Do you think you are intelligent of your own accord. Sure you read you learn you are a devout catholic no doubt but gods grace is what brings this about.
Well, it’s truly the combination of which you speak, that brings about a gift from God. The Grace of God and my willingness to accept such Grace.
Sorry if you think I get way off topic I certainly don’t claim to be as knowledgeable in these matters as you are. I only write what I feel with all my heart to be true, I am simply trying to be honest.
This is why I enjoy your posts.
I think I am learning from you so Thank You I appreciate your knowledge. I have to admit sometimes I don’t understand all of what you are asking me. LOL
Thank you for your contributions! I believe this all really comes down to incongruent discernment. The issue here is that it is confusing, to both sides of this argument, why two Catholics can discern two completely different conclusions off of this Movement. I must say that I do not have an answer as to why this is, as I believe that everyone here is sincerely discerning through prayer.
Perhaps the source of the controversy rests in the erroneous idea that the Church needs to refurbish its form and practice. Certainly one can be gifted with the Holy Spirit and not try to change the Liturgy, make grandiose supernatural claims, replace solemn and contemplative liturgical music with Christian rock, etc. I don’t think any one here is arguing against the reception of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I really think it comes down to a distrust of the manifestations because the claims are so unnecessary.
I will share a very personal story with everyone here that may shed some light on this subject and my point of view. I never talk of this story, but I think in this case, I should. Perhaps, it happened for the purpose of sharing it with this group. Perhaps you can decide.
Many years ago, when I was younger and discerning a vocation to priesthood, I had an experience that could only be described intellectually as supernatural. I had no words for this event. I knew I was not suffering from any psychosis or other psychological pathologies, yet, I was seeing this. They continued for many years and even to this day, on occasion, it will still happen. But when it first occurred, I became alarmed and sought the help of a nun that I had worked with in my diocese. I told no one of these events, except her. Her advice was indispensable, even though, at the time, I thought she was minimizing my experience.
Anyway, when I asked her what I should do, she told me to do nothing, to go about my business as if nothing had happened. She told me to draw no attention to the event, continue my prayer life, and not become distracted by these extraordinary things.
I really didn’t know it at the time, but she was giving me a lesson in humility. There was no need to shout this out from the roof tops and declare how blessed I was by God to have been given this gift. The proper course of action was to accept the gift in a spirit of true humility, tell no one as to not cause my ego any harm and to, of course, not cause others to become distracted or jealous. The goal was to just blend into the rest of the Church like everyone else. Because, it is not the supernatural gifts we receive that determine how blessed we are, rather, it is the reception of the Sacraments that bestows on us, the fullness of God’s Grace and favor. So, in a way, we are all very much equally blessed to the furthest extent possible in this life.
There is great wisdom there. Great wisdom! I have a feeling, that those who are against the Charismatic Movement, like me, feel these private supernatural occurrences need to remain, just that, private. We have the Sacraments. There is more than enough endless Grace to be gained through them. If God grants us a gift of a supernatural experience, thank Him, and go about your business. Salvation and repentance is far more important than shock and awe.
the same way you do.
God
