Pondering on the Blog Posting as we are asking for the Holy Spirit’s
first of the fruits of love and joy.
You remember well us, the Atlas Martyrs' anniversary, always fresh in our Spring time.
The recent issue of the "Sacred Heart Messenger" (May 2010) features an article on the Brothers, and Fr. Christian with a new picture.
Happy Ascension Thursday.
Donald
----- Forwarded Message ----
From: William J ...
To: Donald ...
Sent: Tue, 11 May, 2010 16:59:41
Subject: Re: [Blog] the Holy Spirit
Dear Donald,
The copy of your Blog posting arrived late last evening and I have been pondering it. Our life has to become an invocation of the Holy Spirit if evangelization is to proceed, "allow[ing] [ourselves] to be possessed and led by Him".
In the book you lent me last summer, Fr. Martin McGee, OSB, “Christian Martyrs for a Muslim People”, he wrote of the “sacrament of encounter”, being much more demanding of the missionary, as the quality of his own life becomes the key to the proclamation of the Gospel. The effectiveness of this sacrament depends on the transparency of Christ’s presence and love in the individual Christian and in his community".
This is evangelization, the very presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. But if the disciples asked Jesus to show them the Father, I have the feeling that out in the world today there are voices that ask Jesus to show them the Holy Spirit. We can 'picture' Jesus, and often do so, either in our meditations on the Gospel scenes or in images, icons in our churches. But with regard to the Holy Spirit we are blind in our imagining, for the Holy Spirit is of the nature of the wind caressing our face, of the love we give, the smile we receive.
To know the Holy Spirit, we have first to interiorize the love of Jesus and learn to 'sense' His spiritual presence. That is why the Holy Spirit is so little known or, dare I say, appreciated, in our world, where all is given over to the 'material' in sight and sound.
To appreciate the ways of the Holy Spirit, particularly in evangelization, we need to maintain an attitude of listening, for we can hardly speak the words given to us by the Holy Spirit unless first we listen. Our life has to become an invocation of the Holy Spirit. "The Holy Spirit ... is He who explains to the faithful the deep meaning of the teaching of Jesus and of His mystery". I look forward very much to seeing your selection of texts over the remaining days leading up to Pentecost!
In the book you lent me last summer, Fr. Martin McGee, OSB, “Christian Martyrs for a Muslim People”, he wrote of the “sacrament of encounter”, being much more demanding of the missionary, as the quality of his own life becomes the key to the proclamation of the Gospel. The effectiveness of this sacrament depends on the transparency of Christ’s presence and love in the individual Christian and in his community".
This is evangelization, the very presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. But if the disciples asked Jesus to show them the Father, I have the feeling that out in the world today there are voices that ask Jesus to show them the Holy Spirit. We can 'picture' Jesus, and often do so, either in our meditations on the Gospel scenes or in images, icons in our churches. But with regard to the Holy Spirit we are blind in our imagining, for the Holy Spirit is of the nature of the wind caressing our face, of the love we give, the smile we receive.
To know the Holy Spirit, we have first to interiorize the love of Jesus and learn to 'sense' His spiritual presence. That is why the Holy Spirit is so little known or, dare I say, appreciated, in our world, where all is given over to the 'material' in sight and sound.
To appreciate the ways of the Holy Spirit, particularly in evangelization, we need to maintain an attitude of listening, for we can hardly speak the words given to us by the Holy Spirit unless first we listen. Our life has to become an invocation of the Holy Spirit. "The Holy Spirit ... is He who explains to the faithful the deep meaning of the teaching of Jesus and of His mystery". I look forward very much to seeing your selection of texts over the remaining days leading up to Pentecost!
I am preparing a 'card' in loving commemoration for the anniversary of the deaths of the Atlas Martyrs using extracts from Fr Martin McGee's book which I took down before I returned the book to you, to send with Seven Red Roses next week, with an advance e-copy to you should you find it to purpose for your Blog.
... In Our Risen Lord,
William
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