Docility to the Holy Spirit

by Thomas Montanaro, LC | Source: clues

Thirteen year ago I was attending a Papal Mass here in Rome for the first time. It was Pentecost, 1998, Blessed John Paul II was celebrating and we had incredible seats behind the altar. I don’t remember so much of the homily (I suppose it was in Italian), but I do remember one great lesson John Paul left. He gave it to us during the final procession on his way to the Papal Sacristy inside the Basilica.

A few yards before entering the Basilica, he slowed down, stopped, turned to his right where we were cheering, he smiled and motioned with his forefinger in his paternal way, as if to say, “come here.” I was ecstatic and expected some of the young people in the few rows that separated Blessed JP2 and I to jump over the barrier and give him a hug, after all, he was calling us to him. Not only that, but he motioned a second time, and then again, while the master of ceremonies was politely trying to encourage him to continue the procession into the Basilica. This was not in the plans, at least the master of ceremonies’ plans, but yes in the Holy Spirit’s plans, and John Paul was as docile as ever, listening to his promptings, doing what he did best – being his instrument.

The three “come here” motions of our Blessed Wojtyla, for some of us turned into the insistent call of our Lord to come and follow him. His vicar was that finely tuned instrument, doing what God wanted, what the Holy Spirit prompted, being his heart and finger, his smile, his instrument. There are at least two of us here in our religious house today that were there in 1998 and are now on our last steps toward ordination.

What fine-tunes us so God can use us as his instruments? Docility to his inspirations. Prayer, silence, generosity, attentiveness to others and their needs are among some of the ingredients. When there is this interior silence, we can sense this gentle tug on our heart, this free invitation to give ourselves for others, to do what we would not naturally, but what God desires. Many times we will not realize that God has used us, because he is so subtle, the Gentle Guest of the soul, but there we are, a finely tuned instrument, participating with the saints in the empire of harmony, offering ourselves for the praise and glory of the Most Holy Trinity.

Thomas Montanaro, LC studies for the priesthood in Rome.

Question or comment? Please, write to Fr. Nathan Miller, LC at nmiller@legionaries.org

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