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hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!'" (Gal 4:6), thus empowering us to articulate our appreciation of and love for God in the prayer of praise, which the Charismatic Renewal has restored to the prayer life of the individual and of the community.Proclaiming Jesus our Lord, the Baptizer in the Spirit (Acts 2:14,36):The final event on that first Pentecost day and the third element of that first Pentecostal experience was the proclamation of that Event and the interpretation of that Experience to every nation. That same Peter, who had denied Jesus before, (Lk 22:56-58), now stood with the eleven, no longer behind closed doors out of fear (Jn 20:19), but united as one body, the Body of Christ, and spoke loudly and boldly (Acts 2:14; 4:13), - "we cannot stop proclaiming what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20). For the Lord had bidden his disciples not to be anxious about what they were to say, "because the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say" (Lk 12:11,12).And as Jesus had promised, the power of the Spirit behind Peter's words brought about a double conviction: convincing his listeners of the righteousness of Jesus, the promised Messiah, sent by a loving Father to die for our sins, who though crucified was now risen, victorious over death, sin's greatest consequence, and who, having received the Holy Spirit from the Father, had in turn poured out the same Spirit upon them all to give them a new life; and convicting them of their own sinfulness, thus leading them to repent, to call upon and be baptized in the name of the Lord, and to ask for the Holy Spirit which they would then all receive, irrespective of sex, age or nation. Peter's first ever Pentecostal proclamation cuts them to the heart and evokes an immediate and unbelievable response. That very day three thousand were added to their number. A mighty breakthrough of the Spirit had occurred in human history, the Church of Christ was born and the Kingdom of God had begun. (Act 2:14-21,32-41).(Those crucial and precious nine days (novena) in the upper room, between the Ascension of Jesus to his Father in heaven and the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles on earth, spent in waiting with Mary and praying together and constantly for the gift of the Spirit, thus culminated in their joyful praise of God the Father for the bestowal of this Gift of the Spirit, and concluded with the grand finale of the dynamic proclamation to the people by the power of the Spirit, that the crucified Jesus is now the Risen Lord, Saviour and Christ, the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit, and the initiator of a New Age. Almost 20 centuries later the handed down memory of that first Pentecost at Jerusalem became for me a lived experience of the New Pentecost in Rome - exactly 30 years ago, 16 to 19 May 1975, of which the following account is a factual report and a personal testimony.)The New Pentecost at Rome: in St. Peter's BasilicaOn
the feast of Pentecost 1973, Pope Paul VI proclaimed the beginning of a Holy Year for 1975, and asked the Holy Spirit to initiate a new movement, really pneumatic, that is charismatic, which will drive believing humanity in one direction. In response to this invitation, Rome was, firstly, chosen as the venue of the first truly International Conference on the Charismatic Renewal in the Catholic Church and, secondly, the two purposes of the Holy Year, 'Renewal and Reconciliation', were adopted as the theme of the Congress. The International Conference thus turned out to be a Holy Year pilgrimage to the Eternal City, where I had studied for the priesthood, while at the same time proving to be a vivid testimony of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal's fidelity to the Church, a gesture of loyalty to its visible head, the Pope, and a clear expression of its desire to be used as an instrument, not apart from the Church but as a part of it, for the renewal of the whole mystical body of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.Ten thousand members of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, came from 61 countries, on Friday 16th May 1975, to Rome, the Eternal City, the city of Peter who represents the authority and the structural aspect of the Church, the city of Paul who represents its charismatic dimension, and the city of the Catacombs, the burial place of so many martyrs who witnessed by living and dying for their faith with joy. In welcoming the participants, Cardinal Suenens, the Pope's trusted advisor to the Renewal, pointed out, "There is no better place than this to renew your faith and hope, and to love as you never did before". Referring to the Pope's Apostolic Exhortation on Christian Joy, brought out on Pentecost, he exclaimed, "Show by the radiance on your face that Jesus is risen indeed." Reports were then given of the impact of the Charismatic Renewal in various countries, I spoke on India, and testimonies were shared of the transformation brought about by the Renewal in individuals, families and even entire parishes.Participating in the six workshops on Saturday morning brought us in close contact and fellowship with international leaders about whom we had only heard or read about. One of the most touching scenes of the Congress was the participants praying over one another and especially over the sick in small groups. The main focus that Saturday evening was on renewing our commitments made in Baptism and Confirmation and appropriating in a deeper way the life of the Spirit received in these sacraments. The evening ended amidst joyful singing and dancing to the hit tune of the conference, the Spanish 'Alabare' of Puerto Rico.On Pentecost Sunday, May 18, morning, the 10,000 Charismatics were joined by the participants of the Marian Congress and the other Holy Year pilgrims at the Pentecost Liturgy celebrated by the Pope in St. Peter's Basilica. It was not by mere chance that the two International Conferences, Charismatic and Marian, were being held simultaneously in Rome, and that their common presiding prelate
