Meeting 3. - “Development in the power of the Holy Spirit”¶
Goal of the meeting + introduction for the animator¶
Our retreat introduced a lot of content. We would like the Sunday meeting to have the character of a common conversation over coffee rather than a common intellectual investigation of contents hidden from us. Today we talk about the Holy Spirit. However, this is not a meeting analyzing (a priori) who He is. We meet after the evening prayer focused around the person of the Holy Spirit to share what we experienced, organize it and name it (a posteriori). Such an approach to the topic is not accidental - the Holy Spirit as the Giver of Life often acts just like that - He surprises us with His action, and then in the Church we seek understanding for what He conveyed to us. Therefore, animator, you do not have to concentrate very much to “realize the whole outline”. You will realize it when at the meeting you gather what happened at the retreat and close it in a prayer of thanksgiving at the very end.
Do not skip the analysis of the Upper Room and the explanation of the name of the retreat. This is the only place in the whole retreat where we provided space for this. During the meeting we will use the term “formation” many times. Pay attention whether all participants at this stage of the retreat understand it broadly (formation can be reading books, listening to lectures, and even hiking in the mountains) - we very much do not want to polarize the community into those who form themselves in communities and those without formation.
Introduction¶
Yesterday a lot happened. As a small group we want not only to discover new contents together, but also share what we experience.
What moment of the retreat has been most important for you so far? Why?
If you had to describe the evening prayer using 5 keywords, what terms would you choose?
What surprised you during the retreat?
Every plan or effort of a Christian happens with the extraordinary assistance of the Holy Spirit. He gives us inspirations, He is in our desires, soothes our fears and gives power to make important decisions. We want to concentrate on the person of the Holy Spirit at today’s meeting.
Why do you stand looking into heaven?¶
One of the key places for the nascent Church is the Upper Room (also for the current liturgical season). Let’s try to recall all situations related to it and passage by passage let’s ask ourselves questions in the context of development, about which we spoke yesterday. We will see then that the Upper Room is a specific School of Disciples, in which the apostles receive a lesson on the way to their maturity. Analyzing these fragments, let’s try to look at them from the perspective of the Apostles - “empathizing” with their situation and what they knew about faith at that moment.
Note
Note for animators: in the Holy Scripture there are two narratives regarding post-Easter events. One says that the disciples stayed in Jerusalem, and the other that they returned to Galilee. This is not crucial for the narrative of this outline. However, it is worth being aware of this.
Let’s read:
And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
—Mk 14:12-16
Let’s ask:
What do Jesus’ disciples experience on this occasion in the Upper Room?
What step forward do the apostles make thanks to this in their faith?
The Last Supper undoubtedly associates for us all with the institution of the Sacrament of the Eucharist. This is a good association. However, the Church exposes something else to us - Mandatum Novum i.e. the New Commandment (“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”). The disciples learn that their life is to be service in love.
Let’s read:
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
—Jn 20:19-23
Let’s ask:
What do Jesus’ disciples experience on this occasion in the Upper Room?
What step forward do the apostles make thanks to this in their faith?
The apostles are witnesses of a miracle. They had seen resurrections from the dead before (Jesus raised before their eyes). So it is not “something new” for them! The apostles receive supernatural peace. They learn that they are sent on the model of the sending of Jesus himself.
This event itself probably also provokes them to re-analyze what Jesus said for the last three years, for example about his death. Christ comes to them with peace even though they ran away from him. This event forces them to analyze once again, with a fresh look, what seemed “arranged” - Christ trusts them even when they failed him, fights for them even after his death and resurrection.
Let’s read:
He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
—Acts 1:7-14
Let’s ask:
How was the Upper Room called in the fragment from the Gospel according to St. Mark? (also “upper room”)
What do the disciples experience?
The Upper Room is a natural haven for the disciples, to which they return even after a shocking experience. Christ whom they love, who died before their eyes tearing their hearts apart, and who returned later making them joy - this same Christ now leaves them again!
What step forward do the apostles make thanks to this in their faith?
Important
we explain the name of the retreat
This is not an easy question. This is the moment when the Apostles discover that they are not to stand and gaze into heaven waiting until the returning Jesus appears there, but they are to move. They realize that greater responsibility will rest on them from now on. They get a promise of help, but help to them, and not “someone who will do something for them”.
