“While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul travelled through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. He asked them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?’ They replied, ‘We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’ He said, ‘Then what baptism were you baptised with?’ They answered, ‘John’s baptism.’ Paul said, ‘John baptised with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.’ On hearing this, they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in mysterious tongues and to prophesy. There were about twelve men in all. Paul then went into the synagogue and spoke out boldly for three months, discussing and trying to convince them about the kingdom of God.” (Acts 19:1–8)
This passage, which pursues the same aim as the preceding account of Apollos (end of Acts 18), is meant to show us a phenomenon observed in the early Church: there are people who follow Christ, who are convinced that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, but who have only heard of John’s baptism and thus have not received the Holy Spirit. In fact, the visible or tangible manifestations of the Spirit are a major phenomenon observable in the early Church: speaking in mysterious tongues and prophesying.
As has been shown elsewhere (see this major contribution), this passage, together with that of Apollos (Acts 18), seems to be a foundational text for Luke when composing or revising the first version of his Gospel. He will seek to move Christianity from an experience as seen here (Baptism, Reception of the Holy Spirit, External manifestations such as tongues and prophecy), to an inner experience where faith in the Word of God is the sure guide of the believer and the very expression of the action of the Holy Spirit within them.
Let us return to the passage from Acts cited above: we see emerging here a form of Christianity without the Holy Spirit. The solution found is to baptise them and to observe the outward effects (that was the way for discerning of the action of the Holy Spirit). For us today, we can of course think of Confirmation. Or, if we think of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, we may think of the “Baptism in the Spirit”.
Note: The “Baptism in the Spirit” in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal is not a new sacrament nor a substitute for Christian baptism, but an experience of grace which actualises and rekindles the grace of the sacraments of baptism and confirmation. It is a personal experience of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit which transforms the believer’s relationship with God, makes them more aware of the presence of the Spirit, and impels them to live a more vibrant and missionary faith. The following is a widely recognised definition in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, as formulated in the Malines Document, a foundational text of the Renewal (written under the supervision of Cardinal Suenens with the approval of Paul VI): “The baptism in the Spirit is a reawakening of the grace of baptism and confirmation. It is not a new sacrament, but an actualisation of the gifts received, which have often remained dormant.” — Cardinal Léon-Joseph Suenens, The Charismatic Renewal and the Church, Malines Document I (1974), §§25–30.
Central element of the definition: The Baptism in the Spirit is a prayer experience, often preceded by teaching or a seminar known as a “Life in the Spirit Seminar”, through which a person: consciously renews their baptismal faith, freely surrenders to the action of the Lord Christ, asks for a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit, often experiences a deep love of God and a renewed prayer life, receives (or discovers) charisms, that is, spiritual gifts for mission.
Pope Francis, in an address to CHARIS (the Vatican’s new service for the Charismatic Renewal), presented it as follows: “The baptism in the Holy Spirit, which you have all received, has changed your life […]. You have had this experience in your life: after it, nothing was the same.” — Pope Francis, address to CHARIS, 8 June 2019.
Theological points to note: It must not be confused with sacramental baptism, which is indelible and necessary for salvation. It is a spiritual awakening, often experienced after a second conversion — that is, a transition from a lukewarm or intellectual faith to a living and transforming one. A sensible experience is not necessary for it to be authentic.
How are we to understand these passages from Acts, the teaching of St Paul, and the precision added by St Luke in his Gospel, in order to better grasp the action of the Holy Spirit—so as to receive it, discern it, and cooperate with it more fully? An important element should also capture our attention: how can we trigger the action of the Holy Spirit, note it, discern it, and generally foster it?
In the above text, the means is simply the reception of Baptism (and let us note that initially, Baptism and Confirmation were intimately linked and were not separated by time – the Eastern Churches have preserved this link: Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist are received together). The immediate element of discernment is the speaking in mysterious tongues and prophesying. Yet this is not at all observed today! Spirit, where are you? Saint Luke, in the final redaction of his Gospel (see the works of Fr. Boismard, OP) seems to opt for a maturation of the Pentecost experience (see this work).
