Approach the Tabernacle, by José Manuel Iglesias

"We must strive to discover the marvelous mystery of the innumerable Tabernacles - tabernacles - that form constellations of light visible only to the angels and believers covering the face of the earth".

Jesus is present in the tabernacle... He is offering himself as food.... The author of the book Acércate al Sagrario, don José Manuel Iglesias advises us that what "we have to do is to visit them and desire to receive Him.

There is nothing more effective than Eucharistic piety for walking the path of holiness!

There, in the tabernacle, He waits for us.... He waits for us to draw near and to meet Him, to identify with Him!

A theologian from Betanzos (Coruña) focused on the tabernacle

José Manuel is a priest and has a degree in Theology, from the first graduating class of the University of Navarra. He is also a member of the first graduating class of the Instituto de Enseñanza Media of his native Betanzos.

His priestly work takes place in many educational centers and parishes in the diocese of Santiago de Compostela. He also collaborates occasionally in some media. Among other titles, he has written the following books: La visita al Santísimo, Las comuniones espirituales, Una costumbre de siempre: la acción de gracias, Tratar a Jesús -Cartas de un párroco-, Vida eucarística.... As can be seen from these books, Fr. José Manuel likes to be centered in the Tabernacle.

sagrario custodia — **Sagrario custody of Granda.**

This new book of only 143 pages is divided into four main chapters, not counting the introduction, conclusions and the preliminary chapter. They are simple, close and easy to read pages that first recognize that He wanted to stay with us hidden in the bread; a madness that is the refinement of Love for all men and women of all times. But to be grateful for this madness, we have to learn or improve our Eucharistic culture and our approach to the tabernacle, where He is always waiting for us.

As already advised St. Josemaría since the beginning of his preaching, we have to "assault" tabernacles, look for tabernacles, says Don José Manuel. And in today's cities the task becomes somewhat more complex, since the churches are less conspicuous than in other times and are confused with other buildings. This makes it difficult "to pass unnoticed before the Lord present in that tabernacle, perhaps solitary, or almost ignored, in so many churches, chapels, oratories...".

Learning the civility of piety before the tabernacle

The little book dBolsillo, from Editorial Palabra, invites us, with experiences close to us, to know how to be; to know how to enter a church or chapel; to show the utmost respect for God present in the tabernacle; to recognize Him through silence and prayer.

And to know Jesus we must make the effort to concentrate in order to treat him and to know ourselves. Although "sometimes it is enough for us to be there, nailed before the Tabernacle, to look at him, to keep him company". And as the farmer said "I look at Him and He looks at me, so we understand each other".

acercate-al-sagrario-jose-manuel-iglesias- — Cover of the book by José Manuel Iglesias: Acércate al Sagrario.

I think you are here

This chapter unpacks the value and power of spiritual communion when distance or any other impediment prevents us from approaching a tabernacle to receive from the hands of the Lord. priest Holy Communion. Don José Manuel invites us to make our whole day a continuous Mass. In this way," St. Josemaría taught, "closely united to Jesus in the Eucharist, we will achieve a continuous presence of God, in the midst of the ordinary occupations proper to each one's situation in this earthly pilgrimage, seeking our Lord at all times and in all things.

The book "Approach the Tabernacle" concludes with a very special chapter dedicated to "The Mrs. of the Tabernacle": the Mother of the Sacramental Lord who, being the first tabernacle in the history of humanity, now always accompanies her Son in all the Eucharists of the world.

To kindle our faith and our love for the Eucharistic Jesus, our Mother is the best and most admirable example.

St. Josemaría Escrivá, June 26, 2009

Life of St. Josemaría Escrivá

Family (1902 - 1914)

Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer was born on January 9, 1902 in Barbastro, Huesca. His parents' names were José and Dolores. They instilled in him and his five brothers and sisters the Christian customs from a very early age. Confession, daily communion, the importance of prayer and charity.

Vocation (1914 - 1918)

Later, the death of three younger sisters and the family's economic bankruptcy soon made him aware of mourning and grief. This experience made him mature and tempered his expansive and cheerful character. In 1915 the family moved to Logroño, where his father started a new job.

