Thanks to the surprises of the Holy Spirit, the Church moves forward.
During his homily at Casa Santa Marta this morning, Pope Francis reminded the faithful that God surprises us and that we must not be afraid of change and leaving old habits behind.
The Holy Spirit, Francis underscored, not only makes us understand, but makes the Church move forward.
“We can study the whole history of salvation and all theology, but without the Spirit we cannot understand,” he said.
The Holy Father stressed it is the Spirit that makes us realize the truth or know Jesus’ voice: ‘My sheep hear my voice, and I know them and they follow me. ‘
The Church’s going forward, Francis highlighted, is the work of the Holy Spirit.
“And how do I do this – you ask the Pope – make sure that voice I hear is the voice of Jesus, that what I feel I have to do is done by the Holy Spirit?”
Responding, Francis said: “Praying.”
“Without prayer, there is no place for the Spirit.
He invited those gathered to ask God to send them the Holy Spirit so that we may discern at all times what we have to do.
We must discern, the Pope stressed, and to discern, he said we must pray and ask for grace.
Francis warned against the mentality that if we do things the way we have always done, that we are safer, stressing, “The Christian life is not a museum of memories.”
“But to do as you’ve always done,” he warned, “is an ‘alternative death.'”
The Holy Father concluded urging the faithful to “risk, with prayer, and then, with the humility, accepting what the Spirit asks us to change.
“This is the way,” the Pope said.
