This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad. Psalm 118:24.
Chapter 13.
Holy Spirit, Faithful Friend and Companion.
13.1 Our Teacher.
Jesus says, "I have said these things to you while still with you; but the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you." (1)
Your Highness, (notwithstanding my deficiencies) this entire book is the work of the Holy Spirit. I happily share these personal experiences with Him, with you. With all my heart, I hope they will be of some assistance to help you discern His presence and to live in communion with Him. Monarchs in the Kingdom of God will, by their vocation, bring God's love to Others wherever they may be. Love is the Treasure you and your spouse are to minister in His name.
13.2 Voice of the Holy Spirit.
"Then Yahweh himself went by. There came a mighty wind, so strong it tore the mountains and shattered the rocks before Yahweh. But Yahweh was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake. But Yahweh was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire. But Yahweh was not in the fire. And after the fire, there came the sound of a gentle breeze. And Elijah heard this; he covered his face with his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then a voice came to him . . ." (2)
When the Holy Spirit speaks, He speaks lovingly, quietly, calmly, peacefully, clearly, simply and with authority. Speaking to you from deep within your heart, His presence and His voice are undeniable. Self-revealing, He speaks only once but with words that have a staying power. He leaves no doubt about His message and waits in silence for your response. Couples must help each other learn to listen.
13.3 Voice of false pride.
The voice of false pride is in sharp contrast to the voice of the Holy Spirit. When it wants its way, it constantly yells its opposition to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Its screams are loud and troublesome, constantly repeating its reasons why this or that prompt from the Heart should be disregarded. False pride in rebellion is very noisy, very forceful, and very assertive. Constantly challenging you, it does not stop until you make your choice or it wins you over from the prompts of the Holy Spirit. Persons who scream, yell and shout boisterous, forceful, assertive voices, are Rulers or Devourers. They rule, use and devour others with force, power and might. The Ruler and the Devourer can never hold office in the Kingdom of God. By these signs then (peace, quiet, welcoming, collected, respectful, etc.) you can discern the voices of other Persons who are Monarchs prompted by the Holy Spirit.|
Your Highness, the voice of the Holy Spirit should always be welcomed and embraced with love and thanksgiving. He will not stay where He is not welcomed. "And if anyone does not welcome you or listen to what you have to say, as you walk out of the house or town shake the dust from your feet." (3) and "I tell you solemnly, whoever welcomes the one I send welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me." (4)
13.4 Prompts from the Holy Spirit.
When you receive prompts from the Holy Spirit, acknowledge them with the happiness, delight and the gratitude of a child, for He reminds you again that you are not alone. How very consoling is the presence of the Lord, for "in thy presence is fullness of joy." (5)
13.5 Holy Spirit's presence in teaching.
Once I was a resource person for a number of parishes. My assignment was to help organize pastoral teams for the ministry of baptism. At one particular workshop, we were discussing the consequences of original sin. Suddenly a raised hand signaled a question: "Why does my baby have to be baptized? He hasn't done anything wrong. Why does he have to pay for sins committed by others?"
In the tone of her question, I detected the presence of a spirit other than that of the Holy Spirit. This made me very uneasy but even as she was asking the question, I could hear very clearly the voice of the Holy Spirit from within. I heard Him say, "Do not worry, here is the answer you will give." In a flash I saw it and understood it. My excitement was such that I could hardly wait for her to finish asking her question so that I could reply. My uneasiness left me. There were 125 persons at this session and their eyes were now on me. It was obvious this question was also of interest to others. Now they were waiting for the answer as well. When she finished, I asked her,
"Your son was born a Canadian citizen, was he not?"
"Yes," she answered.
"Was he responsible for any part of our national debt?"
"No," she answered.
"This debt was incurred by us, our parents, their parents and their parents and so on. He is not responsible for any of the debt we created. Nevertheless, because he was born a Canadian citizen, he will be asked to pay his share of that debt, will he not?" I asked.
"Yes, that is true," she answered.
"If such a law is considered just by men, why do you consider it to be unjust of God? Yet, because of His Love for us, in baptism He will cancel your son's share of the debt due to Him because of the sin of our first parents."
She thanked me saying she understood the response very well. With thanksgiving I embraced the Holy Spirit. With renewed zeal, dedication and commitment I continued with the course.