One winter, when there was a heavy snowfall in that city, Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, after seeing some of the footprints of bare feet in the snow of a Carmelite religiousHe sensed that God wanted something from him, although he did not know exactly what it was. Then, he asks himself: "If others make so many sacrifices for God and for their neighbor, will I not be able to offer him something?" Thus, a divine restlessness arises in his soul: "I began to sense Love, to realize that my heart was asking me for something great and that it was love". He thinks he will be able to discover it more easily if he becomes a priestHe began to prepare himself first in Logroño and later in the seminary of Zaragoza.

Ordination to the priesthood (1918 - 1925)

At the University of Saragossa he also studied law, following his father's advice. José Escrivá died in 1924, and Josemaría was left as head of the family. He was ordained to the priesthood on March 28, 1925, and began to minister first in a rural parish and then in Saragossa.

Founding of Opus Dei (1928 - 1936)

Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer moved to Madrid in 1927 to obtain the doctorate in Law and exercise the pastoral ministry He was in daily contact with sickness and poverty in hospitals and in the poor neighborhoods of Madrid. On October 2, 1928, God made him see what He expected of him, and founded Opus Dei. From that day on, he has been working with all his strength in the development of the foundation that God has entrusted to him.

Spanish Civil War (1936 - 1939)

When the civil war broke out in 1936, Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer was in Madrid, but he was not in the city of Madrid. religious persecution forces him to take refuge in different places. Exercises its clandestine priestly ministryuntil he managed to leave Madrid. After a journey through the Pyrenees to the south of France, he moved to Burgos.

Pastoral mission (1939 - 1945)

He returned to Madrid in 1939 at the end of the war and finished his doctoral studies in law. In the following years, Josemaría Escrivá continued the mission of Opus Dei and directed numerous retreats for lay people, priests and religious.

His life in Rome (1946 - 1965)

In 1946 he moved to Rome for good. There, he obtained the Doctorate in Theology from the Lateran University. He is appointed consultor to two Vatican congregations, honorary member of the Pontifical Academy of Theology and honorary prelate of His Holiness. He is very close to the pope during the preparations and the sessions of the Vatican Council II.

Expansion of the Work outside Spain (1970 - 1975)

To consolidate the apostolic mission of Opus Dei, he travels from Rome to different countries in Europe and Latin America. He also holds catechetical meetings with large groups of men and women.

Death

On June 26, 1975 Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer died in Rome. Many bishops and lay people from different countries are asking the Holy See to open his cause of canonization.

Canonization of St. Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer

On May 17, 1992, John Paul II beatified Josemaría Escrivá. He proclaimed him a saint, ten years later, on October 6, 2002The Pope's funeral was held in St. Peter's Square, in Rome, before a large crowd. His remains are in the Church of St. Mary of Peace in Rome, where thousands of faithful come to pray and ask for his intercession.

The importance of St. Josemaría today

The importance of St. Josemaría Escrivá's message, his grace and his contributions to the Catholic Church are unquestionable. Of course, Opus Dei, and all that it has meant for the Church in the last century, remains in force.

But the transcendence of his message goes beyond the important work that Opus Dei carries out in the world.

St. Josemaría Escrivá, guided by the Holy Spirit, fought for the courageous message that all Christians, without exception, are called to holiness and to the greatest intimacy with Christ. And that they can attain it through daily prayer and contemplation, in the midst of their daily labors.

The saint of the ordinary

God is found everywhere: at work, in marriage, in the family, in society, in politics, in business, in study, among friends, etc. And in each and every one of these places and moments we have to be faithful witnesses of his love for others. St. Josemaría Escrivá invites us to discover in the little things of this world what is holy, good and divine.

To achieve this we have our work, willed by God for man, and which therefore collaborates in the redemption and sanctification of the human creature, as part of God's salvific plan. The salvation of man and the salvation of the world go hand in hand. The sanctification of the world, through work, is intertwined with the sanctification of the person.