Earlier, the apostles in moments when they didn’t know what to do said “Lord, Lord!” and Christ was within reach. Christ tells them about the Holy Spirit, but the apostles are not yet able to understand this. He will always be with his disciples (including us!), but not in such a way as during the 3 years of his activity on earth. The apostles gaze into heaven - on the one hand it is of course positive, but on the other… they do it out of a certain helplessness and lack of understanding of what happened.
Does it happen to me to “gaze into heaven” like the apostles? When? What is this gazing like?
For what has responsibility been entrusted to me “here and now”?
Are there spaces in my faith in which, like St. Peter, I “know the teaching”, but don’t really understand it? Which ones?
Christ decided that it would be better if he left. He is God so he is not mistaken. There is one more event related to the upper room, about which we have not spoken so far.
Breakthrough of the Upper Room¶
Let’s read:
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”
—Acts 2:1-13
Let’s ask:
What do Jesus’ disciples experience on this occasion in the Upper Room?
What step forward do the apostles make thanks to this in their faith?
This is not a step forward - this is a breakthrough! The apostles do not take a “step forward”, they let themselves be carried away by the power of the Holy Spirit. They have no doubt that this does not happen by their power (they hid in the Upper Room not knowing what to do with themselves) - now thanks to the realized promise of Jesus everything changes in one evening.
When is the Holy Spirit closest to you? What is your upper room?
Have you experienced in your life any “breakthrough in development” of faith or not only? What kind?
Note
This is a question with a “muddying” tendency, but it doesn’t have to be so! Breakthrough moments simply are, only we are afraid to use the word “breakthrough”, because we often reserve it for some hypothetical “great things”, which we wouldn’t even know how to name. A breakthrough, however, is the first Our Father said with reflection on what is said, confirmation, Sacrament of Penance in which sin was named by name, a flash during the Eucharist “my God is really there”, saying “I love you” not as an unconditional reflex, making the sign of the cross with the thought of Golgotha, shaking hands as a sign of peace as if greeting a dear friend. Fight for this if you can. Your outline author
However, in my opinion, a justified question arises: since the Holy Spirit comes with such a breakthrough, was what happened earlier necessary? Let’s think about the story of St. Peter - all his ups and downs during 3 years. What harm would it do if he received the Holy Spirit immediately?
What did these 3 years give Peter? What does the experience of “trying with your own strength” give you?
Would there be anything wrong with skipping in our formation the stage of “figuring out” and waiting for the “descent of the Holy Spirit”?
St. Peter matured/formed in faith going through many difficult moments. Jesus knew that they would be, but it did not affect His motivation to form St. Peter. One could say that Christ always saw huge potential in him. These difficult moments prepared him for the experience of “Power from on high” - the Holy Spirit. After His descent in the Upper Room, St. Peter is still the same man, but his work and its fruits are more mature. The descent of the Holy Spirit is in a certain sense the fruit of formation. Without it, St. Peter’s will could limit openness to grace that God wants to give. The Holy Spirit is not a “different fairy tale” in faith - all the time we are descendants of Adam and Eve, to whom God gave free will. Formation prepares us for our act of will to submit to the Holy Spirit!
One can notice such a scheme: without formation we will not be aware, without awareness we will not be ready for a decision, without a decision we will not be able to open up to the Spirit.
What from your perspective during your formation (most) prepared you for opening to the Holy Spirit?
Push responsibility on Him?¶
Christ more than once prepares disciples for his departure. He didn’t want to surprise them. The apostles at the moment when they received the Holy Spirit, or gazed at Jesus ascending to heaven, had to recall these teachings of his.
Let’s read:
But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
—Jn 16:5-15
Let’s ask:
How does Jesus explain to the disciples the necessity of his departure?
Let’s read:
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
—Jn 14:12-14
Let’s ask:
What conditions our possibility of doing “greater things”?
It is worth mentioning that there are many more such fragments e.g. Mt 10:19-20 (“When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”). Jesus leaves so that the disciples can go further in their development. Imagine the Apostles who are witnesses that “everything that was said becomes truth”. Christ died and rose again. He goes to Heaven. He gives them the Holy Spirit (already at the first showing in the upper room!). They know that “they are to do greater things” and probably have no reason to question it. They surely have a sense of “great power” which they have in them and a sense of duty for it.
For what things are you already responsible?
How do you behave when you receive responsibility for something?
