March 26, 2013      Martin Mallon  (Ireland)      Martin's previous articles

           A PROPHET AND A NEW PENTECOST

In his book  A New Pentecost?, Cardinal Suenens wrote, at Pentecost 1974, the following:  

I am a man of hope, not for human reasons nor from any natural optimism.

But because I believe the Holy Spirit is at work in the Church and in the world, even where his name remains unheard.

I am an optimist because I believe the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of creation. To those who welcome him he gives each day fresh liberty and renewed joy and trust.

The long history of the Church is filled with the wonders of the Holy Spirit. Think only of the prophets and saints who, in times of darkness, have discovered a spring of grace and shed beams of light on our path.

I believe in the surprises of the Holy Spirit.

John XXIII came as a surprise, and the Council too.

They were the last things we expected.

Who would dare to say that the love and imagination of God were exhausted?

To hope is a duty, not a luxury.

To hope is not to dream, but to turn dreams into reality.

Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true.  

Suenens, Leon Joseph Cardinal, A New Pentecost?, W Collins Sons & Co Ltd, Glasgow, 1977. Page xiii.  

I read this in the last week and it struck me forcefully how prophetic was Suenens’ statement. He believed the Holy Spirit was at work in the Church, he believed in the surprises of the Holy Spirit, John XXIII came as a surprise and was the last thing expected. Thirty-nine years later here we are surprised by Pope Francis, surprised again by the Holy Spirit. It would appear “that the love and imagination of God” are not exhausted and we were right to hope. Hope is a duty and thank God we were not disappointed;  before the conclave it was easy to lose hope, it was difficult to believe that even the Holy Spirit could pull a rabbit out of the hat, but He did.

Cardinal Angelo Comastri, quoted in The Tablet last week, confirmed the Holy Spirit is at work:  

“During these days we have felt the wind of Pentecost shake our souls!” exclaimed Cardinal Angelo Comastri, vicar of Vatican City , during a Mass last Sunday with the new Pope. “We are rediscovering the simplicity and the fervour of the early beginnings of our faith,” he said.  

Now we must continue to hope, pray and trust in the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of creation is at work now, creating something new. How wonderful and so much easier to believe with the selection of Pope Francis.