Holy Spirit's work evident in people and movements

I must say that in my own upbringing, the Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost, as the third person of the Trinity was known in the catechism texts and prayers of my youth) was almost a forgotten member of the Godhead.

Three in one

That is why, I believe, Pope John Paul II is asking that our preparation for the millennium include "a renewed appreciation of the presence and activity of the Spirit, who acts within the Church both in the sacraments...and in the variety of charisms, roles, and ministries which He inspires for the good of the Church" ("Tertio Millennio Adveniente").

There are many different ways in which we can learn about the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives: meditative reading of the Scriptures, study of the Tradition, pondering the magisterial teaching of the Church, celebrating the sacraments, visiting the sick, etc.

Spirit-inspired

He recalls, for example, Mother Teresa, whose death last September was mourned the world over. In her efforts and those of the Missionaries of Charity, the community of women religious she founded to care for the poor in the streets of Calcutta, the homeless in New York City and those coping with HIV/AIDS disease in Haiti, Mother Teresa not only rendered an invaluable service to those most in need but also inspired all who knew of her and her work to become more sensitive to the needs of the poor and downtrodden, more compassionate toward the outcasts, more committed to advocacy on behalf of social justice.

But most especially, Mother Teresa challenged us to find the Lord in the monotony and the routine of everyday life. She wrote: "Holiness does not consist in doing extraordinary things. It consists in accepting with a smile, what Jesus sends us. It consists in accepting and following the will of God."

Three heroes

* John XXIII rose to the pinnacle of ecclesiastical power but never forgot his peasant roots. Under the inspiration of God's Spirit, he called the Second Vatican Council and with vision, courage and dogged perseverance led the Church to "aggiornamento;" he challenged its members to engage in dealing with the modern world and to treat its errors "not with the medicine of severity but with the medicine of mercy."

* Cardinal Bernardin of Chicago manifested the Spirit's gift of healing and reconciliation. He was a consummate gentleman and diplomat, having the remarkable ability to see all sides of an issue and, then, working patiently and sensitively, to bring those holding divergent positions to consensus, to common ground.

* Sister Thea Bowman was an Afro-American nun who experienced firsthand the sting of racism and discrimination both in our Church and in the wider society. She had a marvelous gift for music; prompted by the Holy Spirit, she used that gift to help people understand their unconscious racist attitudes and to shed their prejudice in favor of tolerance and human solidarity.

I also perceive the Spirit's presence in those whom I am privileged to confirm each year. In this sacrament, the Holy Spirit is poured forth in a special way to cement that bond of love and friendship we have with God, to become an inner source of guidance and inspiration that help its recipients make critical life choices, and sustain them in all the trials and tribulations of their earthly sojourn.

Movements of Spirit

Some examples include:

* the ecumenical movement, which fosters that unity which Christ desires for all those who bear the name of Christian and which sees the presence of God in all the world's religions;

* the women's movement, which affirms the equality of the sexes and the distinctive gifts and charisms of women, and which opens doors to roles and responsibilities -- both in Church and society -- that historically have been denied to women because of patriarchy and hierarchy;

* the environmental movement, which seeks to preserve and protect the magnificent universe we share whose finite resources have so often been exploited or depleted;

* the civil rights movement, which has led to the end of Jim Crow laws and to equal opportunity in education, housing and employment in our United States as well as to the collapse of apartheid in South Africa;

* the pro-life movement, which seeks to respect the God-given dignity of human life through efforts to protect the unborn, to end capital punishment, to battle physician-assisted suicide and to guard the vulnerable;

* the peace movement, which has promoted non-violent solutions to disputes between nations, contributed to a de-escalation of the arms race and helped foster prospects for peace in trouble spots like Northern Ireland, Bosnia and the Mid-East;

* the multicultural movement, which promotes awareness and appreciation of how various national, ethnic and linguistic groups enhance and enrich our culture with their distinctive customs and traditions; and

* the movement for lay ministry, which has promoted the universal call to holiness and to ministry belonging to every member of the Church by virtue of Baptism, and which has led to more collaborative relationships between clergy, religious and laity in the life of the Church.

Actions of Spirit

I believe they are. I believe further that the Spirit's gentle yet persuasive influence is present in:

* the efforts to foster small faith-sharing communities, such as those we will experience in our Diocese with Renew 2000;

* the charismatic renewal, which celebrates and rejoices in the unique role the Holy Spirit plays in prayer and worship of the faith community;

* the renewal of Marian devotion, which, after a period of benign neglect, is restoring Mary to her rightful place as the Mother of the Church and the model for Christian living;

* the peer ministry of youth and young adults as well as in that of the separated, divorced and widowed; and

* the wide variety of self-help groups that combat addiction, contribute to emotional and spiritual growth, and provide the support needed to cope with difficult life situations.

Presence of Spirit

We are temples of the Holy Spirit, alive with the presence of God dwelling within us and empowered to bring the Spirit's presence to all of the broken people and broken lives in need of hope, healing and love.

May we, then, in preparation for the millennium, be attuned to the Spirit abiding within us, speaking to us and leading us to advance in our day God's kingdom of truth and life, of holiness and grace, of justice, love and peace.

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