The Holy Spirit
Working in Partnership with the Holy SpiritAccording to the Catechism in sections 1238 & 1302, the faithful receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit during baptism and confirmation. From that point forward, we are required to start working in partnership with the Holy Spirit to advance God's kingdom here on earth. Sacred Scripture contains many examples of how we can work in partnership with the Holy Spirit. For example, 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 says: "To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues." After we surrender our lives into the Lord's service, we can start working in partnership with the Holy Spirit to advance God's kingdom here on earth. God does not impart the Holy Spirit to his children just because we want to look good in church, nor does he fill us with the Holy Spirit when we want to sit around all day and watch television. God imparts the gifts of the Holy Spirit when his servants are hard at work in the mission field producing fruit for his kingdom. To develop a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit, it will be necessary to surrender your life into the Lord's service, ask questions about your life, discern the answers and proceed forth in obedience. When you are obedient to your calling, the gifts of the Holy Spirit will automatically flow through your life and into the lives of others. |
Unhealthy Devotions Devoid of the Holy SpiritUnhealthy devotions occur when the faithful attempt to obtain spiritual powers and blessings from sources other than God. When Catholics attempt to obtain spiritual powers or protection from icons, statues or divination, they run the risk of committing the sin of idolatry and bondage with demonic spirits. According to the Catechism in section 2117, "All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one's service and have a supernatural power over others—even if this were for the sake of restoring their health—are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion." A good example of invoking supernatural powers from religious objects comes from the Saint Joseph Capsule that is buried upside down in the ground for the purpose of selling real estate. When Catholics attempt to invoke supernatural powers and blessings from religious objects, they are acting the same as New Age practitioners who also invoke supernatural powers from talismans and amulets. An amulet or talisman is just another name for a magic charm that has been charged with supernatural powers. According to the Catechism in section 2116, "Recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to unveil the future, consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone." |