THE M ,D IN HIS VOLUME III Mic,hael Sopocko, S~'.T.D.
The appeal •to God's Mercy is interwoven through the whole fabric of the Christian faith. But precisely because it is so familiar, much of its deeper meaning is often overlooked. In this book the author sets out to develop the theme 'the Mercy of the Lord is from eternity unto eternity' (Ps. cii). He shows how all creation is an expression of infinite Mercy, how Mercy is at the foundation of Christ's passion and man's redemption, and how every moment in the life of the Christian is dependent on, and saturated in, the Divine Mercy. Tho reader will gain deeper insight into the nature of God's Mercy and will find much food for meditation and prayer.
THE MERCY OF GOD IN HIS WORKS
Rev. Michael Sopocko, S.T.D. THE MERCY OF GOD IN HIS WORKS Vol. m. : The Holy Ghost, the Church, Grace, V.u:tue, Gifts of the Holy Ghost, Prayer, Confidence,_ the Sacraments Tr1111slated from the original PoliJh ~ R. BATCHELOR MARIAN APOSTOLATE THE MARIAN FATHERS : STOCKBRIDGE, MASS., U.S.A.
NIHIL 0BSTAT : Ernest J. S%etela, M.I.C. Julian Chrosciechowski, M.I.C. IMPRIMI POTEST: Ladislaus F. Pelc%ynski, M.I.C. Superior Provincialis Stockbridge, Mass., die 2., September, 1966 an. IMPRIMATUR: + Joseph Rudderham, D.D. Bishop of Clifton Clifton, die u., March, 1968 an, MADE AND PRlNTl!D lN GREAT BRITAfN BY BURLEIGH LtMITBD AT TKB BURLl!IOR PRUS BRISTOL
ACKNOWLEDGMENT In this book Jh1 Douqy v1rsion fr 111,dfor th, Old Tutam1nl, and lht Confraternity Edition for th, N,w Tutam,nl q11olation1.
CONTENTS Page Foreword - ix 1. The Mercy of the Mystical Christ - , - - - 1 z. The Preparation for the '.Descent of the Holy Spirit ) 3, The Sending Down of the Holy Spicit - - - - 9 4. Who is the Holy Sph:it? - - - - - I z 5. The Rclati,6n of the Holy Spltit to the Church of Christ 16 6. The Holy Spirit is Love and Mercy - - - zo 7, God's Mercy .in Freeing Us from Sin z4 8. The Mercy of a Supernatural Calling 27 9. The Mercy of Divine Grace - - 3 1 10, The Mercy of Actual Grace - 3 5 II, Actual Grace and Man's Free Will- 38 u. God's Mercy in the Distribution of Graces • 42 13. God's Mercy and the Mystery of Predestination 45 14. Is There Such a Thin~ as Reprobation? - • - - 49 q. God's Mercy in Sanctifying Gnce (Justification) - - 53 16. Mercy in Sanctifying Gtace (The Attributes of J ~st.incation) 5 6 17, Mercy in Sanctifying Grace (The Nature of this Grace) - 60 18, God's Mercy in Sanctifying Grace (Its Effects) - - 6; 19. God's Mercy in Sanctifying Grace (The Fruits of this Grace) 67 zo. God's Mercy in Sanctifying Grace (The Object of Merit) - 71 21, God's Me.rcy in the Infused Virtues - - - - 75 12.. God's Mercy in the Vlrtue of Faith 78 23. God's Mercy in the Virtue of Ho,ee 82 z4. God's Mercy in the Virtue of the Love of God 86 .1.5. God's Mercy in the Virtue of Love of Our Neighbour 89 2.6. God's Mercy in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit • - 93 2.7. God's Me.rcy in the Gift of Wisdom - 96 28. God's Mercy in the Gift of Understanding - 100 z9. God's Mercy in the Gift of Piety - • 104 30. God's Mctcy in the Gift of Counsel - 108 3 t. God's Mercy ln the Glft of Fortitude - t 11 3 2. God's Mercy 1n the Gift of Knowledge - - 115 33, God's Mercy in the Gift of Fear of the Lord - - 119 34. God's Mercy in the Fruits of the Holy Spirit - - u~ 3 5, God's Mercy in the Beatitudes - - - - u:"6 36. The Way to God's Mercy-Prayer - 130 37. TheWaytoGod'sMercy-TbcObjectofPrayer - - 134 38, The Way to God's Mercy-The J\,farks of Prayer - 137 39, The Way to God's Mercy-Verbal and Mental Prayer - 141 40. The Way to God's Mercy-The Prayer of the Etnotions - 146 41. The Way to God's Mercy-The Prayer of Simplicity (Acquired Contemplation) - - • - - 149 42.. The Way to God'.s Mercy-The Prayer of Quiet (Infused Contemplation) - 1 5 3 vii