13.6 Holy Spirit's presence in ministry.
In the ministry of baptism, I am challenged from time to time by non--practicing parents. They ask,
"Why is it important for them to be living and practicing their faith before having their new born baptized?"
How could I share with them the importance of this? After much reflection I asked our dear Lord for His help. Now when I'm asked, I take out a miniature planting pot and a large seed.
"The planting pot (I explain) symbolizes your family, the Church. This seed symbolizes your new son." The seed was then placed in the planting pot. I then poured water over the seed.
"What do you think will happen now?" I asked.
"The seed will eventually rot," they replied.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because there is no soil, seeds cannot grow without good soil."
"You are right," I replied, "water without soil does more harm than good. It is good soil that enables the seed to grow. Water keeps the soil moist. Moist soil encourages the seed to open and to take root in it. A seed cannot take root in water alone and survive for very long. It will soon rot and die."
"The soil needed for your child to grow in," I continued, "is the faith of the church, your faith. Water symbolizes the sacraments, but unless this seed (your child) is rooted in the soil of your faith, water (the sacraments) will do him more harm than good. Indeed, unless you are rooted in the soil of faith, water (the sacraments) will also contribute to your death."
"Your son (like this seed) needs to grow in good soil, in the faith of the church he was born in. This means that he must grow in the living soil of his father's and his mother's faith, a faith that must be alive and healthy. He needs to be with parents who have strong roots, roots that will enable him to grow tall, full of branches and be able to bear much fruit. In your hearts you know this is the kind of soil you want him to grow in. That is the kind of soil the waters of baptism can nourish."
"If you believe this to be true, prepare this soil now so that your son can take root in your faith and grow to be healthy and strong. Then all three of you will bear much fruit and your happiness will be such as you have never known before. I would be happy to help you bring new healthy life giving soil into your lives. Your heritage is to live, really live (father, mother and child) in the security and peace of your heavenly Father's home, your home, the Church. It is on soil such as this that the heavenly waters of baptism should rain."
"And the one who received the seed in rich soil is the man who hears the word and understands it; he is the one who yields a harvest and produces now a hundredfold, now sixty, now thirty." (6)
Your Highness, this is a very small insight into the power of the Holy Spirit. No one can deny His Truth. He is a Friend within you to help you and to guide you in making the Kingdom of God visible to all mankind. He is a Friend to help you do Godly things; "Ah, what is man that you should spare a thought for him, the son of man that you should care for him? Yet you have made him little less than a god." (7)
Your Highness, with the Holy Spirit you have a Friend you can depend on, a Counselor and a Teacher who will never abandon you. With Him, raise a strong, healthy, fruitful family in the rich soil of faith.
13.7 Holy Spirit helping at work.
Once I was designing a spreadsheet template on my computer. The program would automatically recalculate changes in property taxes, then calculate their impact on the various boards and agencies. It would also prepare the proper journal entries, adjusting taxes for owners who changed their school support or whose properties were destroyed by fire, or were demolished, etc.
Along the way I hit a brick wall and could not program an important link between two sets of data. After days of trying, I asked the Holy Spirit for help, "Dearest Holy Spirit, I've tried everything. You who have brought this wonderful, incredible, complicated creation into reality, dearest loving Spirit, show me what to do to bring this program to an end. What is the simple answer to this very complicated problem?"
In an instant, I saw the formula and it was very simple indeed. I couldn't wait to get to the computer to make the proper entries, knowing before I even started that this was it! It worked! Like a grateful child, I embraced Him in my heart and We carried on. "Whatever you ask for in my name I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask for anything in my name, I will do it." (8)
Your Highness, there is nothing our dear Lord likes more than to be with you, to share with you and to help you make God's Kingdom visible to everyone. This is why both of You are here.
13.8 Holy Spirit needing our help.
Once, my work required that I go to another town. As usual, before retiring for the day, I went for an evening stroll. About ten minutes into my walk, I had an interior vision and was prompted to go to a certain bishop and tell him what I saw. Though this happening was completely unexpected and only lasted a moment, I had no doubt the invitation was in order and felt very peaceful in knowing what I was to do. A short time later, I arrived at the bishop's residence and knocked on the door. He answered. I explained why I was there. He invited me in.
