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Characteristics of a PM Home-Based Community - People of the “11 th Hour”. Chronology of Reception of the Holy Spirit: Upper Room following the Resurrection (John 20:19-23) He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. As my Father sent me, I am sending you (Apostles)
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Characteristics of a PM Home-Based Community - People of the “11th Hour”
Chronology of Reception of the Holy Spirit: • Upper Room following the Resurrection (John 20:19-23) • He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. As my Father sent me, I am sending you (Apostles) • Spirit of Mercy and Justice • Upper Room following the Ascension (9 days preceding Pentecost)Acts 1:7,8 • Wait • You will receive the power (Gr. dynamis) of the Holy Spirit, then you will be My Witness • While waiting, 1:15 (Papal authority as guided by the Holy Spirit) • Upper Room – Pentecost (Acts 2:4) • The 120 filled with the Holy Spirit (Witnesses and Papal authority) “Listen to what I am going to tell you” Acts 2:22 • To the ‘crowd’ of pilgrims (15 countries [significant – more than 12 baskets (JPII)]) • Be baptized into Christ • Promise “You will receive the Holy Spirit” 2:38
Chronology of Reception of the Holy Spirit: • Formation Period of the first Christian community (Acts 2:42 – 4:30) • He spoke to them for a long time using many persuasive arguments • They accepted and were baptized • (Approximately three years) They showed evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit • Remained faithful to teachings of apostles [docile reception of the Apostolic prophetic teaching of the Word] • Brotherhood (“ecclesial community” [JP II]) • Eucharistic (breaking of the bread) • Prayers (liturgical, communal [based on the model of the synagogue]) • Filled with awe • Apostles performed miracles • Common possessions (distribution based upon need) • Daily community • Praise of God • Looked up to by everyone • Daily adding of (those destined to be saved (pre-conditioned by the Holy Spirit through devout Jewish life) – MAX capability
The Filling by the Holy Spirit of the first Christian community • Peter and John preach the Gospel to the Sanhedrin (4:1-17) • Peter and John are threatened (within the laws of the Sanhedrin, a first official warning) • Peter and John prophetically preach to the Church future 1st martyrs (4:23) • The first martyr’s prayer (communal) (4:29) • The entire community is filled with the Holy Spirit – a gift from God of fearlessness in preaching Peter’s words. (Acts 4:31)
Chronologically what happens next: • The raising up of Barnabas (The Mentor of Paul) • The cleansing of the Temple (Ananias and Sapphira) • The first flogging of the Apostles • Gamaliel’s prophecy • The institution of the diaconate • The martyrdom of the Stephen • The Diaspora • The miracle of Philip with the Ethiopian Eunuch • The conversion of Paul
The Context of Christi FidelisLaici Based on Matt. 20:1-7 “We continue in our reading of the gospel parable (Mt 20:6,7): "And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing; and he said to them, 'Why do you stand here idle all day?'. They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us'. He said to them, 'You go into the vineyard too‘. Since the work that awaits everyone in the vineyard of the Lord is so great there is no place for idleness. With even greater urgency the "householder" repeats his invitation: "You go into my vineyard too".” Just prior to his words about ‘living communities’, he quotes Pope Pius XII Pope John Paul II 1978-2005
“The Lay Faithful ought to have an ever-clearer consciousness not only of belonging to the Church, but of being the Church, that is to say, the community of the faithful on earth under the leadership of the Pope, the head of all, and of the Bishops in communion with him. These are the Church. For them, the Church is the animating principle of human society. They are the front line of the Church’s life.” Community of the Faithful Under leadership of the Pope and bishops Animators of society (Filled with the Holy Spirit, fearless) Frontline of the Church’s life Pope Pius XII 1939-1958
Pope Benedict, Pentecost 2010 “The (Pentecost) fire of God, the fire of the Holy Spirit, is that of the bush that burned without being consumed (cf. Exodus 3:2). It is a flame that burns but does not destroy, that, in burning, brings forth the better and truer part of man, as in a fusion it makes his interior form emerge, his vocation to truth and to love. The flame causes a transformation, and it must for this reason consume something in man, the waste that corrupts him and hinders his relations with God and neighbor.”
Conclusion: • Acts 2:42 and the 5-point quote from Christi FidelisLaiciin context are the description of ‘living’ community • Together, with all of our being, we seek the filling of the Holy Spirit to be: • The Kingdom of God under docile submission to the prophetic teaching of the Word by 2nd Adam on earth (Peter) • Dynamis Life of the Church • Re-Orderers of societies • The ‘current’ blood flow of future martyrs • Father Al Lauer, please pray for us!