The daily practice of this message, life in perpetual prayer, in every minute and every hour of study, of work, of apostolate in daily life, is a message that has exalted the faith and brought hundreds of thousands of souls closer to God, in a charism that God has given to his Church, and which has had its greatest exponent in St. Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer.

St. Josemaría Escrivá remains today a model and point of reference for all of us who wish to sanctify ourselves in our daily lives, and to bring to every corner of the world and to every aspect of society the best that we have.

"Following in his footsteps spread in society, without distinction of race, class, culture or age, the awareness that we are all called to holiness." St. John Paul II

Praying through the intercession of St. Josemaría

Christians have always turned to the intercession of the saints to bring their prayers into God's presence. And with St. Josemaría it couldn't be any other way. Here is the prayer to ask our Lord for his intercession.

Bibliography:

Opusdei.org

CARF Foundation and Altomonte Priestly College: a vital link for formation

The CARF Foundation and the Altomonte Priestly College in Rome have established an essential collaboration for the formation of priests. In order for priests to receive a high quality university education (degrees and doctorates) at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross (PUSC), it was necessary to have specific accommodations where they could also foster their human and spiritual formation.

The union between the CARF Foundation and Altomonte also strengthens the pastoral mission of the Catholic Church throughout the world by caring for priests from all over the world.

What is the CARF Foundation?

Since its founding in 1989, the CARF Foundation has been dedicated to supporting the formation of seminarians and priests diocesans and religious from all over the world, providing educational and spiritual resources in renowned institutions in Rome and Pamplona.

Founded with the objective of promoting priestly vocations and prepare the future of the Church, plays a crucial role in promoting the Catholic faith in 131 countries.

Since February 14, 1989, the CARF Foundation has supported the training of thousands of
seminarians and diocesan and religious priests. Promoted by Blessed Alvaro del Portillo with the support of St. John Paul II, it lives in the urgency of providing a comprehensive and quality education to seminarians and diocesan priests of the Catholic Church.

The work of the Foundation has always grown thanks to the generosity of donors committed to the mission of strengthening the Catholic faith.

What is Altomonte Priestly College?

The Priests' College Altomonte is a residence and training center for diocesan priests studying in Rome, founded in response to a wish of St. Josemaría Escrivá, and promoted by the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. 2011 and located near St. Peter's Basilica, seeks to offer an integral priestly formation in the human, spiritual, pastoral and intellectual dimensions.

To achieve this, it offers an environment conducive to spiritual and academic growth, providing future priests with the tools necessary to serve their communities with wisdom and compassion.

A special way to collaborate

The relationship between the CARF Foundation and Altomonte Priestly College is based on common goals: the integral formation of priests who are capable of facing contemporary pastoral challenges. The benefactors through the CARF Foundation support the students of Altomonte Priestly College by funding study aids, ensuring that no seminarian is prevented from completing his formation due to financial constraints.

This collaboration has resulted in the formation of numerous priests who now serve in various parts of the world, bringing with them the values and knowledge acquired in Rome. This joint effort not only benefits the priests, but also the communities they serve, contributing to the strengthening of the faith and the spiritual well-being of all Catholics.

A significant way in which the CARF Foundation and Altomonte Priestly College honor their benefactors is by celebrating a monthly Mass in their memory. This ceremony not only shows gratitude, but also strengthens the spiritual bond between the benefactors and the formative mission of both institutions.

One of the many beneficiaries of this collaboration is Koffi Edem Amaglo, a seminarian who has been able to advance his formation thanks to the support of the CARF Foundation. In his own words, Koffi expresses his deep gratitude: "The formation I have received in Rome has been invaluable for my pastoral mission. The CARF Foundation and the Altomonte Priestly College have made it possible for me to pursue my vocation with dedication and hope."

capilla-de-la-resurreccion-colegio-sacerdotal-altomonte — Chapel of the Resurrection at the Altomonte Priestly College.

How You Can Help

Through the CARF Foundation, there are multiple ways to collaboratefrom financial donations to the promotion of fundraising activities. Every contribution helps to ensure that seminarians and priests can continue their formation without interruption, which is vital for the future of the Church.

