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Charismatic Renewal: October 21-23
Be renewed: Invite Jesus into your life |
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Written by CHRISTINE ALEXANDER
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Thursday, 14 July 2005 |
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Peter Herbeck comes into my home every Friday morning. A key member of Renewal Ministries, an outreach committed to renewal and evangelization in the Catholic Church, he is co-host of The Choices We Make, a half-hour TV show he shares with writer and charismatic renewal spokesman Ralph Martin. Though I found the Friday morning show quite by accident, it is no happenstance that draws me back most weeks.
Zeal for souls and focused teaching are hallmarks of the general discussion as the two men interview noted authorities, faithful people and those who have experienced spiritual power in their faith.
Mr. Herbeck, who will be a keynote speaker at the annual Catholic Charismatic weekend event in Toledo in October, discussed issues he views as most important in the church today during an interview at his Ann Arbor office.
Q: The Diocese of Toledo has been through some very difficult times these last few years. What would you say to those who are discouraged/b>
Herbeck: First of all the weaknesses and the struggles in the church shouldn't surprise us. We're in a battle, as Scripture tells us, with powers and principalities. It's a spiritual struggle, and we need to combat it as such. We need spiritual weapons.
Q: What about the discouragement/b>
Herbeck: More than anything else this is a crisis of discipleship. Infidelities are being exposed. The Lord's severe mercy is calling us to repentance - repentance is a good thing. The Lord is calling us back to a more radical abandonment and deeper love of Him. We're called to be more faithful - to seek first the kingdom. The purification is about getting people's attention. Rottenness needs to be purified. All we can do to fix this is more fully surrender our lives to Christ.
Q: How/b>
Herbeck: We need to encounter the Lord. Know Him personally. Are we living with HimNot just (practicing) religion, not a set of rules. Do we know Him - is He at the center of our lives
Q: How does one determine that/b>
Herbeck: Where do you spend your time, your moneyLook at your Visa bill. That will tell you what you consider important. When we're attached to the world, our taste for God dies. When you're at church and the question on your mind is How long do I need to be hereyour life as a Christian is not lived vitally.
Q: So it's not just keeping rules and regulations/b>
Herbeck: Jesus said He will satisfy those who hunger and thirst for Him. Our fundamental link is a conscious, daily life with Christ. That's the essence of it all. We can't get there by willpower. There is a joy in living with dependence on Christ. He satisfies our cry for intimacy. Your Christian life will be dry and boring if it's all duty, all religion. It's all a burden without the relationship.
Q: So how would one approach this relationship/b>
Herbeck: Pray daily. Ask the Holy Spirit for help. Read Scripture. Participate in the life of the church - the sacraments. Do spiritual reading, attend a conference. Find a priest or sister or lay person whose life is centered on the Lord and talk.
Q: How many people will actually accept this message/b>
Herbeck: It's the age-old message of the church. Discipleship is a simple thing: Love the Lord with your whole heart and then you'll love your neighbor. If we're passionate about the Lord, He'll give all we need. This isn't just pie-in-the-sky (sentiment); it's His word to us. You see a lot of this vitality in the lay movements within the church. At the center of each of these is an encounter with the Lord.
Q: Will this be your message when you come to the conference in Toledo/b>
Herbeck: Yes, I touch on these themes when I speak. Calling people to that fundamental link with Christ - that's the essence of it all. We need to be really honest with ourselves before the gaze of God. What do I really wantIf we are living with Jesus He'll lead us. He wants us to share His life with us. There is no standing still in this world. You are either for Him or against Him. Moving deeper into His life or drifting away from Him.
For more information visit RenewalMinistries.net.
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