I asked him to picture a very large field. The crop had been harvested and the field was now covered with stubble. The field was being plowed (with the old type of plow pulled by horses) but there were no horses pulling this plow. I also asked him to visualize some massive boulders here and there in the field. There were also clusters of trees, straight and tall, located on large islands of grass here and there throughout the field. Their majestic boughs giving the only shade to be had from the very hot midday sun.
"The large field represents the Church," I said.
"The plow plowing the large field symbolizes Vatican II and the plough itself is moving under the power of the Holy Spirit. Notice that all that is left on the large field is stubble. Now the plow is turning the soil to nourish the earth (Church), which must now produce a new harvest. Nothing is lost, everything is used.
The few very massive boulders in the field are large obstructions in the way of the plow and represent obstacles in the way of the Church and Vatican II. They have been there for a very long time, but because the field is so large, they do not pose any threat to the size of the crop that will eventually be harvested. The Holy Spirit (Vatican II) simply goes around them.
The very tall trees with their majestic shade-giving boughs clustered here and there throughout the field symbolize the treasures and traditions of the church. (9) These will stay in the field. The plow (Vatican II) simply furrows around their extended, welcoming and refreshing grass enclosures."
I had delivered His message. The bishop thanked me, we chatted and I left.
This was a time where the Holy Spirit asked for my help. May I always be disposed with a happy heart to run these errands for Him. You and your spouse will be called upon often to speak the Spirit's prophetic voice.
Your Highness, always walk hand in hand with the Holy Spirit. Converse with Him in all things. Share with each other as two friends together on a journey. He cannot do without you and neither can you do without Him. Truly there is no other God as close to us as is our God, "And indeed, what great nation is there that has its gods so near as Yahweh our God is to us whenever we call him?" (10)
After awhile, like two Friends who know each other well, you will anticipate what the other needs, how the other can help and what both of you can do together.
13.9 Holy Spirit taking over.
When I was a member of a pastoral team in an Ottawa parish, my functions included giving the homily certain Sundays of the month. Preparing homilies is a very difficult task, usually requiring about one hour of active preparation for each minute of homily. This does not include passive preparation (subconsciously reflecting on the gospel message well ahead of beginning the active preparation). In my case, much of the labor in homily preparation was in sifting out and purifying my own thoughts and experiences. This was essential. The Holy Spirit must be in complete charge to say what He wants to say to His children.
There were times when I simply could not get a homily together. I would go to mass with my meager notes, wondering what was going to happen. To my surprise, the pastor would tell me, "Raymond, today we have a visiting missionary who will be giving the homily."
Other times he would say, "Raymond, today a member of the parish council has a report to give to the parish. This will replace the homily."
This was so often the case, I always knew when I would not be giving the homily on a particular Sunday. At those times I simply assumed that the Holy Spirit had something else planned for that Sunday.
Once, however, my efforts to prepare a homily were unusually futile. Thinking that all my difficulties were because my pastor had something else lined up for that particular Sunday, I simply stopped trying. When I got to church that Sunday, much to my surprise, he did not have anything else planned. No visiting missionary, no parish councilor, no special event.
The time came to read the gospel and to give the homily. I asked the celebrant for his blessing and walked to the lectern not having a clue as to what would be the first word from my mouth.
Would you like to know what it is like to go to the edge of a high cliff and jump and all you can do is either fall or fly? Go to mass on a beautiful sunny Sunday morning. Stand at the lectern in front of a full congregation of upper-middle class families waiting for you to share God's word with them and, you have absolutely no idea what you are going to say.
As I was walking those few steps to the lectern, I remembered what happened to Peter as he was walking on the water to our dear Lord. He started to sink because he took his eyes off our King He looked instead at the powerful wind and the turbulent waves. Fear gripped his heart and he began to sink. (11) Learning from Peter's experience, I avoided the temptation to consider how I was going to drown in shame and be blown away by humiliation in embarrassing my pastor and his congregation. I kept my attention focused on Jesus, saying, "Dear Lord obviously you have something you want to say personally to your flock. Use me as you will." I did not take my eyes off Him and I affirmed my complete trust in Him. The homily that day had all the certainty and authority of one that had taken weeks to prepare. "Thank you dear brother Peter, for showing us what should not be done in such circumstances."
