Word to the Wise
Thursday, April 23, 2009 - Thursday in the Second Week of Easter
[Acts 5:27-33 and John 3:31-36]We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him. (Acts) For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God. He does not ration his gift of the Spirit. (John)
There is an entire area of theology called "pneumatology." It is the study of the Holy Spirit (pneuma in Greek). It covers, of course, a broad area of Catholic questions, especially in the field of scripture studies (revelation and inspiration) and the study of the Church (ecclesiology) and in "charismatic renewal". The Church celebrates this great gift of God in the feast of Pentecost. During this period after the celebration of Easter, the scriptures feature readings from the Acts of the Apostles where much is made of the role of the Holy Spirit inspiring the early Christian community in its preaching and decision-making! One might profit by going back and reading the Gospel of Luke before reading the Acts of the Apostles since both are by the same author and the role of the Spirit appears prominently in the gospel account and predominantly in the Acts of the Apostles. A daily reflection is not a good forum for intense theological exploration, but I would simply note that Pope John XXIII and his successor, Pope Paul VI, both saw the Second Vatican Council as a profound example of the Holy Spirit working in the Church. (Which makes it all the more puzzling that some reject or try to restrict the achievements of that event!). Our brothers and sisters in the "charismatic renewal movement" testify to the personal relationship that is possible with God through the Holy Spirit. My Dominican brother, Thomas Aquinas, states that the New Law of Christ is "nothing other than the Holy Spirit working in our hearts through faith in Christ." (I-II, Q.106) The Acts of the Apostles and other New Testament writings were not designed for the skeptical "scientific" society in which we live. We are the ones who must testify to the Spirit at work in our hearts and lives. Nothing succeeds in convincing better than good personal example. AMEN
config
view
logs
3840.0 KB
82 ms
4
