How Does In God's Love relate to the Catholic Church?

How does In God's Love 
written by Janet Hurlow
relate to 
the Catholic Faith ?

  Chapter 2 We Believe in One Triune God (continued) 8/12

            Part 9 The Holy Spirit the Third Person of the Trinity  
                                                                                                 (continued)

                    Section 4 The Holy Spirit is Creator, Life Giver,
                                          and Spiritual Union of all Creation  

174          The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, is many things: “Come, speak to God, the author of truth.  His Spirit is light, life and happiness.  His Spirit is care and knowledge.  All these things, man desires.”(475)    The first things to focus on are life and creation.  The Catechism states that the “Church's faith likewise confesses the creative action of the Holy Spirit, the ‘giver of life’, ‘the Creator Spirit’ (Veni, Creator Spiritus), the ‘source of every good.’”(476)   The messengers of In God’s Love state that “Everything God has made is a creation of great beauty.  All creation is made by God’s Spirit.  He did all this with His own hands.”(477)   Everything includes many things that man cannot see.(478)   “Earth people, God holds each tiny seed (before conception) in His Spirit and calls them by name,“Sirts.”(479)   Indeed, this Holy Spirit “reaches out to everything He has made.”(480)

175           Not only does the Holy Spirit reach out to all that it created, but, furthermore “the Spirit of God is in everything.  He has made it all and touched it with great beauty.  His Spirit has no ending.”(481)   As is written in the book of Wisdom, “for your imperishable spirit is in all things.”(482)   The messengers state, “Would you bless with the sweet source of life that flows from the Father?  Earth’s beauty worships at God’s feet in all things.  In things created, His spirit is known.”(483)  All that has life comes from the Holy Spirit, for they write, “In God’s Spirit are all things. All else is seen as void.  In this Spirit is all life.  Such as are not of God are dead.”(484)  The living that remain in the Spirit do not remain stagnant, but continue to be created by the Holy Spirit for they state, “Seek God’s Spirit, and you shall be created,”(485)  and, “So sweetly and slowly, God’s creations unfold in God’s Spirit.”(486)  

176           The Holy Spirit is also the unity for all the things that are created by Him and remain in Him.  The messengers state, “Saints of Earth, in this Spirit is the whole unity of things that are made.”(487)   They tell us to “Make such an effort to enter this union of creation.  Reach this spiritual union in God’s Spirit.”(488)  

177           The Holy Spirit is life.  The messengers proclaim that the gift of life is the greatest gift of all that comes from the Holy Spirit: “In God’s Spirit are many gifts, such is inscribed.  But in all these gifts, the one, true gift is life.  Without life, the other gifts of God could not be given.”(489)    The messengers proclaim, “His Spirit is the sign of life.”(490)    “God’s Spirit is very much alive.”(491)   Indeed, it is the source of life. They proclaim, “In God’s Spirit is life.”(492)  

178           If we want life, God’s Spirit is where to go. “In God’s Spirit, all life is yours.”(493)  “His (God’s) love is life, and all the desires of creation are in the Holy Spirit.”(494)   “All the joys of life are in God’s Spirit.”(495)   “Kiss of life and breath are in God’s Spirit.”(496)    This notion of the breath of life, breath of the Spirit of God is something with deep roots in scripture.  In Genesis, we have the symbol of the breath of God: “Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being."(497)   We also have the risen Christ saying, “Peace be with you, As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’”(498)   

179           Because the Spirit is the source of all life, the Spirit can refresh our life, our spirit: “O the Spirit of God, how awesome It is.  It is the most refreshing breath of life known to mankind.”(499)  “This is such a refreshing spirit.  It is so blessed to feel clean; so blessed to reach a blessed state.”(500)   In this spirit life is given strength(501)  and restored.(502)

                      Section 5 In the Holy Spirit is Compassion and Gentleness

180           The Holy Spirit is love.  He is the “Spirit of love” states the Catechism.(503)   Paul proclaims that the “fruit of the Spirit is love.”(504)   The messengers also assert that “God’s Spirit is the source of love.”(505)   They hold that “God is such a kind Spirit.  You cannot love without such spirit.  Rest in kindness.”(506)   Indeed, Scripture holds that the ability to love comes from the love of God.  “Beloved let us love another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten of God and knows God.”(507)

181           The Holy Spirit is kind.  Paul writes that the fruit of the spirit is kindness.(508)   The messengers write that this Spirit is kind.   They state that, “Kindness is in God’s Spirit.”(509)   “Such is kindness.  She is a gift from the Holy Spirit.”(510)   This kind Spirit heals: “Such love is in God’s Spirit.  Such love heals and comforts.  This is the Spirit of God.”(511)  This kind Spirit has mercy: “In His Spirit, mercy reaches out to those who ask for it.”(512)   “See the very spirit of mercy.  She is God’s Spirit, inspired so sweetly.  Come, mercy, Spirit of God, bless.  In God’s love, sing out to those who seek you.”(513)  

182           Note that the Spirit of mercy is in the Holy Spirit.(514)   Paul notes that a fruit of the Holy Spirit is gentleness.(515)   The messengers assert that “in God’s Spirit is gentleness.  So gentle is your Father in all ways.  Sing in His gentleness.”(516)

