Charismatic? Part II

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THERE is perhaps no movement in the Church that has been so widely accepted—and readily rejected—as the “Charismatic Renewal.” Boundaries were broken, comfort zones moved, and the status quo shattered. Like Pentecost, it has been anything but a neat and tidy movement, fitting nicely into our preconceived boxes of just how the Spirit should move among us. Nothing has been perhaps as polarizing either… just as it was then. When the Jews heard and saw the Apostles burst from the upper room, speaking in tongues, and boldly proclaiming the Gospel…

They were all astounded and bewildered, and said to one another, “What does this mean?” But others said, scoffing, “They have had too much new wine. (Acts 2:12-13)

Such is the division in my letter bag as well…

The Charismatic movement is a load of gibberish, NONSENSE! The Bible speaks of the gift of tongues. This referred to the ability to communicate in the spoken languages of that time! It did not mean idiotic gibberish… I will have nothing to do with it. —T.S.

It saddens me to see this lady speak this way about the movement that brought me back to Church… —M.G.

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Charismatic? Part I

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From a reader:

You mention the Charismatic Renewal (in your writing The Christmas Apocalypse) in a positive light. I don’t get it. I go out of my way to attend a church that is very traditional—where people dress properly, remain quiet in front of the Tabernacle, where we are catechized according to Tradition from the pulpit, etc.

I stay far away from charismatic churches. I just don’t see that as Catholicism. There is often a movie screen on the altar with parts of the Mass listed on it (“Liturgy,” etc.). Women are on the altar. Everyone is dressed very casually (jeans, sneakers, shorts, etc.) Everyone raises their hands, shouts, claps—no quiet. There is no kneeling or other reverent gestures. It seems to me that a lot of this was learned from the Pentecostal denomination. No one thinks the “details” of Tradition matter. I feel no peace there. What happened to Tradition? To silence (such as no clapping!) out of respect for the Tabernacle??? To modest dress?

And I have never seen anyone who had a REAL gift of tongues. They tell you to say nonsense with them…! I tried it years ago, and I was saying NOTHING! Can’t that type of thing call down ANY spirit? It seems like it should be called “charismania.” The “tongues” people speak in are just jibberish! After Pentecost, people understood the preaching. It just seems like any spirit can creep into this stuff. Why would anyone want hands laid on them that are not consecrated??? Sometimes I am aware of certain serious sins that people are in, and yet there they are on the altar in their jeans laying hands on others. Aren’t those spirits being passed on? I don’t get it!

I would much rather attend a Tridentine Mass where Jesus is at the center of everything. No entertainment—just worship.

 

Dear reader,

You raise some important points worth discussing. Is the Charismatic Renewal from God? Is it a Protestant invention, or even a diabolical one? Are these “gifts of the Spirit” or ungodly “graces”?

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The Prophetic Mountain

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WE are parked at the base of the Canadian Rocky Mountains this evening, as my daughter and I prepare to grab some shut eye before the day’s journey to the Pacific Ocean tomorrow.

I am only a few miles from the mountain where, seven years ago, the Lord spoke powerful prophetic words to Fr. Kyle Dave and I. He is a priest from Louisiana who fled Hurricane Katrina when it ravaged the southern states, including his parish. Fr. Kyle came to stay with me in the aftermath, as a veritable tsunami of water (a 35 foot storm surge!) tore through his church, leaving nothing but a few statues behind.

While here, we prayed, read the Scriptures, celebrated the Mass, and prayed some more as the Lord made the Word come alive. It was as though a window was opened, and we were allowed to peer into the fog of the future for a short time. Everything that was spoken in seed form then (see The Petals and Trumpets of Warning) is now unfolding before our eyes. Since then, I have expounded on  those prophetic days in some 700 writings here and in a book, as the Spirit has led me on this unexpected journey…

 

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Mark in Western Canada

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WELL, we’re off to a bang already! Our motorhome sprung a leak, the batteries suddenly died, and a brake part has been delayed. Perhaps more concerning are the winter storms that are ravaging the mountain passes that we have to go through when we eventually get rolling (today?).

