As we enter into this fourth day of praying the Pentecost novena, we may be ready to stop talking so much in prayer and to start listening. However, because God's ways and thoughts are so different from ours (Is 55:8-9), it is a fearful thing to listen to Him (see Heb 10:31). God, the Holy Spirit, will talk to us about our repenting from sin, forgiving and loving our enemies, changing our lifestyles, and trusting Him with our whole lives. The Holy Spirit will challenge us to submit to the authority of the Church in the context where we are least willing to submit. If we listen to the Holy Spirit, we will often hear Him invite us to receive the charisms we don't want the most. The Holy Spirit may whisper to us an invitation to pray in tongues, be missionaries, be celibates, or be martyrs. He may even want to give you all of the above. If we listen to the Holy Spirit, He will invariably and repeatedly bring up the cross.

As difficult as it is to take the words of the Spirit, Jesus with the Father and the Holy Spirit reassures us: "I tell you all this that in Me you may find peace. You will suffer in the world. But take courage! I have overcome the world" (Jn 16:33). Have the courage to listen to the Holy Spirit.

Nihil Obstat:  Reverend Ralph J. Lawrence, December 9, 2000

Imprimatur:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, December 12, 2000