Charismatic Spirituality

David Wilkerson was just a young preacher in the Pennsylvania hills when he was stunned by a new calling from God: go to New York City to speak to seven young gang members on trial for murder.

But something much greater was to come. Once in New York, David was inspired to stay for a lifetime of helping troubled teenagers get free of drugs and crime. With the word of God in his ears, he founded an inner-city ministry still known as the Teen Challenge to change their paths and alter thousands of lives forever.

The authors of this document supply much-needed clarification of baptism in the Holy Spirit. They also provide evidence that baptism in the Spirit belongs not to the personal experience of the few, not at all to private piety, but to the public official liturgy of the Church. Baptism in the Spirit is therefore normative. The authors, supported by letters of encouragement from two bishops, suggest ways in which the baptism in the Holy Spirit can be reappropriated by the local parish.

Here are the sources of renewal, of on-going conversion, of the power of evangelization. For this reason, this document is of interest to pastors, liturgists, RCIA teams, people involved in the catechumenate, spiritual directors and those in spiritual formation.

Whether your spiritual life is in shambles or your faith is robust, whether you attend church or not, are angry at God or resting in God's embrace, you will discover in this book a path to authentic faith sifted through intense joy and disheartening loss, through breathtaking experiences and the nearly hidden reality of the Spirit tucked away in everyday life. In Holy Spirit, I Pray, you'll meet the Holy Spirit as you never have before--in prayers of uncanny candor and surprising beauty. Each raw, honest prayer is accompanied by the Scripture texts that inspired it.

"Jack Levison studies, meditates, prays, and writes of the place of the Holy Spirit in our lives with more skill and understanding than anyone I know."--Eugene Peterson, author/translator of The Message

We tend to overlook Peter's opening words to the crowd that first Pentecost morning, to our own peril. His denial of drunkenness in the wake of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit should stop us in our tracks. What was going on here? How did the apostles experience the Holy Spirit? What was he teaching them? How was he empowering them? What does this scene in the streets of Jerusalem mean for us today?

Father Raniero Cantalamessa offers pastoral advice and leads the reader through passages of Scripture and the Fathers of the Church to remind us of the incalculable power of the Spirit available to us. This spiritual "intoxication" is an infilling--through the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, and the action of God--that purifies us of sin, renews the heart and enlightens the mind. As St. Augustine said of the Spirit, "He found you empty and he filled you...I like this kind of intoxication. The Spirit of God is both drink and light."

With wisdom and practical insight, Clark and Healy walk you through biblical texts, dispel misconceptions, and show that there is an endless variety of gifts. They also show how the gifts are not just for a select few, but distributed freely by the Holy Spirit among believers. After laying this foundation, the authors reveal how you can activate the gifts in your own life and use them to benefit others. In this hurting world, you can give people more than just a message--you can help usher them into an encounter with God.