This should be our approach in all instances when we feel we are in danger, when we feel that events around us are overwhelming, when we feel vulnerable and susceptible. Do not look at the waves and the wind, the terrifying events around you. Always, always, always keep your eyes, your heart and your trust on your dear Lord and keep going to Him
13.10 Holy Spirit bringing back sheep to the flock.
One day while I was raking the fall leaves, a neighbor crossed the street to speak with me.
"Raymond," she said, "week after week as I saw you cutting the grass or working on the lawn, I wanted to come and speak with you, but never had the courage until today. You know Raymond that (Name) (her husband) is very ill. Because he is paralyzed, I have been caring for him these many years. What you do not know is that although I go to church, I have not received the sacraments for over 28 years. You see Raymond, (Name) and I are not married. He was already married when we decided to live together. A short while later he became paralyzed and I have been looking after him ever since. Raymond, we would like to be at peace with God and I do not know whom to turn to or how to go about it. As I watched you each day working around the house or coming and going, I felt that I should speak to you and ask you for your help. Raymond, I apologize for bringing my troubles to you, but I do not know what to do or where to go."
In my heart, I leaped for joy. This wonderful, gentle person, mustering all her courage (and it took a great deal) was asking God to help her and her husband to be full members of His family again. How they must have suffered all the years they were separated from Him.
I told her I would be happy to help. I thanked our dear Lord for directing His loved one to me that I may be of service to Him. I thanked Him for the trust He placed in me, that He might bring His Love to them.
During the next while, I met with the bishop and discussed the situation with him, getting his advice on what could be done. I then went to a very special priest, one full of compassion and tenderness. Eventually, I introduced him to them. After a few visits, they received the sacrament of reconciliation. God came to them with all His love and understanding. Her partner received the sacrament for the sick as well.
Her partner's first wife had passed away some years ago. Because of his paralysis and extremely poor health, they were living all these many years not as husband and wife but as one caring for the other. Because of this, the sacrament of marriage was no longer an issue.
They invited me to bring them the Eucharist, a sacrament they had not received for years. We agreed that this wonderful event would take place in their home two days before Christmas. For the occasion, she invited a close friend to be with them. That evening, our dear Lord came into their hearts sacramentally for the first time in 28 years. "If my father and my mother desert me, Yahweh will care for me still." (12) It was so very long ago when they last heard these beautiful words, "Behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world." This was a Christmas like no other. Whereas earlier the home was somber and overcast, it was now bright and alive. The sound of Christmas carols took on a new dimension of heavenly joy.
Receiving our dear Lord into their hearts after such a long absence brought excitement and tears to these two very tired souls. It was as if we were with the shepherds that eventful night two thousand years ago, when a great throng of the heavenly host sang, "Glory to God in the highest heaven and peace to men who enjoy his favour." (13) Peace was now a permanent Resident in this household.
After communion, we celebrated and rejoiced with a small Christmas party. About a year later he passed away.
"And indeed, what great nation is there that has its gods so near as Yahweh our God is to us whenever we call him?" (14) You and your spouse must never forget this.
[There is no marital situation that God cannot heal. At the right moment He will invite you to come to Him, and, like this lady, the next move will be up to you.]
13.11 Holy Spirit melting a heart.
Once, a municipality hired me to tutor a person as a municipal clerk. About the fourth day (while we were having coffee in the cafeteria) this person suddenly began to cry with tears that gushed from the very depths of her soul. My first thoughts were, was I the cause of her tears? Was I too demanding in my tutoring? Was she discouraged with the way the lessons were going? Fearing that somehow I was responsible for her tears (although I had no idea why) I quickly brought her back to the office. Eventually, between deep gasping sobs, she told me what happened:
"You have been here three days and for three days I have been looking at the cross on your lapel. I cannot look at it any longer without feeling this very painful remorse for the way I have been living my life." She then explained the situation to me.
From that moment on, we directed our efforts to putting her heart and life in order again while we continued with the training program.
13.12 A healing in the kitchen.
One day, I was working with a municipal clerk-treasurer at his home in the country. He owned a small farm that was very close to his heart. If ever there was a person who was a born farmer, he was it.
Unfortunately, his wife saw farm life as a bit degrading and wanted him to be successful as a municipal clerk-treasurer. Because of this, he was very unhappy and often angry at her, seeing her as an obstacle to his happiness. He had to work very hard to be a municipal official while farm life was second nature to him.
