Moran and Salvatore Martinez to stand with him to wash each others hands as a sign of repentance and a commitment to move forward in unity as the Pope has urged them to do yesterday. Next was Michelle Moran s talk entitled The Holy Spirit is the power of the Charisms. She spoke about the three ICCRS themes for the journey to the Jubilee; fire starters, fanning the flame and spreading the fire. The final speech was by Salvatore Martinez on the theme With Pope Francis, the Renewal goes out in mission. He mentioned that there is unity in the Renewal despite its diversity. Cardinal Agostino Vallini, the Pope's Vicar for the Rome Diocese, was the main celebrant for the mass in the afternoon. Towards the end of the Convocation, Sr Briege McKenna led the intercessory prayers for the healing of the suffering in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. We left Rome feeling happy that we witnessed a historic event: the unity, the first time a Pope spoke to the Renewal in a stadium, the powerful prayer for outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Church. We just want to shout out to others, The Renewal is not dead, it is fully alive!" 9 GOOD NEWS

10 We Were All Made to drink of one spirit By Fr Raniero Cantalamessa OFM Cap The principal instrument by which the renewal in the Spirit "changes people's lives" is the Baptism in the Spirit. This is a rite that occurs with gestures of great simplicity, in peace and joy, accompanied by an attitude of humility, repentance and openness to being children to enter the kingdom. It is a kind of epiclesis that is, an invocation of the Spirit upon a member of the Body of Christ. People prepare themselves for this by, in addition to making a good confession, availing themselves of teachings that put them in vital and joyful contact with the principal truths and realities of the faith: love of God, sin, salvation, new life, transformation in Christ, the charisms and the fruits of the Spirit. But is it right to expect that everything will happen through this experience? Is this the only possible way to experience the grace of Pentecost? If by the baptism in the Spirit we mean a certain ceremony, done in a certain way in a certain context, we have to say no; it is not the only way to have a strong experience of the Spirit. Nevertheless, this baptism in the Spirit has come forth in a simple and powerful way to renew the lives of millions of believers in almost all of the Christian churches. We should think very carefully, then, before saying that this is not for us or before automatically dismissing it if the Lord offers us an opportunity to receive it. I was on the verge of doing this myself, so I want to share my personal experience even it costs me a great deal. It may be that my difficulties are like those of many other priests and theologians and therefore could help someone else not to succumb to the same danger. It would seem to me a lack of gratitude to God if I were silent about this whole experience, which has changed the course of my life. I have even thought that Providence might have placed me in my particular role precisely so that I could humbly testify to the heart of the Church about the rumblings of Pentecost, which in various forms are going through the body of Christ and which constitute a great sign of hope in the midst of all the trials that the Church must still go through in our day. The first difficulty I had was this: I said to myself, "But I have Saint Francis as a father; I have inherited a wonderful spirituality, so many saints... What else, what new thing do I need to look for? What can these brothers give me?" I was thinking these things during a prayer meeting when, at the back of the room, a sister opened the Bible and began to read. John the Baptist was saying to the Pharisees, "Do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'" (Matt 3:9) I understood that those words were directed to me. (This is a way the Spirit can speak, work and convict of sin.) Another objection I had: "But I am a priest, ordained by a bishop; I have received the Holy Spirit. What else should I still receive, and from laypeople, no less?" This time the answer came to me from my own theology. I imagined what Jesus would have answered: "And I, then? Wasn't I sanctified by the Father and sent into the world? Wasn't I full of the Spirit from the moment of my conception in Mary, my mother? And yet I went to the Jordan to be baptised by John the Baptist, who was just a layman!" This is what led me to receive prayer for "a new outpouring of the Spirit." I received it as a conscious renewal of my baptism, as a definitive, first-person affirmation of the "Yes!" and "I believe!" that others had said in my stead at the moment of baptism. It was like surrendering the reins of my life to Christ. When they invited me to reaffirm Jesus as the Lord of my life, I raised my eyes and saw a crucifix that was above the altar in the chapel. It was as though He were looking at me to make me understand a great truth: "This is the Jesus you choose as Lord, not a soft Jesus, a perfumed Jesus." This was enough to make me understand that this flow of grace that is called the charismatic renewal is totally different from superficial emotionalism. It goes right to the heart of the gospel and the kerygma, which is the cross of Christ. I conclude with the exhortation from Saint Ambrose as quoted by Paul VI. This hymn is from the liturgy of the hours and is, therefore, an invitation extended to the whole Church and not just to a few initiates: "Let us drink the sober intoxication of the Spirit with joy!" Extract taken from Sober Intoxication of the Spirit: Filled with the fullness of God, Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap, 2005 Servant Books, Cincinnati. Pope Francis says: In the early times it was said that you Charismatics always carried the Bible with you, the New Testament Do you still do it today? [the crowd]: Yes?! I m not so sure. If not, return to this first love; always carry in your pocket, in your bag the Word of God! And read a little piece - always with the Word of God. (Olympic Stadium Rome 1 June 2014) You are dispensers of the grace of God, not controllers! Don t be a customs office to the Holy Spirit. (Rome Olympic Stadium 1 June 2014) What can we do to not kill the Word of God, to be docile, to not cage the Holy Spirit? Two simple things: This is the attitude of those who will to hear the Word of God: first, humility; second, prayer. Vatican Radio 21st March 2014 Being Christian is not about obeying orders. It s about letting Christ take possession of our life, to change it, transform it and set us free. (St Peter s Square 10th April 2013) 10 GOOD NEWS

