In a world dominated by the culture of having and efficiency, we all need to make space for gratitude, praise and admiration for God's grace. Pope Francis stated this point this Saturday morning during an audience with the “National Council for Renewal in Espírito Santo”.
Mário Galgano – Vatican City
Behind the “National Council for Renewal in the Holy Spirit” are the leaders of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. The “Charismatic Renewal” in the Catholic Church is seen as a path of new evangelization. It is attributed to “ecclesiastical movements”. Firstly, the Pope thanked all those who strengthen communities of renewal “among the holy and faithful people of God”, “promoting a simple and joyful spirituality”. And he particularly emphasized two aspects that are important: the service of prayer, especially worship, and the service of evangelization. Prayer and Evangelization. And then Francisco explained:
“The Holy Spirit, received into our hearts and lives, cannot fail to open, move, produce; the Spirit always urges us to proclaim the Gospel, to go out, and he does so with his inexhaustible possibilities. It is up to us to be docile and cooperate with him, as the Acts of Stephen, Philip, Barnabas, Peter, Paul and others tell us. They had no instruction manual on how to proceed: the Spirit guided them and they did many great things.”
The audience at the Vatican
Space for gratitude, praise and admiration
In a Church that is sometimes too busy organizing itself, we all need to make space for gratitude, praise and reverence for God's grace, the pope said. He himself had a “special history” with the charismatic movements of the Catholic Church and admitted:
“At first I didn’t like the movement, I said it was a samba school…”
“At first I didn’t like the movement, I said it was a samba school and not a church movement. Then, as archbishop, I saw how they worked, how they filled the cathedral at meetings, and I began to really appreciate this movement. Continue, but not as a samba school, but as a church movement!”
What good are people with long prayers and many beautiful songs if they don't know how to be patient with others, if they don't know how to be close to their mother, who is alone:
“I am outraged by the men and women who have their parents in a house and do not visit them – or the person who is in trouble… Concrete charity, hidden service is always the direction of our proclamation: words, gestures and songs, Without the concreteness of charity, it simply doesn’t work.”
(Vatican news)
The audience at the Vatican