Blessed be God, now and forever.

I keep thinking of St. Paul who was shipwrecked while on an Alexandrian ship on his way to Rome. In fact, 6 years ago, I felt inspired to name our motorhome “The Alexandrian” based on the story that every passenger on St. Paul’s ship was spared, but the ship itself was lost. How prophetic that inspiration was!

Yet, trying to be good stewards, we have tried to raise enough money to trade this tired old bus in, but have come up quite short. That too is God’s will. And yet, in all of this, I know the Lord is with us… gently speaking, directing, and guiding.

Yet, these are material obstacles. I have many “words” I want to write to you since Christmas, but there have been wall to wall obstacles that have prevented me from getting in front of the keyboard (not the least, my mother-in-law being diagnosed with terminal brain cancer shortly after New Year’s. Her name is Margaret… please pray for this dear woman whose faith and peaceful acceptance of God’s will are inspiring us all.) I am reminded of the prophet Daniel who asked God for wisdom to interpret the visions he was seeing. Finally, after three weeks, an angel suddenly appeared saying,

Do not fear, Daniel… from the first day you made up your mind to acquire understanding and humble yourself before God, your prayer was heard. Because of it I started out, but the prince of the kingdom of Persia stood in my way for twenty-one days, until finally Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me. (Dan 10:13)

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Esperanza

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Maria Esperanza, 1928 – 2004

 

The cause for canonization of Maria Esperanza was opened January 31, 2010. This writing was first published on September 15th, 2008, on the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. As with the writing Trajectory, which I recommend you read, this writing also contains many “now words” that we need to hear again.

And again.

 

THIS past year, when I would pray in the Spirit, a word would often and suddenly rise to my lips: “esperanza.” I just learned that this is a Hispanic word meaning “hope.”

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The Storm at Hand

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WHEN this ministry first began, the Lord made it clear to me in a gentle but firm way that I was not to be shy in “blowing the trumpet.” This was confirmed by a Scripture:

The word of the LORD came to me: Son of man, speak to your people and tell them: When I bring the sword against a land… and the sentinel sees the sword coming against the land, he should blow the trumpet to warn the people… If, however, the sentinel sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the sword attacks and takes someone’s life, his life will be taken for his own sin, but I will hold the sentinel responsible for his blood. You, son of man — I have appointed you as a sentinel for the house of Israel; when you hear a word from my mouth, you must warn them for me. (Ezekiel 33:1-7)

The young have shown themselves to be for Rome and for the Church a special gift of the Spirit of God… I did not hesitate to ask them to make a radical choice of faith and life and present them with a stupendous task: to become “morning watchmen” at the dawn of the new millennium. —POPE JOHN PAUL II, Novo Millennio Inuente, n.9

With the help of a holy spiritual director and much, much grace, I have been able to raise the instrument of warning to my lips and blow it according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. More recently, before Christmas, I met with my own shepherd, his Excellency, Bishop Don Bolen, to discuss my ministry and the prophetic aspect of my work. He told me that he did “not want to put any stumbling blocks in the way”, and that it was “good” that I was “sounding the warning.” Regarding more specific prophetic elements of my ministry, he expressed caution, as he should have. For how can we know if a prophecy is a prophecy until it comes true? His caution is my own in the spirit of St. Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians:

Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophetic utterances. Test everything; retain what is good. (1 Thess 5:19-21)

It is in this sense that discernment of charisms is always necessary. No charism is exempt from being referred and submitted to the Church’s shepherds. “Their office [is] not indeed to extinguish the Spirit, but to test all things and hold fast to what is good,” so that all the diverse and complementary charisms work together “for the common good.” —Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 801

Regarding discernment, I want to recommend Bishop Don’s own writing on the times, one that is refreshingly honest, accurate, and challenges the reader to become a vessel of hope (“Giving An Account of Our Hope“, www.saskatoondiocese.com, May 2011).

 

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