Come (Holy Spirit) again?

Open your hearts to the Holy Spirit and what the inspired Scriptures contain, and receive the message even if it means something will have to change in your life.

Bishop Scharfenberger

Many a homily have I begun by praying — or even asking out loud my congregation to pray — that nothing I say or do not say will interfere with what the Holy Spirit wants them to hear. I often add that I hope they hear in their hearts what they most need to hear at that time — the direction, insight or healing that they seek. It only seems logical. The Holy Spirit, after all, wrote the Scriptures that the priest or deacon preach on. The same Holy Spirit we receive in Baptism, that lives in us and the body we are all members of, the Church, the mystical body of Christ. Each member is joined by the same bond as among the Father and the Son, the love that is the essence of the triune God, and that unites us all.

I do not say I pray that everyone hears what they want to hear, which may not be the same as what we need to hear. In different ways some of the Fathers of the Church saw preaching similarly, as almost sacramental. It is — or should be — an action of the Church, intended to lead souls to God, not the thoughts or opinions, or worse, about the personality or temperament of the preacher. Preaching is one of the fundamental commissions of deacons and I always remember that the foundation of all the orders is the diaconate, the mission to serve. Deacons, like priests and bishops, are ordained to serve. All are from the people and for the people, men ordained for others.

Does that mean preaching is an exercise in democracy, that everyone in the congregation is participating in a group listening session and whatever comes out is the work of the Holy Spirit? There are some who think of synodality in that way, and that theological and moral issues can be discussed and resolved merely by coming together and sharing thoughts, insight and opinions we can agree on.

Most deacons, priests and bishops know from experience that what is heard is not always based on anything they said, or the Holy Spirit inspired. We all sometimes hear what we want to hear, not always what we need to hear. Something may block us from hearing what is really said. There is something that triggers listeners at times into hearing the opposite of what is said, or at least intended. It works both ways. One element I have found makes a big difference is the desire and will of both the preacher and the congregation to open their hearts to the Holy Spirit and what the inspired Scriptures contain, to want to receive the message, even if it means something will have to change in our lives.

Conscience, in moral decision making, is an example of how the process of listening and discernment must take place. In making any moral decision, several options are considered. Where there are no options, there would be no moral issue since there would be no freedom to decide. Morality always implies freedom to choose, to decide among actions and alternatives. Conscience, on its most fundamental level, can be described as right — correctly ordered — reasoning. It is far more than going with what one feels, or as it is sometimes described, euphemistically and with some romantic naïveté, as “following my heart.” The road to hell is paved with good intentions! Adam and Eve, after all, thought they were following a good suggestion. I doubt they intended to hurt anyone. The problem is the voice they listened to was not the Holy Spirit. Satan does not have our best interests in mind.

So whose voice are we listening to when we are making a moral decision? Where do we find that voice? Does it not make sense that we include the sources from which we can be sure to hear that voice, scripture, tradition and the teachings of the Church? Some people do not put much stock in tradition and church teaching, but they forget (ignore? deny?) that the Scriptures were formulated through and within the community of faith. They did not write themselves and the Holy Spirit, who is their author, used inspired writers to organize and articulate the revealed truths. Sound decisions, even if they do not involve a moral issue, are rarely made without some form of consultation or consideration of their consequences. The “voice of God” can be present in many sources, and not just what I think I hear inside me. The old cliché, “no one is an island,” is very wise. Even a very personal decision, such as the choice of one to marry, has consequences not only for the couple.

My decades of experience working with people seeking a decree of nullity are shared by many counselors and clergy who assist those involved in unhappy unions. The “flashing yellow lights” were often clear to others but hidden from the parties themselves. They might have been anything, signs of anger, jealousy, duplicity, substance dependency and other addictions. Often others — parents, friends, relatives, who will be witnesses — saw the warnings but were hesitant or afraid to speak up for fear of pushing the parties away or driving them deeper into the runaway train about to start.

Couples themselves may even see some of the potential difficulties — sometimes blaming them on their families of origin — forgetting that these same people will be the grandparents and relatives of any children they have. The point is we are connected, and our decisions are not isolated from our relationships, the effects they have on us and the effects our decisions will have on them. Whom one marries, when and why, is more than an individual decision for the happiness of one or two. The consequences for many others will be profound. So also for many other decisions.

How often we hear the argument that the Church should “change its teaching” to “keep up with the times.” What are “the times,” that which most do or think should? History is rife with examples of popularly practices that future generations have learned were profoundly harmful and inhumane, such as slavery (which still continues today under many guises), child sacrifice (which today may not be to alien gods so much as personal convenience), and institutionalized racism (are we rid of that yet?). 

The synodal processes that we are experiencing have the advantage of inviting many more people into our conversations about our faith, our practice and our priorities as a Church. The listening to one another, to many voices, is a good way of hearing different thoughts, insights and experiences. That it is deeply rooted in a confidence that the Holy Spirit is the voice directing us to listen with respect and discern with prayer and patience are similar to the marks of good conscience formation in the moral arena. There are facts and truths, however, that are not altered by desires and opinions, nor by contemporary views and practices that propose — or even impose — alternatives to the natural (and supernatural) order.

Each of us is a part of something larger than ourselves. We do not choose our parents and relatives, nationalities or ethnic origins, chromosomes, genes, where we are born, and many other components of who we natively are. Neither do we choose that we are human beings who, by nature, live in relationship. We need some forms of community, with certain modes of behavior that are accepted and lived by, if we want to survive and thrive economically, spiritually and healthily.

As a community of faith, who believe in the presence of God in our lives and especially in the sacramental life of the Church, we understand that putting Jesus Christ at the center of our lives and our relationships gives us a foundation not only for earthly happiness and wellness, but eternal life. Just as a marriage that is founded not only on the love and promises of the couple, but their faith in God as the ultimate source of love and the foundation of their conjugal life — so profoundly Trinitarian — so also our processes of decision-making on moral issues, church policy and priorities, and pastoral practice will find the source of their stability and effectiveness in the life of the Holy Spirit in every member and every community. This also helps us see and extend the love that creates and unites us to every child of God, as our faith inspires us to do.

 @AlbanyDiocese