The relationship between the CARF Foundation and Altomonte Priestly College is a remarkable example of how cooperation and mutual support can have a lasting impact on the formation of priests. And, through their work together, they ensure that the priests of today are well prepared to lead the Church of tomorrow.

Body of Christ and Church: what is it and where is it kept?

Pope Francis explains the Body of Christ to us from the text of the Acts of the Apostles. The conversion of Saul, who would later be called Paul: "The conversion of Saul, who would later be called Paul, was a great event.Saul was a persecutor of Christians, but while he was walking along the road leading to the city of Damascus, suddenly a light enveloped him, he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him: Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? He asks: Who are you, Lord?and the voice responds: I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting." (cf. Acts 9:4-5):

"This experience of St. Paul tells us of the depth of the union between Christians and Christ himself. When Jesus ascended into heaven, He did not leave us orphans, but with the gift of the Holy Spirit, union with Him has become even more intense."

What is the Body of Christ?

We refer to the Corpus MysticumIn Latin, mystical body of Christ or Body of Christ when we speak of the Church as a single body, Christ himself being its Head. As the body of Christ we are one in Him. That is, we walk according to his precepts and united as Christians. In the sacrament of the Eucharist is contained, offered and received the very Body of Christ our Lord, through which the Church continually lives and grows.

By transubstantiation, that is, by the conversion of the bread and wine into his Body and Blood, Christ becomes present in this sacrament. This is the Eucharistic sacrifice, memorial of the death and resurrection of the Lord, in which the Sacrifice of the cross is perpetuated down through the centuries, is the center of Christian life.

With the Eucharist we give meaning to and are the people of God and bring to completion the building up of the Body of Christ and the Church. The simple offerings of bread and wine, placed in the hands of the Lord, become the Body and Blood of Christ. The priest invokes the Holy Spirit that he may descend upon these gifts and also make Christ present among us. At every Mass, together with this bread and wine, we also present to God, in a symbolic way, something of ourselves.

Being part of the Church "means being united to Christ and receiving from Him the divine life that makes us live as Christians, it means remaining united to the Pope and the Bishops who are instruments of unity and communion, and it also means learning to overcome personalisms and divisions, to understand each other better, to harmonize the variety and richness of each one; in a word: to love God and the people who are close to us more". General Audience Pope Francis.

Body of Christ and Church

"And this body has a head, Jesus, who guides it, nourishes it and sustains it. This is a point I want to stress: if the head is separated from the rest of the body, the person cannot survive. So it is in the Church: we must remain ever more deeply united to Jesus. But not only that: as in a body, it is important that the vital sap flows so that it can live, so we must allow Jesus to work in us, that his Word guides us, that his presence in the Eucharist nourishes us, encourages us, that his love gives strength to our love for our neighbor. And this always, always, always!

Here I come to a second aspect of the Church as the Body of Christ. St. Paul says that just as the members of the human body, though different and numerous, form one body, so the Church is the Body of Christ.So we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body.

Conflict, if not overcome well, separates us, separates us from God. Conflict can help us to grow, but it can also divide us. We do not go down the path of divisions, of fighting among ourselves, no! All united, all united with our differences, but united, united always, because that is the way of Jesus!

Unity is superior to conflict, unity is a grace that we must ask the Lord to save us from temptationsWe are not only a people of the world, but also of the divisions, of the fights among us and of the selfishness, of the gossip". Catechesis of the Pope 19 June 2013.

Prayer to the Body of Christ

Help us, Lord, to be members of the Body of the Church always deeply united to Christ; help us not to make the Body of the Church suffer by our conflicts, our divisions, our selfishness; help us to be living members bound together by a single force, that of love, which the Holy Spirit pours into our hearts.

Pope Francis.

"The members of the body of Christ follow Christ, who is the head of all." (Ephesians 1:22-23).

Where is the body of Christ kept?

Every time the priest at the Holy Mass recites the words of Consecration, the miracle of the Eucharist takes place; what was once bread and wine is now, under that appearance, the Body and Blood of Christ.