11 A WORD... FROM MIRIAM By MIRIAM MARKIS Illness can sometimes have an anaesthetising effect on our emotions. Or so I found when I was sick recently. It was almost like being in a surreal state. I found it difficult to pray spontaneously or in tongues, but clung desperately to more formal prayers like the Rosary or the Divine Mercy. Perhaps that is because of their repetitive nature. I didn t have to think too hard. It was easier to immerse myself in these prayers and it was as if, for a short time, I was able to forget about my own sickness and just concentrate on the various decades being recited as I drifted in and out of sleep and consciousness. St Paul tell us in 1 Thes 5:17 Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. It was hard to rejoice and it was hard to believe that this is God s will for me. Yet somehow I realised, more fully, how important intercessory prayer is. It was a blessed time to spend in prayer for many different situations that the Lord was bringing to mind from the world s affairs to very personal needs. I m sure you would all agree that there is much need in the world today for intercessory prayer and St Paul also tells us when he speaks about the thorn in his side in 2 Cor 12:10, "... My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. Well, as the week wore on I was certainly still weak but felt many a time the power of prayer was moving mountains. Mark 11:23 says "Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. I sensed that this is what the Lord wanted of me at this time, Intercession, so I grew increasingly peaceful and accepting of my situation. It certainly was a far cry from the recent 37th Convocation of the RnS together with ICCRS and the Catholic Fraternities, which I attended in Rome last June during which there was also time made for specific intercession. I remember in particular Patti Mansfield Gallagher recounting a story of a deacon who prayed in tongues for three minutes for a woman who needed to forgive her husband and then again for three minutes for her woman s husband and the marriage was restored and both asked what they should do next and were exhorted to give their lives to the Lord. There is power in prayer. Sometimes we have the grace to see the fruits and sometimes we won t see the results immediately but we are called to persevere. St Augustine says - 'If God seems slow in responding, it is because He is preparing a better gift. He will not deny us. God withholds what you are not yet ready for. He wants you to have a lively desire for His greatest gifts. All of which is to say, pray always and do not lose heart.' Let s not lose heart, whatever our circumstances, and trust that we have a sure promise from God that he hears our prayers and will answer. So let s, in a world full of upheaval, do as St Paul says, pray unceasingly! A Good and Faithful Servant By MIRIAM MARKIS I first met John Calvi about 15 years ago at Our Lady Help of Christians parish in East Brunswick. John had recently had a life changing experience of God which saw him turn back to the practice of the faith. Although it was not an easy journey spiritually, he embraced the walk with God with true sincerity of heart and unbridled enthusiasm. John eventually became the Caretaker of all the maintenance works of the parish which he and his wife Giovanna, who is a core group member of the Emmaus Prayer Group, had adopted. The evidence of his masterly works can be seen everywhere around OLHC and also around the site of the former St Joseph s Samaritan Boys Secondary College which is bounded by Holden Street and Barkly Street, North Fitzroy. When it came time for CCR to move from St Augustine s in Bourke Street, Melbourne, John with particular enthusiasm and helpfulness undertook to oversee the works needed to transform the dilapidated hall situated at 101 Holden Street, North Fitzroy, into the current comfortable offices. No work was too great for him but I must confess I didn t quite have the enthusiasm that he did. He was the most excellent site manager and he rejoiced when things worked out and did all for the greater glory of God. I remember John as a man of few words but an exceptionally generous and hospitable man who opened his home and his heart to all comers. One of his greatest joys was to construct a grotto in his backyard to our Lady of Lourdes which is now home to an ever expanding Rosary Prayer Group. He loved Our Lady so much. He and Giovanna have a reputation of being exceptional hosts and I was fortunate enough to have been a recipient of their hospitality on many occasions. John turned 70 years of age in February this year and also celebrated 50 years of married life. It was a joyous occasion shared between family and a few friends. Noone present would have foreseen that he would die shortly afterwards. During his short illness John never complained and was often heard to say Thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus when some small act of kindness or attention was shown him in hospital. John passed away only 2 days after being told there was nothing the doctors could do for him. He breathed his last breath with his daughter and wife by his side and whilst his wife Giovanna held a Crucifix to his lips. He had surrendered all to Jesus. His life had been radically transformed by his experience of the love of Jesus for him. I will miss his burly presence. Most especially the times he would often wait for me after Mass and would always have a peppermint lolly to give to me. I told him he was like Father Christmas always giving. He would laugh and say that it was always better to give. On behalf of CCR I would like to publicly acknowledge the help and assistance and generosity of spirit of a man who worked behind the scenes and did it all for the love of Jesus. RIP John. 11 GOOD NEWS