Where there is the real Presence of the Holy Spirit
there is the Church of Christ
Gospel: John, Chap. 20, verses 19-31
Feast of the Divine Mercy
April 28, 2019
Homily of the Pontiff Samuel
(Draft)
«Peace be with you!». Jesus greets His friends in this way three times: «Peace be with you!». Just as in that first apparition (Jn 20:19-21), so on the following Sunday, for the third time He said: «Peace be with you!» (Jn 20:26). This is the greeting of the Master to His faithful friends. And this is the greeting that accompanies us on this day, so to be able to live and to continue to live He Who is risen; and thus to continue to celebrate.
And today our Church is celebrating, and is living the feast, this feast of the Divine Mercy in this Shrine dedicated to the Divine Mercy, in this Land of Love, centre of the infinite Mercy of God the Father, as it is written on that stone tablet placed at the side of the Little Cradle of Baby Jesus. That Baby Jesus who came down from Heaven to this Land of Love, whose Spirit is alive and proceeds in history. And in virtue of the Living presence of the Spirit of the Risen Christ, this Church IS, and the Ministers of this Church ARE.
«Receive the Holy Spirit», Jesus said breathing on His friends, as it is written (Jn 20:22).
Hence, where there is the real presence of the Holy Spirit, of the Spirit of Christ, there is the Church of Christ. The Church of Christ cannot be where there isn’t the Spirit of Christ (Acts 9:31; 20:28). The Spirit of Christ issues from the Father and the Son. And therefore, where the Father and His Son send Their Spirit, there is the Church that is in Communion with the Heart of the Father, with the Heart of the Son, and guided by the Holy Spirit.
This is the live and holy understanding of what the “Church of Christ” is: that Church over which the underworld will never prevail (Mt 16:18). The underworld will never prevail over the Church of Christ: that Church inspired by the Holy Spirit, guided by the Holy Spirit. But where there is a church not guided by the Holy Spirit, that house is no longer in communion with the Father’s Heart (Rom 8:9b). And being no longer guided and inspired by the Holy Spirit, it can fall, in that managed and guided by a human spirit that is only human or, in any case, not divine: that spirit which does not originate from the Father nor from the Son (1Jn 4:3).
This is the comprehension we all must have well clear, so to be able to recognise that Spirit that proceeds in history, the Spirit of the Risen Christ who guides the Church of Christ and gives life to the Church of Christ (Jn 6:63).
This is the knowledge and wisdom to which all the sons of God are called on: to recognize the real presence of the Holy Spirit, of the Spirit of Christ; to follow Him, to love Him, to serve Him with love, with living desire, knowing that all that is done in that Church is in communion with the Father’s Heart, knowing that every sacrament imparted in that Church is a Sacrament that binds Earth to Heaven, Heaven to Earth. «Whatever you bind on Earth will be bound in Heaven; whatever you loose on Earth will be loosed in Heaven» (Mt 18:18).
Here is the duty of those who are called to be Ministers of God and of the Church of Christ, so to be at the service of God, in Communion with the Pontiff, who has the task of being “bridge” between Heaven and Earth; and thus to be able to live in communion with every son of God, with every man and woman of good will who is seeking the Truth, wanting to live It, to love It and to bring It to everyone.
Here is the proselytism that every minister is called upon to bring, to carry out, just as every faithful is being asked to do, in order to bring to everyone again the good and joyous News, renewed in the Spirit of the Risen Christ (Mt 28:19).
Here is this Church, wanted by the Father and born to bring the Gospel of Jesus to the whole world again, so to bring everyone to the complete understanding of It.
Here is the presence of the Paraclete, of the Consoling Spirit whom Jesus promised he would have sent (Jn 15:26; 16:7). «I still have many things to say to you», said Jesus at that time, «but they would be too much for you to bear now» (Jn 16:12). These words make us understand that all is not yet finished, as instead it is stated in another house, in another church, namely that everything has been accomplished. If this were the case, Jesus would not have said these words: «but when I send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, everything will be understood because everything will be lived» (Jn 14:16.26).