The tabernacle is the place where the Most Holy Eucharist, the consecrated Body of Christ, is reserved.. There is usually only one in each church or oratory. It is placed near the altar, in a prominent, sheltered and appropriate place for prayer. A corner that is easily identified by any Christian who enters the Church.

Ante the tabernacle in which the Body of Christ is guardedThe presence of a special lamp should be constantly displayed, indicating and honoring his presence.

We keep the sacred body of Christ within the Church in an immovable place, made of solid, non-transparent material, and closed, so as to avoid as much as possible the danger of profanation.

Bibliography

Catechesis of the Pope on June 19, 2013.
OpusDei.org.
Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Corpus Christi 2024: meaning and what it is celebrated

What is Corpus Christi Day?

Corpus Christi, in Latin, Body of Christis one of the most important festivities of the Catholic Church because it is we celebrate the presence of Christ in the Eucharist. On that day, we the faithful acclaim the institution of the Eucharist, which took place on Holy Thursday, during the Last Supper. When Jesus Christ turned the bread and wine into his body and blood, and invited the apostles to commune with him.

We proclaim and reinforce our faith in the presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, giving Him public adoration. That is why the celebrations of the feast of Corpus Christi include processions in the streets and public places in which the body of Christ is exhibited and accompanied by crowds of the faithful.

When is it?

Corpus Christi is a movable feast of the Catholic religion, contemplated in the liturgical calendar. As such, is celebrated sixty days after Easter Sunday. It is celebrated on the Thursday following the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, which takes place on the Sunday after the following Sunday. Pentecost.

Thus, the feast of Corpus Christi is the Thursday following the ninth Sunday after the first full moon of spring in the northern hemisphere, and of autumn in the southern hemisphere. Corpus Christi 2024 will be celebrated this Thursday, May 30.

Corpus Christi, its meaning

What is Corpus Christi and what is its purpose? St. Josemaría Escrivá reminds us that On the feast of Corpus Christi, we Christians meditate together on the depth of the Lord's love, which led him to remain hidden under the sacramental species.

"I would like that, in considering all of that, to become aware of our mission as Christians, to turn our eyes towards the Holy Eucharist, towards Jesus who, present among us, has constituted us as his members.You are the body of Christ and members united to other members. Our God has decided to remain in the Tabernacle to nourish us, to strengthen us, to divinize us, to give efficacy to our task and to our efforts. Jesus is simultaneously the sower, the seed and the fruit of the sowing: the Bread of eternal life".

He continues: "This continually renewed miracle of the Holy Eucharist has all the characteristics of Jesus' way of acting.. Perfect God and perfect man, Lord of heaven and earth, He offers Himself to us as our sustenance, in the most natural and ordinary way. Thus he has been waiting for our love for almost two thousand years. It is a long time and it is not a long time: for, when there is love, the days fly."

"For me the Tabernacle has always been Bethany, the quiet and peaceful place where Christ is."

Homily on devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. May 28, 1964. St. Josemaría on the feast of Corpus Christi.

Origin of the Feast of Corpus Christi

The celebration emerged during the 13th century. At Cornillon Abbey, its prioress, St. Juliana, had a great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. One day, she obtained permission to hold a special celebration in her honor that soon spread throughout Germany.

Thus, The first Corpus Christi celebration took place in 1246 in the city of Liège, in present-day Belgium.

Almost 20 years later, in 1263. In the city of Bolsena (Italy), the so-called miracle of Bolsena took place. Where a priest, who was celebrating the Holy Mass, when he pronounced the words of consecration, blood began to flow from the host.

Pope Urban IV instituted the feast of Corpus Christi in 1264 by means of the bull Transitururs de hoc mondeThe celebration was to be held on the Thursday after the octave of Pentecost.

That is why Corpus Christi is not always celebrated on the same day. The day of the celebration was always on Thursday, but since 1990, when this day ceased to be a holiday, the festivity was moved to Sunday. In fact, although the liturgical solemnity is on Sunday, several localities celebrate the procession on Thursday. ToledoThe procession, in Spain, is one of the most spectacular and well cared for processions.