Page 43. The Way to God's Mercy-The Prayer of Total Union - 1n 44. The Way to God.'s Mercy-Dryness in Prayer - - 161 45. The Way to God's Mercy-Public Prayer - -: - 165 46. Tbe Way to God's Mercy-Trost - - - - 169 47. The Way co God's Mercy-The Marks of Perfect Trust - 173 48, The Way to Godls Mercy-The Fruits of Trust - 176 49, The Way to God's Mercy-Penance • - - - 180 Jo, The Way to God's Mercy-The Fruits of Penance - 184 p. The Way to God's Mercy-The Necessity of Penance - 188 J 2, The Manifestation of God's Mercy: The Church - - 192 5 3. The Manifestation of God's Mercy: Baptism - - 191 l 4• The Manifestation of God's Mercy: The Sacr.amen of Penance - - 199 5 5. The Manifestation of God's Mercy: The Sacrament of Confirmation - - 10 3 ; 6. The Manifestation of God's Mercy: The Sacrament of the Altar - 207 n, The Manifestation of God's Mercy: The Sacrament of Holy Orders - uo 58, The Manifestation of God's Mercy: The Sacrament of Matrimony - 214 19· The Maojfesmtion of G:od's Mercy: The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick - - - - - - 218 60, The Manifestation of God's Mercy: Indulgences - 212 61. The ManJfestation of God's Mercy: The Sacramentals - 216 Gz. The Manifestation of God's Mercy: The Charismata - 130 viii
FOREWORD ~'BtJ merrift,J, therefor,, illm: a.f' yo11r Father i.r mtrd/11/,'' (tuk~ 6: 36). Among the many perfections of God, 011t Lord singled out Mercy. urging us to imitate, and at the same time to und~d and worship it, for one cannot im4tate what one does not kf?.ow and honour. But God's Mercy is a mystery which'una.id~d reason is powerless to fathom. Reason tells us, indeed, that God is merciful, but it cannot grasp the full extent of His Mercy. •We derive ow: knowledge of the Divine 'Metcy from .rcvelation_:the revelation given to us, in the main, by the Son of God-Jesus dttist. It is of H1m ~t the Psalmist says: "I have not co~aJed thy mercy a,rd tf!y truth from a lf'BOf tollflri/1' (Ps. 3 9 : I 1 ), • Our Lord did not conceal _God's.Mercy, but rcvea\ed it, in the mystery of the Incamati.on, in both His hidden and His public life. He stressed it at great length throughout His teaching. 'Above all, He set it before us, a,s an unmistakable object-lesson, in the mystery of the Redemption, by dying on the' cross for the sins of the wotld, and, later, by rising' and ascending in glory).nto heaven. All that Our Lord did during His life on earth was' only the first manifestation of that Mercy wpich still endures, and ~s still active, in the Church. All the graces of the·sa.aiinents 9:11d sacramentals, all the indulgences and charismata;'.all the giftn.p.d fruits of the Holy Ghost, flow in one unceasing stream, through the Church, upon the faithful. ' • In the first volume of this work we chiefly studied·the Mercy of God the Father, who "gave his only-begotten Son'' :that He might, by His words and the·example df His deeds;··teach men about God's Mercy.1 In the second volume:" we chiefly considered the Mercy of God the Son, who, in human ·£1.esh, underwent terrible sufferings, followed by death on the cr~ss for our 'sins; then, having founded the Church and instituted the sacratnf?O,ts 1 In one Gospel lllone...'..tbat of St. .MAtthew--the< S11vlou.t ap~s to tbe Piltbel' as many 115 thirty-nine tla:11:1: 1 : 16; 1 : ,u; } : 48; 6 I ·1; 6 : ◄i 6: 6; 6.: B; 6' 1,9; 6: 14; 6 I 1Jj 6 I 18; 6: 16; 6: 31; ']! 11; 7 :J.I; JO l,2.0j, JO: 1.9;· 10: 31; IO L3'j ll l 2-jj II: ~6; ll: 2.7; U: ·jOj 13: 4,: 1, : 13; t_6: 17; 16: 11.7; 18; to; 18: 14, xs: 19; 18: n; 20: 23; 23 : 9; .1◄: 36; 21: 34: 26 :•19; 16: 41: 26: n: 28: 19: B ix