should be Cardinal Suenens himself, who, when he was consecrated Bishop in 1945, took for his motto 'In Spiritu Sancto', - for was not Jesus conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, and was not the Church born when the same Spirit came upon Mary and the apostles waiting in the upper room? On Sunday afternoon there were six more workshops, the most popular one being the Bishops', which was both entertaining and illuminating. The featured speaker at the evening general session was Cardinal Willebrands of the Vatican Secretariate for promoting Christian Unity, who spoke on 'The Holy Spirit and the Church', publicly supporting and encouraging the Renewal. He urged every Christian to appropriate the gifts of the Spirit and to manifest them in his personal life and as a member of the community.The Congress came to an end on Monday, 19th May, morning with the Mass celebrated by Cardinal Suenens at the Papal altar, and with the special Papal audience expressly for the 10,000 participants. The twelve Bishops, reminding one of the 12 apostles, and the thousand priests, dressed uniformly in a plain white alb and a full length simple red stole, concelebrating with the Pope's official representative, were a public witness to the priestly involvement in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. After Mass the people were waiting for the Pope's arrival, singing 'Alleluia' continually and in tongues, in harmony with the traditional organ and the modern guitar, and still both with decorum and with power, as I had never till then heard in St Peter's, so that the venerable Papal Master of ceremonies, who had earlier warned us priests in the Sacristy, "Behave yourselves, - no 'tongues' in the Basilica", told us later with tears in his eyes, "You have taught us how to pray in St. Peter's Basilica this Pentecost". Again as on Sunday the participants welcomed the Pope a second time not with the usual clapping but with hymns and alleluias, - and even with praying in 'tongues'.It was in his address at this particular audience that the Pontiff overwhelmed us by pointing out how "this spiritual renewal could be a 'chance' and an opportunity for the Church". Quoting St. Paul in his letter to the Thessalonians, he exhorted those concerned not to quench the Spirit, but to test everything (1Thess 4:19,21). He then outlined three principles from St. Paul's teaching on Spiritual Gifts in his first letter to the Corinthians, as both limits and guarantees of the Charismatic Renewal: to be faithful to the authentic doctrine of the Church, to use all the spiritual gifts for the common good of the community and to look upon love as making a perfect Christian, for as St. Fulgentius has it, "The Holy Spirit can give every kind of gift without being present himself, on the other hand he proves he is present by grace when he gives love."After reading out his official speech, the Pope put it aside, looked around and began speaking extempore and in Italian, which took everyone by surprise, referring to, as he
put it, "the other pilgrims (which were mainly Italian) not belonging to the Charismatic movement", but who were present at the audience. "They too should unite with you to celebrate the feast of Pentecost", he told the charismatics, "in order that they too might nourish themselves on the enthusiasm and the spiritual energy with which we must live our religion". "And we will say only this", he concluded, "Today either we live our faith with devotion, depth, energy and joy or that faith will die out." The Pope then departed with evident joy on his otherwise serious face, while the participants themselves left the new Upper Room rather reluctantly, embracing one another, dancing on the majestic floor and singing the Congress favorite numbers: 'You are my God', 'Alleluia, He has risen' and 'Sing to the Lord a New Song'.At a Press Conference attended by 50 reporters, six of us each from the six continents, with myself representing Asia, gave our impressions of the Congress and expressed our hopes for the future. In calling us to the spiritual combat against the forces of alienation in the world of today and in confiding to us the mission of witnessing the Christian joy in the same world, a joy which will renew the face of the earth, the Pope, we felt, was not only expressing the Church's love for us, but was giving an official recognition to the Charismatic Movement for renewal in the Catholic Church, something we did not expect to come so soon. Pope John XXIII had opened the window of the Church to the Holy Spirit, and now Pope Paul VI opened the door, thus setting an epoch making landmark in contemporary history, a New Pentecost for the Church. For me this first ever International Charismatic Conference I attended was as if the First Pentecost in Old Jerusalem had come alive - an anticipation of the Eternal Pentecost in the New Jerusalem, a foretaste of what Heaven must be like.