183           The Holy Spirit comes and loves those who desire Him. In Scripture, Jesus says, “How much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”(517)  The messengers write, “Rest in the love and desire for the God of all creation.  God’s Spirit sends His gifts of love to the spirit who desires Him.”(518)  “God’s Spirit brings such comfort to those who desire His love.”(519)   They note that the spirit of comfort is in the Holy Spirit.(520)   When God’s Spirit comes, “God’s Spirit enters your souls, and each sign of His love is inscribed on your spirit.”(521)    We, with them, should prayerfully exhort, “Come, sweet Spirit of God, fill the Earth with Your love.”(522)

                      Section 6 In the Holy Spirit is Joy and Peace

184           The Holy Spirit is joy.  Paul writes that the fruits of the Holy Spirit are joy, happiness and peace.(523)    The messengers write that “In Christ’s Spirit is true joy.”(524)    “In God’s Spirit is all wondrous delight.”(525)   This Spirit is delightful because “God is a pleasant being.  His Spirit is music and laughter.”(526)   “Blessed is His playful Spirit.”(527)   “In your Father’s Spirit, live the joys of childhood.”(528)   We have already noted that “His Spirit skips with small children in the meadow.  Is He the creator of small children?  This is so.  In this, take wisdom.  Who has put such delight in small ones?”(529)    His Spirit is also happiness.(530)   The Spirit is also the place where rest is found: “In all creation, the kiss of sacred rest is found in God’s Spirit.”(531)

185           The Holy Spirit is peace.  Before reading any further in “The Presentation”, I would encourage the reader to reread In God’s Love’s best passage on peace which is passage # 504 “True Peace.” The messengers speak of “In God’s Spirit are peaceful waters, shining in the sunlight, still meadows and swaying trees, singing birds and cool breezes, pure, sweet air, white, floating clouds. In such inspiration, come.”(532)   In God’s Spirit is peace.(533)   The Spirit of peace “is a gentle soul, a peaceful spirit”(534)   that comes from God.(535)   Just as true love can come only from God, so too can true peace only come from God: “Earth cannot obtain peace without God’s Spirit.  God is in peace and she in God.  Her spirit blesses in God’s Spirit.”(536)   “What is peace?  Peace is a virtue sent from God.  Only one kind of peace is sent from God.  He is the maker of peace.  His peace is the peace of His Spirit in the souls of mankind.  There is no peace without God.”(537)   The messengers would feel right at home at Mass as they say, “The peace of God be with you now and forever.”(538)

                      Section 7  In the Holy Spirit are Wisdom, Knowledge,
                                           Understanding, and Right Reason
 
186           St. Ambrose, when talking about Confirmation, wrote, “Recall then that you have received the spiritual seal, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence, the spirit of holy fear in God's presence.”(539)   The tradition of receiving the spirit of wisdom, the spirit of understanding, the spirit of right judgment, and the spirit of knowledge is deep within our Catholic tradition.  The messengers write that “Such sacred inspiration from God, come make blessed understanding welcome.  Seek her.  She is in wisdom’s spirit.  Under very wise counsel rises her teaching.  Inspire, O wise, understanding spirit of God.”(540)   There is a lot to reflect on in these phrases.  We begin to appreciate the interconnectedness of the spirits of wisdom, inspiration, and understanding in the spirit of God.  It is God’s spirit that brings about “sacred” inspiration.(541)   This sacred inspiration is not forced, but needs to be desired by people: “While God’s Spirit inspires many children,  God reaches blessedly for His sad, little ones who seek not God’s Spirit.”(542)

187           This inspiring Spirit of God is wise.  The messengers have the following reflections on the Spirit of God and wisdom: “All wisdom is in God’s Spirit.”(543)   “This is a God whose Spirit is in all wisdom.  See such wisdom.  Be still.  Keep such understanding in God’s Spirit.  In wisdom of wisdom (the Holy Spirit) are signs of life.”(544)   The knowledge that the Spirit possesses benefits the understanding and care of creation: “His Spirit is care and knowledge.”(545)   Because of this knowledge, “In God’s Spirit is the answer to all things.”(546)   So, the “Spirit understands all of your desires and dreams,”(547)  and like human parents, “His Spirit wants the best for each little child who calls Him, “Father.”(548)

188           There is another wise spirit and that is the spirit of right reason. In a beautiful, yet practical, “yes, I have experienced that” type of way, the messengers describe the spirit of right reason: “Right reason is a spirit. She is from God.  Blessed is she in the assembly of the saints.  In her spirit, rest.  She sets an example for all saints.  Such very sacred lessons she teaches.  On Earth, take treasure.  In such a time of times, she will speak so gently in your spirit.  In such wisdom, straight is her way.  She says, ‘Enter not in this way nor go that way,’  ‘Speak in this manner, it is proper,’  and ‘Do not speak at this time.’  In this spirit is virtue.  She is a good spirit and clean spirit.  In circumstances of misunderstanding, call on her.  She will come to your defense.  Blessed are the saints who listen to this saint.”(549)   The inspiring Holy Spirit is full of wisdom, knowledge, care, understanding, and right reason for any who would desire.

                      Section 8 More About the Holy Spirit

189           There are more things the messengers write about the Holy Spirit, and I would like to briefly mention five of them.  First, make no mistake, the Spirit of God is real: “His Spirit is so real and beautiful.”(550)    Second, “The Spirit of God moves on the Earth.”(551)   Third, “Kindness and justice sing in such music of God’s Spirit.”(552)   Fourth, “In God’s Spirit is security.”(553)   Fifth, “In God’s Spirit is Heaven, a place where wise saints live forever in God’s presence.”(554)

  Next section of Part One   Chapter 2 : 9/12