Readings: Ezekiel 17:22-24; Psalm 92; 2 Corinthians 5:6-10; Mark 3:20-35
Having focused entirely on the Gospel last week, I overlooked a deep insight into Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. Namely, “We look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal.” (4:18) This week, in the continuation of sight as a metaphor of faith Paul, writes, “We walk by faith not by sight.” (5:7) What Paul is referring to in this letter is how the Spirit leads us.
The Holy Spirit always moves us, makes us walk, and pushes the Church forward. If we are open, the Holy Spirit can lead us daily in small and personal ways and at other times the Spirit can lead the Church in grand ways.
The Second Vatican Council is an example of how the Holy Spirit led and continues to lead that Church in grand and sweeping ways. But the idea of change often bothers us, because we want to remain comfortable. This temptation persists in the Church today. Some Catholics want to arrest the developments of the Council because they are unwilling to change. And what’s more, there are some who want to turn back the advances of the Council. Pope Francis calls this “being stubborn, and wanting to tame the Holy Spirit, and called it being foolish and slow of heart.” Others who are less charitable call it a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
The same thing happens in our own personal lives because we often resist when “the Holy Spirit pushes us to change our lives and to take another path, a path of greater holiness. Do not resist the Holy Spirit, or try to tame the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit that makes us free, with that freedom of Jesus, the freedom of the children of God! Do not listen to those who would act against the Holy Spirit’s prompting as those who are trying to reverse the changes called for by the Vatican Council II. “Let them alone; they are blind guides [of the blind]. If a blind person leads a blind person, both will fall into a pit.” (Matthew 15:14)
The first thing we can do to remain open to the Spirit’s prompting and to follow the Spirit’s lead is to pray. Perhaps through prayer, we can more consistently walk by faith rather than rely on our own limited vision. Our vision is imperfect. “At present, we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12) In the meantime, we are well advised to pray for the grace to follow the Spirit. There are many prayers to the Holy Spirit, but here is the one that was used at the opening of the Second Vatican Council and at the beginning of every session of that gathering of all the world’s bishops.
Opening Prayer
We stand before you, Holy Spirit, conscious of our sinfulness,
but aware that we gather in your name.
Come to us, remain with us,
and enlighten our hearts.
Give us light and strength to know your will,
to make it our own,
and to live it in our lives.
Guide us by your wisdom,
support us by your power,
for you are God, sharing the glory of Father and Son.
You desire justice for all;
enable us to uphold the rights of others;
do not allow us to be misled by ignorance or corrupted by fear or favor.
Unite us to yourself in the bond of love and keep us faithful to all that is true.
As we gather in your name, may we temper justice with love,
so that all our discussions and reflections
may be pleasing to you, and earn the reward
promised to good and faithful servants.
We ask this of You who live and reign with the
Father and the Son, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
(From page 191 of the Book of Blessings.)
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