Today, the question arises: How does the Holy Spirit work? He is God, He intervenes – but how does He do it, or better still, how does He wish to do it? This question must be asked of Spiritual Theology. The old or classical answer is: “through the gifts”, and here the reference is to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. That said, all we know about the gifts is fragmented and imprecise. “Fragmented” in the sense that we always consider the gifts individually (see the Summa Theologica). “Imprecise”: the gifts are seen as something that fits onto the very growth of supernatural virtues (Faith, Hope, Charity, Justice, Temperance, ..). The process goes like this: natural virtues, supernatural virtues, and finally, the crowning element: the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Moreover, the gifts are not supposed to act all the time, but only when needed (see the Summa Theologica). We are thus faced with a higher, occasional, and fragmented reality. (The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit and Lectio Divina (video)) (For a deep and homogeneous approach see this major contribution: The Holy Spirit in St. John of the Cross)
Furthermore, our knowledge of the Holy Spirit is greatly focused on Charisms (see here), which in fact are not directly linked to sanctification. We also often forget the Gift itself – the Holy Spirit, God, Uncreated – who is the Third Person of the Trinity and whose profound action occurs in the human spirit (the supra-conscious depths). Admittedly, the action of the Holy Spirit in the sacraments is mentioned, but this is more discreet; we tend to speak rather of grace, which is not incorrect, of course. Let us also not forget the tendency to have a rather random and occasional view of the inspirations of the Holy Spirit (promptings).
The Mass, the Substance of All Things
What if we were to focus on the action of the Holy Spirit during the Mass – that is, during the two most significant moments of the celebration: the Proclamation of the Word and Communion (the reception of the Body and Blood of Christ)? What if we delved deeper to understand the action of the Holy Spirit during these two moments and during times that constitute a possible extension of these two actions of the Holy Spirit?
Important note: Let us first point out that the action of the Holy Spirit during the Mass is extraordinarily rich and varied and can in no way be limited to the two “manducations”: Proclamation and Communion. That said, it should be noted that His sanctifying action takes place especially during these two moments, hence the importance of focusing on them and studying His action and our optimal way of cooperating with it, in order to receive it according to the measure desired by the Holy Spirit, each day.
As for the moments that extend the action of the Holy Spirit during the two manducations, let us note two or three possible forms: 1- Liturgical silence (see Magisterial documents from recent decades on liturgical silence, its meaning and importance in the Latin rite), 2- Lectio Divina based on the daily readings and Prayer of the heart as an extension of Communion, 3- Paraliturgical celebrations, like a Liturgy of the Word Celebration (outside of the Mass)
The source of the most powerful action of the Holy Spirit (after Baptism and Confirmation) is indeed found in these two manducations of the Mass: the Liturgy of the Word – whose heart is the Proclamation of the Word – and the Liturgy of the Eucharist – in its sanctifying centre: the moment of Communion.
It is by studying attentively the actual process of the action of the Holy Spirit in Lectio Divina and in the Prayer of the Heart that one truly begins to enter into God’s plan, to align oneself with the transforming, sanctifying, and purifying action of the Holy Spirit. This is the royal road to the knowledge of the Holy Spirit.
Following and Discerning His Action
The questions that arise are the following: assuming we understand how the Holy Spirit acts in Lectio Divina and in the Prayer of the Heart, assuming that, with the General Help of God’s Grace, we manage to do what depends on us in the two forms of prayer (Lectio and Prayer of the Heart), can we truly follow the action of the Holy Spirit? Can we note its effects? Can we verify whether it has truly been at work? Can we discern its action? Can we help someone better attune themselves to His Action, to discern it? What are the best conditions for the fruitful functioning of lectio divina and the Prayer of the Heart?
Thus, the Mass enriches and transforms us, because we then open ourselves more fully to the active presence of the Holy Spirit—through and with the Word, the Risen Jesus who is present and speaks to each of us, and in His Body and Blood which are filled with the Holy Spirit, He who makes of us a holy offering to God.
In this way, we are focused on the essential aspect of the Holy Spirit’s Action; we receive the full power of His daily action, and genuine spiritual growth takes place.
Through His work in us, the Holy Spirit enables us to listen to the Risen Christ present among us; He enables us to put the received Word into practice. Through His work in us, the Holy Spirit transforms us into Christ. Thus, word after word, immersion after immersion (Prayer of the Heart), Christ grows within us, begins to take a greater place in us—it is no longer we who live and act, but Christ with the Spirit who lives in us and acts through us, and we then pronounce the Words of Christ. Is this not the ideal prophecy—constant and not merely occasional or random?
And when the Holy Spirit allows for the incarnation of a word each day within us, is He not truly teaching us the very language of the Son, who is the Word of the Father? Do we not begin to learn how God thinks? This learning of God’s new language is not mysterious—it is given to us day by day in the Gospel. It is the only language, the return after the tongues of Babel to the one language, that of God, the one spoken by the Father: the Son, living and effective Word, through the Holy Spirit. “But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a (mysterious) tongue.” (I Corinthians 14:19)
“And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in mysterious tongues and to prophesy.”
This is given to us every day, in the presence of the risen Christ at Mass—He who wants to speak to us, to incarnate a Word in us, to teach us the true “prophetism” of the New Testament. Thus we learn the language of God, the only language, the one found in the Gospel.
Read Also
– Checking Lectio Divina with a one on one session with a tutor is important. See here, n°5.
– Charismatic Renewal Through the Lens of Spiritual Theology