“I Will Pour Out My Spirit”

1. “I Will Pour Out My Spirit”

2. “I Will Pour Out My Spirit” • Monday: “What does the Holy Spirit have for us?” • Tuesday: “Common Questions” • Wednesday: “Where do we go from here as a parish?”

3. St. Mary Parish Vision Statement “Saint Mary Parish is a passionately Catholic, Spirit-filled, loving family. Her members are sacramental, evangelical, prayerful, merciful disciples who invites everyone to a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ.”

4. Who invented the expression “baptism in the Holy spirit”? • Charismatic Renewal? • Pentecostal Movement? • No!!! It comes from Jesus Himself. • Acts 1:5 • In Acts 1:5, just before His ascension He said, “You heard from me that John baptized with water, but before days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” • Baptized in the Spirit indicates Pentecost • 10 Days later Pentecost happened

5. Is the baptism in the spirit for everyone? • Acts 2:1-4 says, “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” • Essence: they were ALL filled with the Holy Spirit.

6. Remember what pope benedict xvi said? • “Today I would like to extend this invitation to everyone: Let us rediscover, dear brothers and sisters, the beauty of being baptized in the Holy Spirit; let us be aware again of our baptism and of our confirmation, sources of grace that are always present. Let us ask the Virgin Mary to obtain a renewed Pentecost for the Church again today, a Pentecost that will spread in everyone the joy of living and witnessing to the Gospel.” (May, 2008)

7. is the baptism in the spirit and charisms only for the saints? • Hagiography = science that studies the life of the saints • Charisms were linked to the saints, and so they exercised them, like St. Francis. • But now the Church has rediscovered that all baptized Christians should be operating in the life of the Holy Spirit and charisms, not just the saints. • But life in the Spirit is not about the charisms, rather it is about personal holiness and prayer. There is no tension in the Catholic vision. • The healthy tension between the “holiness” or sanctifying actions of the Spirit and the “visible manifestation” or charismatic action of the Spirit must be kept together. • The charismatic and the institutional dimension of the Church must be kept together.

8. What is the holy spirit? • He is the Love flowing between the Father and the Son in the Holy Trinity. • He is so powerful that He constitutes a Person, a subsistant relation. • They were ALL filled with the Holy Spirit = They were filled with the Love of God. • They are completely changed into different persons • Hearts of stone replaced with hearts of flesh • Romans 5:5, “The Love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.” This is Pentecost.

9. What difference does baptism in the spirit make? • When the Apostles were filled with the love of God, they were also filled at the same moment with love for one another. • BEFORE Pentecost • Each apostle was concerned about affirm himself, being the most important. Always about speaking in the first person “I.” • AFTER Pentecost • They no longer speak with the singular subject, but with “We.” • The Holy Spirit opened their hearts to love for one another. • We see this in the lives of those today who have been baptized in the Holy Spirit. It is as though the God of the Universe fills them, and one becomes unsure if they can contain such Love.

10. What does baptism in the spirit produce in our lives? • Baptism in the Spirit produces a personal rediscovery of the Lordship of Jesus. • It is one of the most important contributions to the Church of the current renewal taking place. Jesus is no longer a personage, but a person! • The most beautiful songs are those about the Lordship of Jesus, “He is Lord!” Songs that sing about God are very different from songs that praise Him as Lord. These are the most inspiring songs. • This title “Lord” is so powerful that if you say with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that He is raised you are saved (Rom. 10:9). • This title was lost over time, forgotten, but is now being rediscovered by those who experience the baptism in the Spirit. Living Person vs. list of doctrines. • Lord is more than just a statement, but it is a name for the one who is surrendered to Him. The Lordship of Jesus is a new world. When you say “Jesus is Lord” in the Spirit you are proclaiming the truth and making a decision.

11. What happens to us when we cannot contain his love? • The inward experience of the Holy Spirit always involves the whole being of the person, body and soul. • When one is filled with the torrent of Love, this is what sometimes happens: • For some, it moves them immediately to tears • For others, holy laughs • For others, an awareness that grows over time. • For others, the feeling of being unloved disappears • For the first time many feel loved by God. • For others, they experience their identity as a son or daughter of God • For others, raising of hands, clapping of hands, raising of eyes up to heaven • Smiling • I used to find these things unusual

12. How do I respond to those who call this human enthusiasm? • There are different kinds of enthusiasms • GOOD • The sober intoxication of the Spirit • This describes the condition of the Blessed Mother and the Apostles on Pentecost • They were accused of being drunk on new wine • Cyril of Jerusalem, “They are not drunk in the way you imagine, but they are drunk on the sober intoxication that causes sins to die and hearts to live.” • Pentecost is the moment hearts of stone are shattered, replaced with flesh. • Pentecost was not static, but is was also not without good enthusiasm created by rooted in the truth of the reality being received, Divine Love.

13. I have studied the faith, what does this experience of the holy spirit do for me? • Pentecost helps the Church overcome the gap between theological knowledge and experience of the revealed truths we teach. • Experiences of grace in this life give us a sense of freedom and open us to a deeper life in the Lord • Nothing prevents us from calling a particular experience “baptism in the Holy Spirit.”

14. Why do people baptized in the spirit appear naively optimistic? • The Holy Spirit writes the law, but no longer on tablets of stone. • The Spirit writes the Laws of God on the tablets of flesh – our hearts! • This means He is the new interior law of Christians, the Law of the Spirit. • Romans 8:1-2, “For there is not condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit which gives life in Christ Jesus has set you free form the law of sin and death.” • Repetite!! “There is no condemnation!” • “For those in Christ Jesus.” • “For the law of the Spirit which gives life in Christ Jesus has set you free!” • “From the law of sin and death.”

