| The Evolving Stages of the Charismatic Renewal!
Michelle Moran, the representative for Europe on the ICCRS(International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services) Council, reflects on the recent international leaders consultation in Rome in September, and what she learnt from the questions asked and how in Mary she sees the ultimate role model.
|
|
Part of the 12 days was a leaders' consultation where participants were also encouraged to ask questions. There were 730 delegates from more than 70 countries so as you can appreciate my job of collating their questions was quite a challenge. On the first morning following Charles Whitehead's talk about the call of the Charismatic Renewal I was given around 90 questions in five languages for him to answer. When individuals or communities experience a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit there are always lots of questions As you can imagine this was an almost impossible task. However as I began to sift through the questions it became apparent that they fell into three broad categories. There were many questions about baptism in the Holy Spirit and queries relating to the organisation and structure of prayer groups. Also there were issues about the relationship between Catholic Charismatic Renewal and the Church. It seemed that all these were in a sense "birth" questions. When individuals or communities experience a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit there are always lots of questions. It is as if we need time to process our experience and reflect upon the implications. When I look at the gospel I can see this very clearly in the life of Mary. At the Annunciation when the Angel declares; "Rejoice so highly favoured! The Lord is with you… Mary do not be afraid; you have won God's favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son…" (Luke 1: 28-32) Mary then needs to ask "but how can this come about…" (Luke 1:34) In my own life. I was baptised in the Holy Spirit before I knew what it was. At that time I had very few Christian friends so I was in regular contact with the people who introduced me to the Lord and to the Life in the Spirit. There were many basic questions that I needed to ask to try and make sense of things. Growth and maturity stage After the birth there is the growth and maturity stage. This is perhaps characterised in the life of Mary when we are told that she "treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart". (Luke 2:19) In Rome there were many questions concerned with the growth, development and maturing of Charismatic Renewal. People were seeking guidance about the relationship between charisms and sacraments and the correct use of some of the gifts. There was also a broad selection of questions relating to ecumenical issues. This obviously reflected the cultural diversity of the group. In Northern and Western Europe we have good strong ecumenical relationships in the renewal whereas in parts of Africa, Asia and South America, some Protestant groups are a threat and a hindrance to Catholic Charismatic Renewal. As we become more mature in the Spirit we move from simply needing to be informed to the stage where we are being transformed. Here there are no black and white answers, but through pondering things in our hearts we receive deeper revelation. We must always be open to the action of the Holy Spirit who continually seeks to change our hearts and minds. Acceptance and surrender stage The third category of questions were to do with acceptance and surrender. Charismatic Renewal is the Sovereign work of the Holy Spirit. It is therefore not something that we can manufacture, contain or control. Recognising this we must ask ourselves are we good stewards of all that has been entrusted to us? Inevitably, many of us will look back over our Life in the Spirit and recognise mistakes that we have made, things we have omitted to do and perhaps even opportunities that we have missed. This was reflected in questions such as where are the young people in renewal? Why are there so few mature leaders? How can we keep the fire of the Spirit burning? Here I am reminded of Mary at the foot of the Cross. She had done all that she could and was now faced with deep distress, pain and sorrow and yet out of the shadow of the cross comes the light of the resurrection. It can be good for us to take stock of our stewardship and repent of mistakes. However, we must avoid the temptation to slip into nostalgia and keep recalling the "good old days" in renewal. If we are continually looking back and lamenting we may become blind to the new things that the Lord is doing. We need the grace of surrender that continues to yield to the Holy Spirit as we say with Mary "be it done onto me/us according to your word". (Luke 1:38)
|
