The waves of Christianity

Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2021 9:25 am Post subject: The waves of Christianity

The first wave began with the decision of the Light-Life Movement to open itself to the reality of the Holy Spirit. Amidst political pressures, prohibitions, and restrictions, these neophytes, anointed by the Spirit, experienced inexplicable freedom, joy, the gift of tongues, and other charisms, completely incompatible with the logic of this world. Unfortunately, not everyone understood this, probably because this breeze had Protestant connotations. For many, entering the new was, at best, a mistake. Distance, prejudice, and internal division within the Movement towards this new, uncontrollable Presence extinguished the nationwide awakening at the time. The Oasis was quickly shut down in halls and reduced to a federation of youth and family ministries. Those renewed by the Spirit emigrated en masse to the nascent Renewal in the Holy Spirit.

This new, vibrant impulse of the Paraclete was stirred from its very beginnings for one purpose: to rebuild the unity of the whole Church. So that those born anew could renew the Church, making her anew one. The possibility of a common way for disparate brethren - a utopian dream until then - became the opportunity for much greater dreams. The mutual exchange of gifts was a challenge: exciting, courageous, and... difficult. And a much-needed one. These brave warriors had to pay a big cost and overcome a lot of pressure indeed. Unfortunately, as the pressure mounted, they allowed fear to rise above confidence. The apogee of the former spawned painful crises, the effects of which are still felt today, in the form of the strongholds grown in their minds against each other: prejudice, aversion, distrust. And life's battered mission was soon forgotten. Windows, porches, and vestibules were built up with a thick, thankless wall of "non-news" to protect against the unusual, the unfamiliar, the un-Catholic. Privatization erected a tight dam for this powerful second wave. And it reduced the unbridled Ruah to what was tried, comfortable, and safe. It was not without disappointment and - again - many emigrations.

The third wave continues today. The spring of the Church is awakening in dozens of cities, on the periphery, outside the structural main-stream. These unaffiliated, unsupported, back-breaking raptors, scattered in the corners of cities and villages, have taken up the baton of the legacy of previous generations and begun a new evangelization. The goals were still the same, following Fr Blachnicki: to see a complete, authentic, evangelical, and supernatural Catholicism. And most importantly: one. The Church united by the Spirit, living by the Word; the Church that gathers, not that scatters. A fresh breeze of the Spirit has already begun to touch celebrities, politicians, businessmen. And convening in churches, cathedrals, and arenas crowds of thousands of hungry people. But the unconventional, including experiences of God's power, charisms, or signs and wonders accompanying the bold proclamation of the Gospel, while increasingly necessary and commonplace, began in places - as before, as always - to become threatening and uncomfortable. The movement was confronted with a storm of pentecostalism and slander. This was to be expected. After all, it's all about Christ.