within it, He rose in glory to heaven, yet did not leave us orphans· Now, in the third volume, we shall come to know the infinite Me11cy of the Holy Spirit, who, ever since His Descent on the Apostles at Pe.ntecost, has remained, and will remain for ever in the Church, guiding it, and ceaselessly pouring out His graces on the faithful. To know God, and adore Him in His infinite Mercy, is the highest duty and chief end of man: ''Now this is ever.lasting life, that they may know thee, the only true God, and him whom thou bast sent, Jesus Christ" (John 17: 3). Of all God's perfections, the easiest to know ls His Mercy; and, by knowing it, we come to love and worship Him, and to become happy ourselves: for His Mercy "gou bifor, NJ" (Ps. 58: 10), always accompanies us (Ps. F· : 18) and follows me •'all th, day.r of fl!J lif," (Ps. u : 6). The knowledge and worship of God in His Mercy is especially necessary today, when the conflict between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Satan rages with unprecedented intensity. It is true that the struggle between good and evil, between truth and lies, has been going on fot ceoto.rles, but lt bas nevor reached such dimensions. On one side, Michael the Archangel unfurls bis banner, with the battle-cry, "Who is like God?"; on the othe,:, we heat the hissing of the serpent from hell: "Yo11 .rha/J b, like Gods" (Gen. 3 : ,). ''Materialism has again nailed Ghrist to the cross, and for this reason darkness has covered the whole earth" (Enc. of Pius XIl, "Summl Pontificatus"). And thus today there is especial need of a great and universal ideal We need a rallying-,ay to call all men of good will to the standard of Christ, who said in His last discourse to the Apostles: "Take &ourage, I have overcome the world" (John 16: 33). This ideal is the In6.n.ite Mercy of God- Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And ow: response to the Saviour's call should be a swift prayer addressed to the one Mediator between ourselves and God: "Jesus, I trust Theet•• And so, to open «the bowels of Divine Mercy" to suffering man, in all his many miseries. and to teach all men to be merciful, even as the Father in Heaven is merciful, here is a battle-cry, to ·conquer the Kingdom of Satan; a battlo-cry, an ideal capable of uniting all those who have at heart true progress and the harmonious relations of society, of states, and of nations. Such is the aim which inspired the author as he wrote this work, in exceptionally difficult circumstances, yet with the firm conviction ::z:
that mankind will never know true peace until it turns trustingly to the in:6o:ite Mercy of God, May these reflections enkindle the hearts of those who are already prepared for God's service, and strengthen those who arc battling for His kingdom. May they, moreover, recall those who now stand far from God, or, perhaps, even fight against Hun, under the mistaken be.lief that they arc fighting for the good of mankind. For the knowledge and worship of God in His Mercy -that Mercy which man is not only able, without difficulty, to understand, but also, to some extent, to experience in relation to himself-such love and knowledge arc a revelation of the riches of infinite goodness, omnipotence and boundless generosity of the best and greatest of Fathers towards His children. Ah,.how often are these children prodigal sons-/4Lthough, perhaps, they arc more often foolish than wicked or perverse, The knowledge and worship of God in His Mercy should reuse us, too, to imitat.e this perfection of His. The publication of this book bas been made possible by the efforts of a number of people who have a special devotion. to the Divine Mercy. May the most merciful Saviour grant them abundant graces, and be with all those who, with faith. humility and contrition, and in a spirit of penance, meditate on the works of the Divine Mercy, leading them on to practical ends-above all, to performing the works of mercy on behalf of their neighbours. THE AUTHOR xi