15. What is different now in how we transmit this essential aspect of the faith? • There are two ways to get people to act a certain way: • First, push people by establishing a goal and threaten a punishment. • This is how the faith for many (most?) was transmitted growing up over the past 50 years and beyond. • Second, by attracting people by inviting a reaction out of love. • You have received His love and espoused the Love of God and so you want to obey Him. • Show children a flashy new iPhone with the best games on it, like Fortnite, and they will run to it. Who is pushing him? No one! He is attracted by the object of his desire! • Now show to a person who is thirsting for life, love and hope – and this person will be attracted, not pushed, by the object of his desire! THEN, this person will receive power to observe the law, the precepts of the Catholic Faith become part of a love relationship. It’s the opposite of a Pharisee’s life.

16. What must I do? • Christianity does not start with what I must do. • Christianity starts with what God has done to save us! • I do penance, charity stuff, and so God must answer. • This is the temptation of Adam, to be creditors of God, not debtors of God. • I have done, therefore, I deserve recompense. • No, being comes before doing.

17. What is this gift of tongues? • It is often talked about in the Scriptures. • It is not more important than others • It is one in the Scriptures that requires regulation and guidance but also encouragement. • Tongues is for the proclaiming of the Good News and for personal prayer and petition. • It is the speaking in other languages (glossolalia) the praises of God. • “I should like you all to speak in tongues” (1 Cor 14:5). • “I thank God that I speak in tongues more than you all do” (1 Cor 14:18)

18. Can we pray in the spirit and worship with protestants? • The deep barrier of religious differences was broken by the Holy Spirit during worship. • The conversion of Cornelius broke this barrier • Cornelius was a Gentile, and it took a big move of the Holy Spirit to convince Peter of this, that Christianity is also for Gentiles, not just for Jews. • Notice: God sent the Spirit to Cornelius in the same way He sent the Spirit on Pentecost. Who am I to prevent him from coming into the Church? He is speaking in tongues and prophesying. Today, we must say those who worship God in this way are worth being with, just like God called Peter to be with Cornelius, and then only after being with Cornelius did Peter receive him into the Church. We must be with each other before this move toward final unity takes place!

19. Why do some act drunk? • The first Pope defends his behavior and the behavior of the bishops and lay people in the Upper Room on the day of Pentecost: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day; 16 but this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.”

20. What is the connection between baptism in the spirit and the sacrament of baptism? • Baptism in the Spirit is understood in its connection to Pentecost • Baptism in the Spirit is also understood in its connection to the Sacrament of Baptism. • It is a renewal of water baptism • It is a renewal of Christian Initiation. • Sacramental Baptism = foundation and beginning • Baptism is a sacrament that is received but in order for it reach its full potential any and all obstacles need to be removed. • The Sacrament can be locked up by mortal sin and other factors. We do not repeat baptism, but the sacrament needs to be revived. • A free, joyful, full acceptance of Jesus as Lord is one of the elements that removes the lack of faith which unleashes the full power of Baptism.

21. Isn’t the reception of the sacraments enough? • Let us listen to Lumen Gentium 12, “It is not only through the sacraments and the ministries of the Church that the Holy Spirit sanctifies and leads the people of God and enriches it with virtues, but, "allotting his gifts to everyone according as He wills,(114) He distributes special graces among the faithful of every rank. By these gifts He makes them fit and ready to undertake the various tasks and offices which contribute toward the renewal and building up of the Church, according to the words of the Apostle: "The manifestation of the Spirit is given to everyone for profit".(115)” • This speaks to the need for a renewal in the Spirit in the Church, our Diocese, and our parish.

22. Isn’t the reception of the sacraments enough? • Why are there people who receive the sacraments but are not living a dynamic Catholic life? • St. Thomas Aquinas asked “How is it possible that someone received the sacraments and not live a dynamic life of faith?” • Lack faith • Lack knowledge of the faith • Locked in sin • Trapped in fear • Etc He says that what the individual has experienced is valid sacraments, but the grace of the sacraments is dormant and needs to be awakened. The Christian needs a second sending, a resending. This is what we mean by Baptism of the Spirit.

23. When/how often can we receive a new Pentecost? • Regularly!!! • “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13)

24. What is at the center of this baptism in the spirit? • A Person • Notice: when Peter gave his first sermons he said Jesus Christ, you killed Him, God raised Him from the dead. • Christianity is about a person, not a doctrine, or idea. • Jesus of Nazareth. • The Holy Spirit wants to reveal Jesus to people in Pentecost, and renew our understanding of Jesus. • They lived with Him for 3 years, but now they have a fuller understanding, and a new love for Jesus is given them. • Peter now has agape love for Jesus!!!!!!

25. Why haven’t we heard about this before? • I was baptized as a baby, why haven't I heard about this baptism in the Spirit? • The popes are challenging this! Let’s rediscover it! • Conferences, places that study the Church’s teaching, books, etc. But why not my parish community? • It’s not shared until it is rediscovered. • Because we have been with people who have been doing the work of Jesus without the power of Jesus, and it has been a cycle. • Priests and those teaching catechism have not been giving or preaching what they themselves have not received.

26. How does baptism in the spirit affect Christian community? • The coming of the Spirit leads to Jesus, Jesus leads us to baptism, and baptism leads to the Church. • Tomorrow we will explore how the Holy Spirit is leading parishes into renewal and deeper community, and specifically how He is doing this at St. Mary and where we go form here. • See you tomorrow!!!