For this solemnity St. Thomas Aquinas was commissioned to prepare the texts for the Office and Holy Mass. of the day, including hymns such as the Pange Lingua, as the Tantum Ergothe Panis angelicus or the Adoro te devote.

Later, at the Council of Vienne in 1311, Pope Clement V regulated the processional procession inside the temples, and it was Pope Nicholas V who, in 1447, carried out the procession with the Blessed Sacrament through the streets of Rome.

Subsequently, the Council of Trent, held in 1551, approved the decree On the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist. In it, the importance of celebrating and venerating the Blessed Sacrament of the altar during the feast of Corpus Christi is recognized.

"Let us widen our hearts."

Pope Francis, Feast of Corpus Christi 2021.

Processions

"As a peculiar celebration of this solemnity is the procession born of the piety of the Church; in it the Christian people, carrying the Eucharist, go through the streets with a solemn rite, with songs and prayers, and thus render public testimony of faith and piety towards this sacrament." canon 386 of the Ceremonial of Bishops.

Although the bull did not speak of any parade, the feast soon began to be crowned with a procession in which the consecrated host in a monstrance is taken out into the street. The first processions were held in Cologne (Germany), Paris (France) and the Italian cities of Genoa, Milan and Rome. In Spain, the processions of Ponteareas and Toledo are of International Tourist Interest.

Corpus Christi in Spain

In our country, the celebration of Corpus Christi has had and still has special roots. Numerous cities celebrate it with solemnity, the procession with the Holy Sacrament is joined by popular celebrations that make this feast a very important moment of the year.

The procession is especially solemn, the streets are decorated with ornaments on balconies and carpets of aromatic plants; altars are erected along the route of the procession, even the walls of the cathedrals are covered with tapestries.

Accompanying the Blessed Sacrament are the members of the clergy, the faithful and brothers and sisters of confraternities and brotherhoods, the members of the Nocturnal Adoration, the children who have received their First Communion that year, and together with all of them, the civil and military authorities, and even the academic institutions.

Corpus Christi in Seville and Guadix

In some cities such as Seville or Guadix (Granada), the seises, a group of children who dance in front of the Blessed Sacrament during the procession, will also be present.

Once again, popular art is present through multiple elements around this solemnity, especially the monstrances. This piece, made of gold, silver or other noble metal, is used to place the Blessed Sacrament in it and thus be exposed for the veneration and adoration of the faithful. Many of them are framed in a templete or throne that facilitates its transfer in the procession. They are elements of great artistic and material value, standing out among many, those of Toledo, Cordoba, Seville and Baeza.

As a curiosity there is a city with that name in the United States: Corpus Christi, Texas.

Bibliography

OpusDei.org
Turismocastillalamancha.es
Diocesisdehuelva.es
Catedraldesantiago.es

Who is the Holy Spirit and what are His gifts? Invocation to the Holy Spirit

Christians in the Creed profess faith in the Holy Spirit, who is God, "Lord and giver of life". He is the inexhaustible source of divine life in us. He is "the living water" that Jesus promised to the Samaritan woman to quench thirst forever, to satisfy the deepest and highest longings of the human heart. For Jesus has "come that they may have life and have it abundantly." (Jn 10,10)

Who is the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit who is one of the three persons of the Holy Trinity.. It comes from the Father and the Son. Christ has poured it into our hearts, to make us children of God and so that our lives may be guided, animated and nourished by him.

This is precisely what we mean when we say that the Christian is a spiritual man: a person who thinks and acts following the Holy Spirit who is his inspiration.

But in adoring the life-giving, consubstantial and indivisible Holy Trinity, the faith of the Church also professes the distinction of the Persons. When the Father sends his Word, he also sends his Breath: a joint mission in which the Persons of the Holy Trinity are distinct but inseparable. Without any doubt, Christ is the one who manifests himself, the visible image of the invisible God, but it is the Holy Spirit who reveals him.. Catechism of the Catholic Church 687-689

The coming of the Holy Spirit

Before the Ascension, Jesus had commanded the disciples "not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father. For John indeed baptized with water," he told them, "but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. When he has come upon you, you will be witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

A few days later, continues St. Luke, "when they were all together, suddenly there came suddenly from heaven a sound as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting; and there appeared to them tongues as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. Y were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues".