11 The Baptism of the Lord Have you ever wondered why theGospel narratives of the ministry of Jesus begin with the episode of John theBaptist baptizing Jesus in the River Jordan, which may seem to be such atrivial incident? Or why Pope John XXIII made the Baptism of Jesus the firstFeast of the Ordinary Year of the Church, immediately after the Solemnity ofEpiphany, which may also seem to be surprising? Things became clearer to me,when I noticed that the memorial in the Canon of the Mass in the Syro-Malankararite, calls to mind not just the death and resurrection of Jesus, as in theLatin rite, but even his baptism in the River Jordan. For in the early churchthen, as reflected especially in the oriental rites now, the Baptism of Jesuswas not just one more story in his life, - but it is a mystery, on par with thegreat mysteries of his Incarnation and our Redemption (i.e. his death andresurrection), - in fact connecting them both in a meaningful salvific whole.Jesus was now filled with the Spirit (Luke 4:1)As I re-read the Gospel story andmystery of the Baptism of Jesus, I saw in it the capture of a vision and thebeginning of a mission, - a turning point, so to say, in the life of Jesus 'asman', for the gospels tell us almost nothing about Jesus before that event. Infact people would later on say in astonishment, "How can he do all this? Wheredid he get such wisdom and the power to work these miracles? Isn't he thecarpenter, the son of Mary?" (Mk 6:2,3). For in the eyes of his countrymenJesus was like anybody else - there was nothing to distinguish him from therest of the village. So something did happen to him in the Jordan. Itcouldn't be that Jesus came there simply to be baptized by John the Baptist,for John was on the contrary preparing the people for Jesus through a 'baptismof repentance'. But Jesus went through this baptism, which he obviously did notneed, to publicly identify himself with sinful humanity, becoming one like usby taking upon himself all our weaknesses.It was after this act of emptyinghimself of his glory that the heavens were opened and the real Baptism tookplace from above to prepare Jesus for the people. Heaven opened before him andhe saw the Spirit coming down upon him and He heard the Father speak to him,"You are my own dear Son, and I am pleased with you" (Mk 1:10,11; Lk3:21,22). In other words, he had a vision of his messianic task and anexperience of special anointing for it. For he was now filled with the HolySpirit, receiving the wisdom to know what to do and the power to enable him todo it (Lk 4:1). He was now aware that he had received the authority from theFather to preach the Good News of Salvation and the power of the Holy Spirit toheal the sick and deliver the oppressed - and all could see the difference.His very reading of the Scripturesin the synagogue made them gaze at him in amazement. His teaching wasstrikingly
new in content and given with an unusual authority. All the sickwere healed by a mere word or touch. Those possessed by Satan were allergic toand afraid of his very presence. Peter found it hard to believe that a mancould command the seas and the winds to obey him. He would later reveal thesource of such incredible authority and power to Cornelius: "God hadanointed Jesus of Nazareth with the power of the Holy Spirit and that is whyJesus went about doing good and healing everyone who was under the power of thedevil" (Acts 10:38). But this experience was meant to be an example to anda channel for his apostles and his disciples down the ages.And the believers were all filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4)For what happened to Jesus at hisBaptism happened in a certain degree to the Apostles at Pentecost. Before thatday they were all so slow to understand the teachings of Jesus, so reluctant topray with him, whether at Tabor or in Gethsemane, so jealous of one another, soambitious for power and prestige, so suspicious even of Jesus, even ready touse violence to save their own skin, - and that in spite of being with Jesusfor three years, listening to his captivating words and witnessing to hismarvelous deeds. But just head knowledge or human talent would not change themor their situation. For that they would have to wait, Jesus impressed uponthem, to receive power not from below but, as he himself did, from above, apower that was not something but someone, - the Holy Spirit. After nine days ofwaiting together with Mary in prayer, the promise of the Father was fulfilledon the Day of Pentecost, as the Spirit came upon them, like a mighty wind rushingfrom heaven and filling the house, and as tongues of fire resting on each oneof them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4).And immediately after theirPentecostal experience, they threw open the closed doors of the upper room wherethey were hiding out of fear and ventured into the streets of Jerusalem praising God unabashedly. That sameterror stricken Peter who denied Jesus when confronted by a mere maidservantnow dared to proclaim him boldly to the whole of Israel as the only Savior and Lord,with startling results. That same doubting Peter who sank like a rock could nowheal the lame man with a faith as strong as a rock in the power of the Spiritwithin him. No threats or punishment would stop him from speaking about what hehad seen in and heard from Jesus, even counting it a joy to suffer for him. Andunder his leadership the first Christians were one in heart and mind, evenpooling all their resources together so that there was no needy person amongthem (Acts 4:32).So you too must be filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18)What happened to Jesus in theJordan, what happened to the Apostles in the Upper Room, has been happening tothe Church during all these twenty centuries, - but in a very special wayduring the last four decades through the many and varied renewal movements
inthe Church, in answer to the prayer of Pope John XXIII on 25th January 1959 fora New Pentecost in the Church in order to usher in a Renewal that would bemanifested by Signs and Wonders. The Holy Spirit has indeed been coming downupon God's people, as it did upon Jesus (Lk 3:22) and upon Mary and theApostles (Acts 2:4), and God is now with them in power (Acts 10:38), and Jesusis working in them with wonders (Mk 16:20). But are we becoming more aware thatwe too have received the same Spirit (Acts 19:2). Are we letting the Spiritfill and control our life? (Eph 5:18). Let us therefore make our own the thirdEucharistic Prayer, "Father, grant that we, who are nourished by the bodyand blood of your Son, may be filled with his Holy Spirit, and become one body,one spirit in Christ."