-• I 1. THE MERCY OF THE MYSTICAL CHRIST· "ChriJt Jivul Chri.rt' riign.fl CbriJt comm®ds r• Our Lord's activity did not cease at the Ascension; the Saviour still lives in the Church, through which He acts, rules · and commands. His activity, as regards the extent and outpoUQilg of the Divine Mercy, is far more glorious even-than it was in the days of His earthly life, for it now embraces; not only Palestine and the Jewish people, but the whole wpild. Christ has now, not just a small cluster of Apostles and disciples, but followers in every nation, He 1s, indeed and in truth, present in the Eucharist, andfu His mystical body, the Cliurch. For tho Church is not ohly the Bride of Christ, but, in a certain real sense, Himself-for it ls Ills body, of which He is the Head. "ChriJt /J htali of thi Ch11rth, bting hinmlf saviokr of th, body" (Eph. 5 : z,). !.-Our Lord prolongs His earthly life in the Buchttist, which He instituted just before His Passion arid departure. For we believe that Our Lord is present in the Most Holy Sacrsu:nent not only by a kind of symbol, or through the effects of His action, but really and in very truth; not only, moreover, in the faith of him who receives, put veritably and actually, with Hb Divinity and His humanity, just as when He once taught on earth, and as He now lives in heaven. We believe, as the Church teaches., that the Saviour's presence in. the Sactrunent or the Altar is not merely for a few fleeting tnoments during the offering and reception of the Sacrament, but is lasting, and endu.tes as long as the eucharistic species themselves endure. rcI am th, living bnad that has come do'MI from hlaven. If anyone eat of this bread hi 1/Jall liv, for ever" (John 6 : 11-,1). In the Eucharist, the Sav:iow:'s words are £ul.6llcd: ~•1 will not leave you orphans; I will ,ome to you,, (John 14: 18), 'for He has indeed remained with us by His tru.e presence, under the sacramental veils. He is present at every hour of the day and night, as the Divine Medlator between heaven and earth. He is al~ys ready to give Himself to us, always intercedes for us> warding off from us the blows of God's justice and drawing down on us I
God's infinite Mercy: He is always praying for us, and offering Himself to the Heavenly Father for our salvation and that of all mankind; . He is always calling to us: "Com6 to m6, a/J you who labollf' and are bm-den6</. and I will giv6 yo11 rut" (Matt. 11 : z.8). Ow: Lord is not only presen_t in the Eucharist, really, truly and litetally, but He there continues to live His life as the God-Ma.a, renewing all the JD.ystc.rics of that life. Above all, He relives His hidden life. He dwells there in profound silence and hlddewiess, veiling not only His Divinity but even His humanity. He dwells th.ere in the utmost poverty and self-abandonment, obedient to His priests, whether worthy or unworthy, and carrying out His invisible work in the souls of the ju~, and of sinners. He relives, also, His public life, working the m.i.racle of changing the bread and wine into His Body and Blood- the miracle of the multiplication of bread~ of healing those sick in body ao.d soul, of revealing His patience, goodness and Mercy, There is surely no need to prove that in the Eucharist Our Lord renews the mystery of His Passion and death, for the Mass is at once the perfect commemoration, and the re-enactment, of the unbloody sacri£ce of the Cenacle, and of the sacrifice of blood on Golgotha. With the sacrifice in the G:.naclc it is even linked up in the sacrificial act, and is connected in the closest possible way with the sacrifice of the cross, of which it is not only the commemoration but the complete re.