Holy Spirit Encyclical (cont'd) - Part I -paragraph 22

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today we begin section 6, continuing part 1 of the Encyclical on the Holy Spirit, paragraph 22:

6. The Risen Christ Says: "Receive the Holy Spirit"

1. It is thanks to Luke’s narrative that we are brought closest to the truth contained in the discourse in the Upper Room. Jesus of Nazareth, “raised up” in the Holy Spirit, during this discourse and conversation presents himself as the one who brings the Spirit, as the one who is to bring him and “give” him to the Apostles and to the Church at the price of his own “departure” through the Cross.

The verb “bring” is here used to mean first of all “reveal.” In the Old Testament, from the Book of Genesis onwards, the Spirit of God was in some way made known, in the first place as a “breath” of God which gives life, as a supernatural “living breath.” In the Book of Isaiah, he is presented as a “gift” for the person of the Messiah, as the one who comes down and rests upon him, in order to guide from within all the salvific activity of the “Anointed One.” At the Jordan, Isaiah’s proclamation is given a concrete form: Jesus of Nazareth is the one who comes in the Holy Spirit and who brings the Spirit as the gift proper to his own Person, in order to distribute that gift by means of this humanity: "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."76 In the Gospel of Luke, this revelation of the Holy Spirit is confirmed and added to, as the intimate source of the life and messianic activity of Jesus Christ. In the light of what Jesus says in the farewell discourse in the Upper Room, the Holy Spirit is revealed in a new and fuller way. He is not only the gift to the person (the person of the Messiah), but is a Person-gift. Jesus foretells his coming as that of “another Counselor” who, being **the Spirit of truth, will lead the Apostles and the Church “into all the truth.”**77 This will be **accomplished by reason of the particular communion between the Holy Spirit and Christ: “He will take what is mine and declare it to you.”**78 This communion has its original source in the Father: "All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you."79 Coming from the Father the Holy Spirit is sent by the Father.80 The Holy Spirit is first sent as a gift for the Son who was made man, in order to fulfill the messianic prophecies. After the “departure” of Christ the Son, the Johannine text says that the Holy Spirit “will come” directly (it is his new mission), to complete the work of the Son. Thus it will be he who brings to fulfillment the new era of the history of salvation.

How well, St. John Paul II, puts the “parts” of Scripture together to help us see/ hear in Faith how all “fits” into the wholeness of God’s self-revelation coming through Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church! His Papal Motto, “Totus Tuus” (All Yours) taken from St. Louis de Montfort’s little treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin also echoes with the Scriptures in this encyclical. St Louis de Montfort was himself steeped in Scripture and so these two saints help us to see the beauty of God’s Plan. Today is the Memorial of the Queenship of Mary. For a long time now, I’ve been unable to think of Jesus without thinking of Mary nor can I think of Mary without Jesus and the Holy Spirit bringing us into union with the Trinity.

Come Holy Spirit fill us with the Fire of your Love, as you filled Mary.
Jesus, we Trust in You. Thank you for giving Mary as Mother to us from Your Cross.
Eternal Father we thank you for all the Gifts you lavish upon your children.