On this day, the Holy Trinity is fully revealed. and from that moment the Kingdom announced by Christ is open to all who believe in Him.

The mission of the Holy Spirit

Jesus does not fully reveal the Holy Spirit until after his Resurrection. However, he suggests it little by little, even in his teaching to the crowd, when he reveals that his Flesh will be food for the life of the world. He also suggests it to Nicodemus, to the Samaritan woman and to those who participate in the feast of Tabernacles.

To his disciples he speaks of him openly about prayer: St. Luke records this in verse 11 of his GospelIf you who are evil know how to give good things to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him".

And when he explains to them the testimony they will have to give, he says: "When you are arrested, do not worry about what you will say or how you will speak. When that time comes, you will be told what you have to say. For it is not you who will speak, but the Spirit of the Father who will speak for you". Catechism of the Catholic Church 689-690

The Paraclete who is God himself who gives himself to us to make us sharers in his divine nature. He acts in us by giving us interior consolation, that we can experience as an increase of faith, hope, charity, peace or joy that draws us to Him.

"No one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' except by the Holy Spirit," says St. Paul in the Epistle to the Corinthians. And in the Epistle to the Galatians: "God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying 'Abba, Father'".

The Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary

He prepared Mary with his grace. Mary, "full of grace" the Mother of the One in whom "all the fullness of the divinity resides bodily".

In Mary, the Divine Grace fulfills the benevolent plan of the Father.. The Virgin conceives and gives birth to the Son of God through the work of the Holy Spirit. Her virginity becomes a unique fruitfulness through the power of the Spirit and faith.

In short, through Mary, the Holy Spirit begins to put people in communion with Christ. "object of God's benevolent love". Catechism of the Catholic Church 721-726

The Holy Spirit in the life of the Christian

The knowledge of faith is possible only in Divine Grace. To enter into contact with Christ, it is necessary first of all to have been attracted by Divine Grace. He, with the Most Blessed Trinity, comes to dwell in the soul through the sacrament of Baptism. The Holy Spirit with His grace is the "first" who awakens us to faith. and initiates us into the new life that comes from knowing the one true God and the one God sent to us, Jesus Christ. Catechism of the Catholic Church 737-742

It is impossible to live a Christian life without Divine Grace, for it is our companion and the protagonist of our lives, Pope Francis said during his homily in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta.

"You cannot walk in a Christian life without the Holy Spirit."Pope Francis pointed out, and added that we ask the Lord for the grace to understand this message, because "He is our companion on the journey".

The Holy Father explains that without the Holy Spirit, who is our strength, we can do nothing.The Spirit "makes us rise from our limits, from our dead, because we have so many, so many necroses in our life, in our soul". It is therefore necessary that we Christians make a place for him in our existence.

Moreover, the Pope stressed that a Christian life that does not reserve space for the Holy Spirit and does not allow itself to be guided by Him "is a pagan life, disguised as Christian. He is the protagonist of the Christian life, the Spirit who is with us, accompanies us, transforms us, conquers us".

Francis made a call in Santa Marta to the Pope to all Catholics should be aware "that we cannot be Christians without walking with the Holy Spirit".without acting with Him, without letting Him be the protagonist of our lives".

Pope Francis explains faith in the Holy Spirit.
General Audience: Pope Francis' Catechesis for the Year of Faith.

The symbols of the Holy Spirit in the Church

Water from Baptism means the action of the Divine Grace in the soul.

The fire because in the form of tongues "as of fire" the Spirit rested upon the disciples on the morning of Pentecost and filled them with Him.

La Paloma because when Christ comes out of the water of his baptism, the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, descends and rests upon him.

An invocation to the Holy Spirit

The term "Spirit" translates the Hebrew term Ruah, which in its first meaning means breath, air, wind.

Jesus, when he announces and promises the coming of the Holy Spirit, calls him the "Paraclete", which is usually translated as "Comforter". He also calls him "Spirit of Truth".

