Week Five

Prayer Before Study and Reflection

COME, HOLY SPIRIT

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the Hearts of Your faithful and kindle in us the Fire of Your love.
Send forth Your Spirit and we shall be recreated
–And You will renew the face of the earth, (Ps 104:30).
Let us pray:
O God, Who did instruct the hearts of Your faithful people by the Light of Your Holy Spirit, grant that by the same Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolation. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for Week Three:

The Angelus

V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
R. Be it done unto me according to thy word.
Hail Mary.

V. And the Word was made flesh.
R. And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary.

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray;

Pour forth, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ, thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by his Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of his Resurrection. Through the same Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

Required Reading:

Compendium of the Catholic Church #136-176

Suggested Reading:

Catechism of the Catholic Church #422-870

Formulas of Catholic Doctrine

The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12):

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.

Reflection Questions:

1.  How might your relationship with God, the Holy Spirit, change as a result of your study and reflection on the Holy Spirit?

2.  Which symbols of the Holy Spirit speak most powerfully to you in communicating who the Holy Spirit is? (Living water, anointing with oil, fire, cloud, imposition of hands, dove).

3.  God’s Spirit, who reveals God, makes known to us Christ, his Word, his living Utterance, but the Spirit does not speak of himself. He makes us hear the Father’s Word, but we do not hear the Spirit himself.  (Cf. CCC 687). How can you imitate this role of the Holy Spirit in your life?

 4. Share your reflections on No.721 of the Catechism which states: Mary, the all-holy ever-virgin Mother of God, is the masterwork of the mission of the Son and the Spirit.

5.  The Spirit builds, animates and sanctifies the Church. He sends [the faithful] forth to bear witness to the Truth of Christ and he organizes them in their respective functions so that all might bear “the fruit of the Spirit”. Sent by the Holy Spirit, how do you bear witness to Christ? What is your “respective function(s)” and charisms in the Church? (Cf. Q145,160)

6.  The Church is the universal sacrament of salvation: the sign and instrument both of the reconciliation and communion of all of humanity with God and of the unity of the entire human race. (Cf. Q152). After considering what the 7 Sacraments are and what they do discuss what it means to say that the Church is the sacrament of salvation and how this might change your view of the church?

7.  “The Church is both visible and spiritual, a hierarchical society and the Mystical Body of Christ. She is one, yet formed of two components, human and divine.” (CCC 779).  As Jesus Christ is inseparably God and Man so too is the Church inseparably human and divine. Do you tend to see the church as a mere human institution, just another religion among other religions? What helps and what hinders you to recognize the Church as a spiritual and divine institution?

 8.  “[Baptized, non-Catholic Christians] who do not enjoy full Catholic unity are in a certain, although imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church.” (Cf. Q168) Explain. How might this change the way you view Protestants?

 9.  To say that “Outside the Church there is no salvation means that all salvation comes from Christ, the Head, through the Church which is his body. Hence they cannot be saved who, knowing the Church as founded by Christ and necessary for salvation, would refuse to enter her or remain in her. At the same time, thanks to Christ and to his Church, those who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ and his Church but sincerely seek God and, moved by grace, try to do his will as it is known through the dictates of conscience can attain eternal salvation. (Q171) Reflect and discuss

10.   How has the Holy Spirit touched your heart and mind in your prayer and study of the Compendium over the last two weeks? How might this affect your life, your actions?