The three of us were together in the living room discussing municipal problems. All through the discussions, he kept shouting at his wife. He was trying to show me through his statements to her that she was the cause of their unhappiness. The situation was rapidly getting out of control, him getting angrier and angrier and she becoming more and more embarrassed at what was taking place.
I brought the exchange to a halt and invited them both into the kitchen. Then I asked them to kneel on the linoleum floor while I prayed over them. It was a typical farmhouse kitchen, lots of room, lots of rocking chairs, wood stove, painted wooden slat cupboards, a varnished stairway leading upstairs, all very flavorful.
I prayed over them, laying my hands on their heads, asking our dear Lord to bring His peace into their hearts and to resurrect in each of them the gifts of their sacrament of marriage, that with His grace they may be each other's strength and happiness.
Before giving them the blessing, I opened my eyes for a moment, only to see that a light, white mist, table high, gently swirling over the entire kitchen floor. Then, in an instant, it completely disappeared. At first I thought smoke had somehow come from the fireplace in the living room into the kitchen. But I saw there was no fire in the fireplace and no smell of smoke. All of this happened in the space of a few seconds.
I completed my prayer and blessing, after which they opened their eyes, embraced each other and rose from their knees. Peace reigned in that home once more
"I have dispelled your faults like a cloud, your sins like a mist. Come back to me, for I have redeemed you." (15)
13.13 Holy Spirit ministering on the road.
Once my work required that I be far away from home from Monday to Friday. Because of the community's location, I traveled by train. For over a year, I left on Monday mornings at 8:00 a.m. arriving there in the afternoon at 4:00 p.m. I returned on Fridays, leaving the community at 2:00 p.m. and arrived at home at 11:00 p.m. As you can see, many hours were spent on the train.
However, I wore my shiny little silver cross on my lapel and that made a big difference how time was going to be spent. Through this sign from heaven, I met wives who were leaving their husbands. I met children running away from home. I met single women who were pregnant, railway personnel with problems at home and other persons who simply wanted to talk about God. We talked in the diner, in the club car, in the dome car, in the coach. We chatted in first class, in the dayliner, and even once while washing my hands in the washroom.
In all instances, God's loving arms welcomed, embraced, and listened to His children, their concerns and their difficulties and gave them renewed hope and strength.
13.14 Life in the Kingdom of God, anything but dull.
Your Highness, life in the Kingdom of God is not dull. It is tiring, draining, demanding, and full of the unexpected but very consoling. There are miracles galore happening every day in all kinds of situations, for where He walks, life flourishes. You and your loved one will find it most gratifying working with our dear Lord and God in your corner of His vineyard.
"Now John in his prison had heard what Christ was doing and he sent his disciples to ask him, 'Are you the one who is to come, or have we to wait for someone else?' Jesus answered, 'Go back and tell John what you hear and see; the blind see again and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear and the dead are raised to life and the Good News is proclaimed to the poor; and happy is the man who does not lose faith in me.'" (16)
13.15 The bottom line.
Dear Child of God, the Holy Spirit is your Friend and Counselor. As unbelievable as it may sound, God the Holy Spirit is our Friend and Counselor. " . . . the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you." (17)
It is inconceivable to even imagine that anyone can take his or her place in the Kingdom of God (now, at this very moment, here, in this world) without walking hand in hand with God the Holy Spirit. After you read this book and learn more about discernment, awaken to the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life every hour of every day. Let Him teach you. Respond to His prompts. Keep your heart still and quiet for He will not compete with the noise and clamor of the world for your love.
"The Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you." (18) "Whatever you ask for in my name I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask for anything in my name, I will do it." (19)
To try and live one's life, to try and live one's marriage, to try and raise one's family without the companionship, consolation and counsels of the Holy Spirit is to suffer heartbreak after heartbreak after heartbreak.
Footnotes.
1 John 14:26.
2 1Kings 20:11-14.
3 Matthew 10:15.
4 John 13:20.
5 Psalm 16:11.
6 Matthew 13:23.
7 Psalm 8:4-5.
8 John 14:13-14.
9 Apostolic teachings, sacraments, saints, writings and so on.
10 Deuteronomy 4:7.
11 Matthew 14:22-33.
12 Psalm 27:10.
13 Luke 2:14.
14 Deuteronomy 4:7.
15 Isaiah 44:22
16 Matthew 11:2-6.
17 John 14:26.
18 John 14:26.
19 John 14:13-14