Here is that the Father has sent His Spirit, the Spirit of the Risen Christ, here, in this Land of Love. This is why on that stone tablet – word for word blessed by the Father, and written and placed alongside the “Little Cradle” by means of the Woman who received the task of making it shine and known by everyone, Maria Giuseppina Norcia, the Maiden of God – this is why on that stone tablet is written “Era of the Holy Spirit”. This is the “Era of the Holy Spirit”. The Holy Spirit has never stopped moving forward in history. And we have confirmation from these words: «Jesus breathed on them and said: “Receive the Holy Spirit”» (Jn 20:22). And then again from the Holy Spirit who came upon those first friends (Acts 2:1-4). And then, what happened? Has everything stopped? Has the Holy Spirit stopped moving forward? Has He stopped? Or has the Holy Spirit continued to blow in history, to enter the hearts of all those who, guided by this spirit of service to God, wanted to bring God to all the nations? The action of the Holy Spirit cannot be stopped. Those who think this are fools. God’s sons cannot believe this as they know that the Holy Spirit proceeds in history to bring, now as then, everything to fruition, because in this Land of Love everything is brought to fulfilment.
Here is the foretold Consoler, the Spirit of the Risen Christ (Jn 16:13-14). And here is the Abode of the Father among men, the Promised Land where the Father has placed His Tent (Rev 7:15). Here is the New Jerusalem, written, proclaimed, prophesied, as it is written in the Book of Books (Is 65:17-25; Ezk 37:25-28) and where there is a clear indication of the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:1-3).
Here is this Church, One, Holy and Universal. A Church that wants to bring everyone to live “the” real communion with the Father’s Heart, so that all those who live this Church, who consecrate themselves to this Mother Church, who consecrate themselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mother Church, will be able to live the Mystery of the One and Triune God; and therefore, His manifestation as Father, as Son and as Holy Spirit; and thus to be able to live Mary, in Her being three times, Daughter, Bride and Mother; and then, Bride, Mother and Queen of Heaven and Earth.
Here is that everything is fulfilled and manifested in this Land of Love, so that everything may be understood and everything may be lived in this Land where the Divine Mercy is alive. This is the Land where all those who will come, here, with a sincere heart; and with a sincere heart will ask God for “forgiveness” in order to live in communion with His Fatherly Heart, will receive that forgiveness (Lk 24:47; Acts 5:31) directly from the Father, in front of this Living Tabernacle; and through those Ministers who, for being consecrated to the Father, to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, will always be at the disposal of their brothers to impart to them the Sacraments, that of Baptism and that of Marriage, the two cardinal sacraments of the life of God’s sons; and thus also making themselves available to confess, everyone can more easily reach the perfect communion with the Father’s Heart. Here is the task of those called to be God’s Ministers of the Universal Christian Church of the New Jerusalem.
And today, on this day, is a feast in the feast for our Church because one of our brothers is about to become a Minister. A brother will now be consecrated as Minister of this Church. And this Church advances in order to give joy to all those who want to live It: from north to south, from east to west. Here is the emotion that we together are preparing to live in the moment in which the Holy Spirit comes upon this brother, who will receive the Seal of Christ.
Here are those words that today we live again: «Receive the Holy Spirit» (Jn 20:22). Jesus who “breathes” making us understand this Spirit that issues from the Father and the Son, so that today who receives the Spirit of the Risen Christ, may “tie” or “untie” (Mt 18:18), communicate, help God’s sons to live in perfect communion with Heaven, in that Priestly Ministry that brings to be servant of the brothers and never to be served by them (Mt 20:25-28; Mk 10:42-44), so to be always ready, available to one another, in that spirit of service that characterizes this Mother Church.
That is why I say to this brother and to you all: once again today, in our hearts we will consecrate ourselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, so that Mary, the entirely Beautiful, the entirely Pure, the Eternal Maiden, may give us Her virtues; so that this brother and all of us with him may today again consecrate ourselves to Her Heart to embody Her virtues: the spirit of service that characterizes Mary, Her being faithful to God, Her being strong, humble, sweet, simple, so that the Spirit of Mary who in this Land of Love is alive may guide us, take us by the hand and lead us to love and serve Christ. And, as the Apostle Thomas did, for being able to proclaim all together: “My Lord and my God”; “My Lord and my God”; “My Lord and my God” (Jn 20:28)! And so be it.