St. Paul refers to Him as the Spirit of promise, the Spirit of adoption, the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of God, and in St. Peter, the Spirit of glory.

On the other hand, the church considers Spirit and Holy One as divine attributes common to the Three divine Persons. But, uniting both terms, Scripture, liturgy and theological language designate the ineffable person of the Paraclete, without any possible ambiguity with the others. The mystery of the cross of Christ and thus the Christian meaning of suffering, are illuminated when we consider that it is the Holy Spirit who unites us in the Mystical Body (the Church).

In 1971 St. Josemaría composed the invocation to Divine Grace, which has been renewed every year since then in all the centers of Opus Dei on the Solemnity of Pentecost.

Come, Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of your faithful,
and kindle in them the fire of your love.

Send your Creator Spirit
and renews the face of the earth.

Oh my,
that you have enlightened the hearts of your children
with the light of the Holy Spirit;
make us docile to his inspirations
to always taste good
and enjoy its comfort.

Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit

The gifts of the Holy Spirit infused in the Christian's soul bring the virtues to perfection and make the faithful docile to follow with promptness and love, in their daily actions, the divine inspirations. Catechism of the Catholic Church 1830-1831. Their gifts are given with the Sacrament of Baptism and are reinforced in Confirmation, but we must develop them throughout our Christian life.

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, his gifts are seven: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, godliness and fear of God.. They support the moral life of the Christian and make him docile and sensitive to God's will.

St. Paul says that the Christian's existence is animated by Divine Grace and rich in its fruits, which are: "Love, joy, peace, understanding, helpfulness, kindness, goodness, loyalty, gentleness, self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23).

The precious gift of the Holy Spirit is the very life of God, inasmuch as we are his true children by his adoption.

"Frequent the dealings of the Holy Spirit...Do not forget that you are a temple of God. The Paraclete is at the center of your soul: listen to him and docilely heed his inspirations."

Camino, 57, San Josemaría.

Gift of Counsel

The moment we welcome him and harbor him in our hearts, the Holy Spirit begins to make us sensitive to his voice and to orient our thoughts, our feelings and our intentions according to the heart of God.

It leads us to direct our inner gaze towards Jesus, as a model for our way of acting and relating to God the Father and to our brothers and sisters.

Gift of Understanding

This gift of the Holy Spirit is related to faith. When the Divine Spirit dwells in our heart and enlightens our mind, He makes us grow day by day in the understanding of what the Lord has said and done.

To understand the teachings of Jesus, to understand the Gospel, to understand the Word of God.

Gift of Wisdom

Wisdom as the grace of being able to see everything with the eyes of God: to see the world, to see situations, occasions, problems, everything, with the eyes of God.

Gift of Fortitude

There are many men and women who honor our Church because they are strong in leading their lives, their families, their work and their faith. Let us give thanks to the Lord for these Christians who live a hidden holiness: it is the Holy Spirit who leads them.

Gift of Science

In Genesis it is emphasized that God is pleased with his Creation, repeatedly underlining the beauty and goodness of everything. At the end of each day, it is written: And God saw that it was good.

If God sees that Creation is a good thing, that it is something beautiful, we must also assume this attitude. Here is the gift of science that makes us see this beauty; let us praise God, let us thank Him for having given us so much beauty.

Gift of Mercy

This gift indicates our belonging to God and our deep bond with Him, a bond that gives meaning to our whole life and keeps us firm, in communion with Him, even in the most difficult and stormy moments.

It is a relationship lived with the heart: it is our friendship with God, given to us by Jesus, a friendship that changes our life and fills us with enthusiasm and joy.

Gift of Fear of God

It is the gift of the Spirit that reminds us how small we are before God and his love, and that our good lies in abandoning ourselves humbly, with respect and trust in his hands. This is the fear of God: abandonment in the goodness of our Father who loves us very much.

Let us turn to the Holy Spirit

The guide who leads us along the path of good in our daily life is the Holy Spirit. We depend on his work to live according to the Word, to understand it, to direct our walk on the path of holiness, to act justly. He fills us with love, patience, peace, joy, goodness, meekness, gentleness, kindness and gives us faith.