Bishop Eric Menees
I never cease to be amazed
at the way God the Holy Spirit works in my life, both as an individual and in
my ministry as the Bishop of the Diocese of San Joaquin. One of the ways that
God blesses me, and presumably blesses others, is in the Apostolic Laying on of
Hands in the sacrament of Confirmation.
It is my practice to
dedicate time in the night and early morning to praying for each candidate
individually – asking the Lord to show me something about them and the ministry
that He would have them be involved with in their congregation and in the
future.
Generally, but not always, I'll have a dream or a Word of Knowledge regarding the person to share with
them as I pray and lay hands upon them. For example, with one man I had the
strongest sense in the core of my being that he was to step out in faith and
start a business. Unknown to me this young man had been wrestling back and
forth about just that question – whether to work for someone else or go out on
his own. Weeks after the confirmation service his family reported that the Word
of Knowledge that I shared with him resonated as deeply within him as it had
within me. He stepped out in faith, and his business has gone from good to
better and continues to grow even now, several years later.
Like all Gifts of the
Spirit, the reality of the gift is made manifest in the bearing of fruit. This
is exactly what Isaiah had prophesied when he wrote: "There shall
come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall
bear fruit. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of
wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of
knowledge and the fear of the LORD. And his delight shall be in the fear of the
Lord”
The fruit of the Gift of
Knowledge is seen in a deepening trust and certainty about the Lord. The gift
of knowledge is imparted by the Holy Spirit and is deepened through the daily
study of Holy Scripture and prayer. God is constantly seeking to communicate
with us, and His two most prevalent ways of communicating are through His Word
and through our quietly listening to the Lord. God may speak audibly, or He may
speak through a sermon; a teacher; a friend. When He speaks, there is a
resonance in your soul and you just know that you know.
We step out in Faith when
we act on what the Lord tells us. Whether it is a word for us personally or for
another, the Lord wants us to risk a little – share the word with a trusted
friend, member of the clergy, or mentor to get their opinion. Always make sure
that the word is in accordance with Holy Scripture and the teachings of the
church, and ultimately - once the Word of Knowledge is acted upon - take the
time in the near and distant future to review the results of that action. In
other words, ask: “What Godly fruit has this born?”
Pray that the Holy Spirit
will shed His Spirit of Knowledge upon you, that He may bless you and others.
I pray that the Lord may
bless and keep you this week and always!
Catechism Questions 131 - 14
131. What is the
anointing of the sick?
Through prayer and anointing with
oil, the minister invokes God’s blessing upon those suffering in body, mind, or
spirit. (Matthew 10:8; James 5:14-16).
132. What grace
does God give in the anointing of the sick?
As God wills, the healing given
through anointing may bring bodily recovery from illness, peace of mind or
spirit, and strength to persevere in adversity, especially in preparation for
death.
133. What are
sins?
A sin is any desire or disobedient
act that arises out of the fallen condition of my human nature and falls short,
either by commission or omission, of perfect conformity to God’s revealed will.
(1 John 3:4)
134. How does
God respond to human sin?
All sin is opposed to the holiness
of God, and is therefore subject to God’s condemnation But God in his mercy
offers forgiveness and salvation from sin to all people through the reconciling
life, death and resurrection of his Son Jesus Christ. (Matthew 26:28; Romans
1:18-2:4; 6:6-11)
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