The Catholic News - SEPTEMBER 26, 2010, Vol 60, No19
LISS participants exhorted to be “Light of the World”. Photo by Seah Gerry
154 complete Life-in-the-Spirit Seminar at Risen Christ parish
SINGAPORE – 154 participants have completed nine sessions of the Life-in-the-Spirit Seminar held at Risen Christ parish. The Monday sessions comprised spiritual inputs by various speakers, workshops and sharing sessions designed to give them deeper insight into the working of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
The high point of the seminar was the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, where participants were given the experience of the love and power of the Holy Spirit. Many received the gifts of the Spirit including the gift of tongues.
Clare Kong, one of the participants, said: “The baptism of the Holy Spirit was my personal Pentecost. I was so moved I just wanted to shout aloud ‘Here I am, Lord, your humble servant ready to let you lead and guide me through the next phase of my journey. I am prepared to go where you want me to go, to serve with love. Spirit of the living God, rain down, breath of the Holy Spirit, fill me. Amen, Alleluia.”
During the commissioning Mass, Archbishop Nicholas Chia said that the gifts of the Spirit – Knowledge, Wisdom, Prophesy, Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues, Healing, Miracles, Faith and Discernment – can be put in three basic categories: Gifts to increase our faith, gifts to benefit ourselves and gifts to enrich and strengthen others.
During Mass, the facilitators lit their candles from the single candle at the altar and passed the flame to participants from their group as an exhortation for them to be “light of the world” in every place and every situation they find themselves in. Later in a symbolic gesture, the participants held their Bibles in their hand and placed some salt on their tongues to remind themselves of their commission to be “salt of the earth”.
We each have to discover our gifts and after doing so, use them or they will remain as latent power. This power is useless until it is used.
Most of the participants were from Risen Christ itself, but a sizeable number came from nearby parishes and other districts.
The Life-in-the-Spirit Seminars are designed to sensitize Catholics to the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives and help them develop a dynamic prayer life. It also animates them in their works of Christian charity.
-By Vincent Especkerman