We analyzed the Ascension and the Descent of the Holy Spirit a moment ago. We consciously skipped one event that took place between them. This is the first great challenge for the apostles, their first decision which they must make without the presence of Jesus. They can no longer physically approach and ask him what He thinks. There are 11 of them and they want to complete their group. They must choose a bishop.
Let’s read:
In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. (…) So they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
—Acts 1:15-16.23-26
Let’s ask:
How did the choice take place?
What in this way of choice seems very good to you?
Is there anything in this way of choice that seems weak to you? What?
The most important thing in this choice was that it was! The apostles returned and learned the lesson from the words “why do you stand looking into heaven?”. They proceeded to action, to handling their reality. As best they knew how. They didn’t sit waiting for someone else to do it for them, they didn’t complain that they are unworthy of these choices because they messed up all along the line in the last days and disappointed their Master. The apostles do not shift responsibility for their life onto God. And this is their greatness.
What was the human action of the apostles?
What was the action of the Holy Spirit?
The apostles do not exclude God from their decisions, they are not proud. They cooperate with God while simultaneously boldly taking responsibility themselves. They are formed enough to know that this is not pride on their part at all but an answer to the expectation of their Master. This happens before the Descent of the Holy Spirit! Everything we said a moment ago about the breakthrough that openness to the Holy Spirit gives is true, but simultaneously it is preceded by our will and readiness to act. We do not want to settle what comes first and what second (whether readiness to act or readiness to open up) - probably it varies. The key is that both these readinesses meet almost simultaneously in the hearts and minds of the apostles - this is the key!
What do you discover in this that you could take for yourself from this meeting?
Do you see in yourself a temptation to ask God to make a decision for me? When does this take place?
Note
It is one thing to ask God to take care of something and another to ask God to make decisions for me. I ask God to deal with the problem of wars on earth and I see nothing wrong with that. However, I would have resistance to asking Him to decide whether I should propose to Sophie or Christine
How to reconcile constant openness to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit with courageous decision making every day? Do I see any contradiction in this?
Note
This is the place for the animator’s testimony regarding your path to Christian maturity. Your transition from childish faith to faith which is cooperation with the Holy Spirit. The testimony can be about this tension which each of us animators carries in ourselves, that on the one hand we always try to be open to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, which exceeds our every attempt to act, but on the other hand it does not exempt us from being solidly prepared for the meeting and “doing homework”. It is worth saying that this is not “twisted” but beautiful, that this defines our spiritual situation.
God wants us to make our attempts, to verify, correct, change. This is what development consists of - trials, errors, drawing conclusions, rejoicing in what comes out. It is so simple. When we do it with humility and fear of God, the Holy Spirit helps us. He does it in such a way as if He had been waiting for this moment in our life for a long time.
Spirit of the Times constantly present¶
Let’s read:
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.
—1 Cor 12:12-31
Let’s ask:
How does the Holy Spirit work in the community?
“Diversity of the Church is an assumption, not a result” - how do you understand this sentence? What does it mean for your life?
What are my gifts?
We have gifts of the Holy Spirit. This is a fact. None of us is deprived of the possibility of being a gift and service to others. The Holy Spirit, who as if confirmed the apostles’ way of acting with His descent, waits for our cooperation with Him for the Church of our times. The question about our gifts is therefore very justified. These are further clues for discovering our charism of life. At the beginning one operates gifts slightly clumsily, making “blunders”. Like every skill in our life it requires polishing and developing. This is how we started the retreat on Friday - that development is the nature of man on every plane.
What new spaces have I discovered recently in matters of faith?
In what way do I most often feel the action of the Holy Spirit in my life?
What have I learned about myself in matters of faith in the last year?
Summary - my expectation for the Descent of the Holy Spirit¶
We are in the liturgical time between the Resurrection of Jesus and the Descent of the Holy Spirit. The Liturgy is our inspiration for conducting this retreat. Thanks to these common meetings in a small group we want to better find ourselves in the life of the Church.
With what intention do you want to call the Holy Spirit soon on the day of Pentecost?
As an application from this meeting, let everyone choose one thing in their life in which they will try to apply the apostles’ method - find a choice between good and good, and then praying and trusting God make a decision themselves.
The Akathist to the Holy Spirit is a wonderful hymn of the Church about who the Spirit of the Times is and what significance He has. It is not a text created from theological deduction, but precisely from listening, from the Meeting of people with the Spirit.
As part of the final prayer, let us pray with the beginning of the Akathist (read by the animator or a selected person from the group) and then inspired by this we will develop spontaneous prayer: