Baptism in the Holy Spirit

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Quite a few Catholics have tried to persuade me to be “baptized in the Holy Spirit” and this is something I don’t understand very well.

I was baptized as an infant and confirmed as a teen. God’s Holy Spirit works within me. I have participated in a variety of ministries in my life and continue to pray to the Spirit to guide me and to infuse me with a zealous evangelical spirit.

So what is the purpose of this additional “baptism of the Holy Spirit” which some of my fellow Catholics, especially charistmatics, have experienced? I’m not trying to criticize it – only to understand its relevance and need. Frankly, I don’t appreciate how some of my Catholic acquaintances who have experienced this come across as morally superior. It’s like I’m missing something – as if I’m not as empowered as they are – if I don’t do this also.

I’d appreciate some enlightenment on this.
 
the best way to understand it, and why Charismatic Catholics suggest it and what they mean by the term, and how its validity has been discerned by the Church, is to attend a Life in the Spirit Seminar. You will be invited to ask for baptism in the Spirit at the end of the retreat, and you can either accept or decline at that time. It is basically a conscious intentional acceptance of the action of the Holy Spirit in your life, and acceptance of his gifts (which you have already received in baptism and confirmation) and willingness to recognize these gifts, accept them, nourish them and above all put them to work in service of the Church.
 
puzzleannie said:
the best way to understand it, and why Charismatic Catholics suggest it and what they mean by the term, and how its validity has been discerned by the Church, is to attend a Life in the Spirit Seminar. You will be invited to ask for baptism in the Spirit at the end of the retreat, and you can either accept or decline at that time. It is basically a conscious intentional acceptance of the action of the Holy Spirit in your life, and acceptance of his gifts (which you have already received in baptism and confirmation) and willingness to recognize these gifts, accept them, nourish them and above all put them to work in service of the Church.
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Thank you for your quick reply, puzzleannie. I’ve felt blessed reading many of your posts on CA.

I think I’ve made a “conscious intentional acception of the Holy Spirit … acceptance of his gifts … and willingness to recognize these gifts (etc.)” many times over in my life. Praise be to God that He allows me to build up his church in the small ways I do. I like rituals, actually, but I wish some of the people who have experienced these Life in the Spirit retreats wouldn’t presume that those of us who haven’t attended them, haven’t accepted and acknowledged the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes I’ve had the impression that I’m somehow less “entitled” to serve the Church because I haven’t attended one of these retreats (etc.). Well, in too many ways I AM unworthy to serve, but our Lord strengthens me through His Spirit in spite of my weaknesses.

Someone in RCIA asked me about Baptism in the Spirit also. I had to explain it is not an additional sacrament and doesn’t diminish the first two sacraments of initiation. I explained that it’s a ritual during a particular type of retreat during which people focus on how the Holy Spirit works through us, and during which we renew our commitment as confirmed Catholics to be active disciples of Christ through His Holy Spirit. I hope I didn’t mislead.
 
second Pani’s recommendations, and in general, best guides to CCR are the authors she mentions, they are entirely orthodox and have been “in on it” since the beginning.
 
It is said that Confirmation prepares us for this. What if, for unknown reasons, this happens before Confirmation? Is that possible or should someone be leary of it? Thanks, Tim
 
TOP said:
It is said that Confirmation prepares us for this. What if, for unknown reasons, this happens before Confirmation? Is that possible or should someone be leary of it? Thanks, Tim
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One of the posters on the cinchar list several years ago(actually more than several - since we were still cinchar http://ccc.garg.com/modules/PNphpBB2/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif), posted that she lived at the time in a very isolated part of Canada. She would sit and pray in front of a window, spend her time with the Lord, telling the Lord she wanted more of Him. Then she found herself praising and praying to God in language she had never heard before. It has continued on since then, so it was many years later before she found out about the Holy Spirit in his charisms. She then understood what had happened, she had through prayer become open to the Holy Spirit and he empowered her with his love. Through all of this she had witness God doing many miracles.
 
Pani_Rose said:
One of the posters on the cinchar list several years ago(actually more than several - since we were still cinchar http://ccc.garg.com/modules/PNphpBB2/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif), posted that she lived at the time in a very isolated part of Canada. She would sit and pray in front of a window, spend her time with the Lord, telling the Lord she wanted more of Him. Then she found herself praising and praying to God in language she had never heard before. It has continued on since then, so it was many years later before she found out about the Holy Spirit in his charisms. She then understood what had happened, she had through prayer become open to the Holy Spirit and he empowered her with his love. Through all of this she had witness God doing many miracles.
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Thanks for the story. I guess all things are possible with God. I wonder if the “baptism” is a once in a lifetime thing or what I’m familar with was just saving/actual grace, though how powerful it felt? Then a “baptism in the Holy Spirit” would be off the scale and something to hope for. But, I can’t imagine anything more powerful, helpful and convicting then what I’m talking about. Thanks, Tim
 
The Lord our God has appeared to us, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. The Holy Spirit is sent by our Lord Jesus Christ, he said, ‘I must go so the Paraclete can come’. His first words to the apostles after his Resurrection, ‘be at peace.’ It is the sanctifing grace of God coming for by the power of his Holy Spirit to set to flame all that has been given us in Baptism, Chrismation, and Eucharist, which brings about the peace in our lives. A peace that Christ said the world could not understand, but only he could give, it transends all human understanding.

Is it one time? I think not, for God is unceasing, he is ‘new’ every morning. In that ‘newness’ is also our recommitment to our Lord each time we receive him in the Eucharist, each time we whisper a prayer of repentance and thanksgiving. His love is new, fresh, and life giving. It is the Holy Spirit who gives us life, peace, and love.

Jesus said the Holy Spirit is not a Spirit of timidty, but a Spirit of power. Not of the false dublication of the world as in ESP - think of it, that is a mimic of what the Lord gives in prophecy. All other things will fail, but the Word of the Lord will last forever.

His Word says to receive the Holy Spirit, you will do greater things than I have done. So yes it is ‘amazing grace’. But it is the power of the Holy Spirit opened to us, that we might walk without fear and trepedation as the three young men in the firey furnace. Praising God and through his work, bring about the conversion of many souls.

Peace!
 
Pani_Rose said:
The Lord our God has appeared to us, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. The Holy Spirit is sent by our Lord Jesus Christ, he said, ‘I must go so the Paraclete can come’. His first words to the apostles after his Resurrection, ‘be at peace.’ It is the sanctifing grace of God coming for by the power of his Holy Spirit to set to flame all that has been given us in Baptism, Chrismation, and Eucharist, which brings about the peace in our lives. A peace that Christ said the world could not understand, but only he could give, it transends all human understanding.

Is it one time? I think not, for God is unceasing, he is ‘new’ every morning. In that ‘newness’ is also our recommitment to our Lord each time we receive him in the Eucharist, each time we whisper a prayer of repentance and thanksgiving. His love is new, fresh, and life giving. It is the Holy Spirit who gives us life, peace, and love.

Jesus said the Holy Spirit is not a Spirit of timidty, but a Spirit of power. Not of the false dublication of the world as in ESP - think of it, that is a mimic of what the Lord gives in prophecy. All other things will fail, but the Word of the Lord will last forever.

His Word says to receive the Holy Spirit, you will do greater things than I have done. So yes it is ‘amazing grace’. But it is the power of the Holy Spirit opened to us, that we might walk without fear and trepedation as the three young men in the firey furnace. Praising God and through his work, bring about the conversion of many souls.

Peace!
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Thank you, How awesome heaven must be. A new teaching with every thought. St. Faustina say’s we will wonder at the mystery of the Tirnity for a million years, yet only scratch the surface. I love to think about that. Tim
 
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