15 Couples in Christ: The Healing of and in MarriageGod's plan and the Enemy's counter plan:The Bible begins with God's beautiful plan for man and with the havoc done to it by the Enemy. For God created not just individuals in his own image and likeness, but marriages and families, as a reflection of his own Trinitarian community life. However that was not to last long for the Serpent, the Tempter, had an evil plan for man, by leading him to prove himself superior to God and so disobey him, that brought with it disobedience and rebellion in marriage and family too (Gen 1,2,3). If God then is man's eternal friend, Satan, that is what his name means in Hebrew and in the Greek translation, is man's eternal enemy. And just as Satan's strategy is to destroy the kingdom of God, (i.e., God's loving plan for man's salvation and happiness), through his two-pronged attack in disturbing the marriage and thus crippling the family (Gen 3), so God's plan is to restore in Christ all things, especially marriage and the family.The Restoration of marriage in Christ:Christ therefore reminded his disciples, living in a world of infidelity in and brevity of marriage relationships, with its consequent disaster on the family, of the pristine divine plan that marriage is a close and committed relationship between man and woman, that is meant to be both exclusive (one to one) and for keeps (forever and ever). The Apostle Paul would even dare to state that Christian marriage must have as its model God's faithful and tender love for his people, which never changes and is still always fresh, and on Jesus' own sacrificial love for his church, shown by word and deed. Marriage is therefore not just an escape route or even an emotional falling in love, but a love relationship based on mutual reverential respect as its foundation, on mutual total trust as its building and on mutual constant caring or concern as its roof.Today's breakdown of marriage:Unfortunately today more than ever before, the breakdown of marriage and family life is more the rule than the exception, due perhaps to a lack of prayerful togetherness of the family at the end of the day and a lack of time for the couple to share with one other their joys and their sorrows, to the easy availability of drugs and uninhibited use of alcoholic beverages, to the husband's violence and the father's irresponsibility, to the glorification of gay marriages and the acceptance of the single parent phenomenon, to the laxity of the abortion laws and the spread of night life in bars and discos, to pornographic material entering the home through the internet and the need maybe of both parents working especially abroad, thus leaving their small children in the hands of questionable servants and their teenage sons and daughters in the company of the wrong 'friends'.Before marriage - the scars of the past:But an all important reason why marriages often don't work even from day or night one, is that couples enter marriage with the wounds
of their infancy, childhood and youth still not healed and so, in spite of their best intentions and efforts, their marriage will be heading towards and may be doomed to failure. If the woman had been subjected to child sexual abuse from a stranger or a close relative, and particularly from a person in authority and of her confidence, she will not only find it difficult to have a normal healthy marriage relationship, but she may be unable to come out of a lifelong fear and even hatred of men and may still regard sex as something dirty or even sinful. If a man had in his childhood 'caught' his mother, whom he otherwise adored, doing something 'wrong' with someone not his father, he will now routinely suspect even his wife, knowing at the same time that he has no reason to do so, but cannot understand why he is acting in this way.During marriage - the hurts of the present:How often while counseling a wife, whose marriage was already broken or about to reach breaking point, both in the five parishes I have ministered and in the hundred of retreats that I have given, has she admitted that since hers was a proposal marriage, (but this holds good even for so called love marriages), she was not aware that her husband was an alcoholic or a schizophrenic, while his family hid this from her, since they wanted to get him off their hands, while she in her impatient desire for marriage was prepared to take up any man that was promised to her or accepted her. However many women have also revealed rather reluctantly that they were aware that their husbands were, e.g., alcoholics, but they were hoping to change them with their love, which unfortunately rarely ever happens. One will occasionally during counseling even come across wives, who have married men, whom they knew were confirmed drug addicts or were tested HIV positive, for the sole reason that they loved them, - and a priest or marriage counselor can do little about it!The burden of guilt - influencing the future of marriage:On the other hand, how many women, who were otherwise not just upright but pious and very religious, have confessed to the Lord in deep repentance how, much against their strict religious upbringing, their nobler instincts and their uncompromising standards of honesty and goodness, they somehow fell or landed into a 'wrong' relationship, when the three things that almost all of them said they wanted and expected most from their husbands, i.e., attention, understanding and caring, they experienced instead in someone else, drawing them irresistibly towards this person, but often bringing in its train only an unsupportable burden of guilt and gloom. One of them shared that though in the eyes of the world her popular husband was a thorough gentleman, her life at home had become a veritable hell, since he was constantly accusing her of being unfaithful. She had reached the end of her tether, so that in sheer disgust, when the opportunity presented itself, she gave