"The answer to every prayer is the same; it's the gift of the Holy Spirit. That's not, maybe, healing Grandma right away. But if there is an influx of the Spirit, then God has answered the prayer."
Fr. Richard Rohr, "Immortal Diamond" course materials
I can't tell you what this did to me when I heard it as part of my CAC course a couple of weeks ago. It's like all the world made sense to me in one little paragraph. It explains how God is active and vibrant in our lives, without necessarily manipulating events, when we ask for this or that. It sent me scurrying to remember the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the fruits of the Spirit, which all weave together to perfectly demonstrate how God answers prayer. Fr. Rohr points out the passage in Luke where Jesus says, "...how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask?" (Luke 11:13). Praying for the Holy Spirit makes sense to me, but the idea of every prayer being answered with the Holy Spirit feels new. No matter what we pray for, the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit are the answer. We may pray for healing, for example, and the Holy Spirit gives us the gift of understanding and the fruits of patience and peace as we heal. This seems huge for me, Friends! As I have grown in faith, I can appreciate how God helps us from the inside, giving us whatever we need to live our lives. All we need is the Holy Spirit. And, in today's Gospel, Jesus assures us, "The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you." (John 14:26) Love, heidi
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