INSPIRED WORD June 18, 2014 Pope Francis Speaks to the Renewal in the Spirit Conference in Rome At a momentous occasion for Charismatic Renewal and for the Church Pope Francis attended and spoke the Renewal in the Spirit (Charismatic Renewal). His words were not just for the Italian Renewal, but for all peoples, everywhere! Please take the time to read and reflect upon his words to us. This article and information are taken from Catholic Online. ROME, Italy (Catholic Online) - On Sunday, June 1, 2014, Pope Francis spoke to almost 53,000 people gathered in the Olympic Stadium in Rome for the 37th National Convention for the Renewal in the Spirit conference. As he did on the evening when he was announced to the world as the successor of Peter, the Holy Father asked the faithful to pray over him. He fell to his knees in humility. Over 50,000 people, mostly lay faithful, prayed for the Holy Spirit to continue to guide Francis in his service of love to the Church. Participants in the Charismatic Renewal are in love with the Lord Jesus Christ and His Church. They not only speak of Jesus as someone who lived over two thousand years ago, they speak of Jesus as someone who is alive today - because He is! They affirm that the same charisms, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which empowered the early Church, are still available to every believer. As we approach Pentecost Sunday in our Liturgical calendar, the message of Pope Francis to the Renewal in the Spirit conference contains important insights for every one of us. On that first Pentecost the early followers of Jesus gathered as their Lord commanded them, expecting the fulfillment of the promise he had made. We refer to Pentecost as the "birthday" of the missionary church. Their encounter with the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room changed them. They were filled with the same Spirit which raised Jesus from the dead. The Holy Spirit capacitated them to carry forward in time the ongoing mission of Jesus Christ until he returns to complete the work of redemption. They received the power and gifts that had been promised. Every year, this celebration of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost is an invitation to us to have the same encounter. It is the Holy Spirit which makes it possible for us to live lives of sacrificial love, holiness and service in a world that God still loves - a world into which He still sends His Son, through the Body of Christ, the Church - of which we are all members. We are commissioned to carry forward the very same mission of those first disciples who gathered with Mary the Mother of the Lord. Jesus promised his followers, "Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father." (John 14:12)
Participants in what is called the charismatic renewal are often enthusiastic in prayer and praise. They understand that the missionary mandate of the Church is the responsibility of every Catholic, no matter what their state in life or vocation. No wonder they are viewed by this Pope as a great resource for the Church in its internal work of New Evangelization, as well as her global mission. They are! Pope Francis is a friend and supporter of all of the ecclesial movements in the Catholic Church. So were his predecessors, Saint John Paul II and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. One of those movements is the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. He sees them, as he said in this inspiring address, as a current of grace in the Church and for the Church. A Current of Grace: Address of Pope Francis to the Charismatic Renewal Conference in Rome (bolding was added for emphasis) 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. 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? 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 2017. 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! IMAGE As we were singing that last song, I kept hearing the words: gates of grace. I also had an image of people on a parade float and they were waltzing and dancing, and the huge doors to God s Throne room opened up. IMAGE As we were singing one of the earlier songs Dancing with you as you sing over me.., I had an image of a bride and groom as they were dancing at their wedding reception.
CONFIRMATION In confirmation to the first image, I have been sitting here and praying that God would open up the gates of heaven and pour His grace down upon all of us. SCRIPTURE Revelation 15: 2 4: And I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name. They held harps given to them by God and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: Great and marvelous are Your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are Your ways, King of the ages. Who will not fear You, O Lord, and bring glory to Your name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed. PRAYER And the need of that grace will cause consternation; the consternation that leads to salvation, because of the proclamation that Jesus Christ is Lord! Consternation that leads to salvation because of the proclamation that Jesus Christ is Lord!! Glory to You, Lord Jesus! We praise Your holy Name; God of power and might, of majesty, of love and mercy. Jesus!! SCRIPTURE / PRAYER Ephesians 4: 1 7: I, then, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ s gift. Father, we thank You for instructing us this evening and releasing us to worship before You, to worship You in dance and song. We praise and exalt and magnify Your holy Name, for You alone are worthy. You are worthy of honor; worthy of glory and worthy of all praise! There is no other name given under heaven by which man must be saved, but the name of Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the living God! Hallelujah to the holy Risen Lamb! SCRIPTURE John 1: 1-5: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. SCRIPTURE Zephaniah 3: 17: The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save, He will take delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. PROPHECY / EXHORTATION / PRAYER Jesus Christ is the Light of the world. Jesus doesn t pass over us; He takes our hand and walks with us. I think that He is here with us right now, and He is saying to you, My grace is enough for you, but I want to give you more. So I encourage all of us to open our hearts, our minds and our arms to Him right now. Let go of any inhibitions that we have, any doubts that we have, and say to Him, Lord, without You I can do nothing, but with You I can open myself to You. So here I am, Lord, have Your way with me right now; do with me as You desire. I
desire, Lord God to accept everything that You want to give me! Help me to overcome the doubts, the fears and whatever else that is in me, Lord that I need to overcome. I want to be Your reflection in the light of the world to everyone whom I meet. Come, Holy Spirit, come!! IMAGE / SCRIPTURE I had an image of a mirror. Then I have this Scripture from 2 Corinthians 3: 17 18: Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And, we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with everincreasing glory, which comes from the Lord, Who is the Spirit. SHARING / PROPHECY As we sang those words spontaneously, and even if you just did it in your heart, and not with your voice, the thought that came to me was that image of the door that was opened. And there on the Throne is Jesus, the Lord. As He sang, Yes, you are beautiful, wonderful.., with every word He pointed to our mouths. We join the songs of heaven, the songs of the angels and saints, who are gathered around the Throne, singing praise forever and always to the Lamb Who was upon the Throne, to Jesus Who has opened the gates of heaven to us. As we sang that song, the image became even clearer that those gates were opened wide, and the sounds of the songs of God flowed like a river of life. The river spoken about in Scripture is a river of grace, of love, and mercy it was just flowing out into this place; flowing not just down the aisle, but flowing all throughout this place. Through this river of grace, love, and mercy, it struck me how the Renewal is a current of grace. And the Lord says, As you step into that river of grace, of love, and of mercy, you will be filled with that refreshing water; you will become part of that current of grace, love and mercy. Do not fear where I may send you, but go, for I go with you. I am filling you with My grace, My mercy, and My love, step in with trust; sing the songs of the angels and saints. Know that I am with you!! PROPHECY / EXHORTATION My beloved ones, tonight I have come to be with you. I have heard you praise Me and I have enjoyed it. I rejoice not just because of your songs, but because of your faithfulness. Because you are My love, I bring to you a Rose to give to you as sweet smelling grace, and because of that love I come to touch you in a special way. I come to touch each of you with that river of grace, and I ask you to step out to step out in trust, step out in courage, step out in boldness - into that river of grace, and you will feel My peace, My comfort, and My love. Step away from the bank, step away from the bank and go out into the middle of the river, into the river of life flowing with My Spirit. Step out into the middle of the current, and abandon yourselves. Abandon yourselves to Me, your God, in the middle of the river of life. I send you out to My people who are in need of My touch. Because I have given you abundant grace, you have plenty of grace to reach out and help everyone to go out into the middle of the river.