-eo.a.ctment. Ofteo--alaslthe supper-room is filled with Judases, who, with unclean. hands and hearts, steal Our Lord's body, tuming the hall of the adoring, faithful love-feast .into the courtyard of Caiphas by night. And, in the same way, the grandew: of Ow: Lord's Resurrection is also renewed in the Euchari.st, for He is here in His glorified body, which in s_ome ways is here even more glorious and more marvellous than it was at the time of the Resw:rection, or than it is now in heaven. For here there takes place the supreme and wonderful victory of grace and glory over matter. Who can fail to see Our Lord's relation to us in the Saaament of the Altar as a kind of reflection of His appearance and His relation to the Apostles after the Resurrection? He joins us, as He once joined the disciples on their way to Emmaus; He comforts us in our troubles; He blesses us, bringing forth wonderful results from our work which, in itself, may.be quite unavailing, just as He once blessed Peter's fishing. It is only the mystery of the .z
Ascension that is not renewed, for He does not now depart from us as He then departe~ but remains always wi$ us, as if to console us for the fact that we were not with Him during His ~y pilgrimage. In the Eucharist we have· N~th and Bethlehem, Tabo( and Jerusalem, Calvary and the Mount of Olives. It makes faith easier, for we have far more motives for preserving it. Il.-Our Lord not only remains really, truly and in very fact in the Euchatlst, but He also remains in the Church, ·His mystical body. He lived on earth almost two thousand years ago, in a body taken from Mary's womb; He now lives a mystical life, in a body drawn from mankind-the l:>ody known as the Universal or Catholic Church. The Church's acts arc (with certain reservations) His acts; the Cb.urch's life is His life. "We, tlM mar!J, a" one boqy it1 Christ" (Rom. u: 5), As the body of Christ, the Church i.s a concrete thing, a thing that can be seen; and it needs many different kinds of members~ not only charismatics, clergy and religious, but all baptized people who hold the true faith and remain united to their mothet, the Church. The Church, bowcvet, is neither the physical nor the m6raJ body of Christ, but His mystical body. In a physical body, 'the members are $0 interconnected as to have no individual life of their own. In the mystical body, on the other hand, an inner force unites the members with one another in such a way that each remains an individual person. Moreover, in every tJhysical body all the members exist only to serve the needs of the organism as a w,hole, whet:eas in the mystical body the principal aim is to foster the fullest possible development of all the membem together, and of each one individually. If we compare the tnystical body with a moral body, we find j\lst as much difference between them, In a moral body, the principle of unity is "a common end, and a common aspiration of all to that end by means of the social authority. But in the mystical body, with_ which we are concerned, there is, in addition to this common aspiration, another internal principle, really existing and operative both in the whole structw:e and in each one of its parts, and this principle is of such surpassing excellence that by itself it immeasurably transcends all the bonds of unity by which any physical or moral body is knit together. It is ... something not of the ,natural, but of the supernatural order; indeed, in itself it is infinite and uncreated2 namely the divino 3
) J I l I Spirit:•1 whom Our Lord sent down on the Apostles ten days after His Ascension, and who has thenceforth informed the Church, as the soul informs the body, so that this "perfect society", "far more excellent than all other associations of human beings", transcends them, "as grace transcends nati.u:e and as things llIUilOtW transcend all things that pass away". (From the same encyclical. The Church, then, is not just an ordlnary earthly community, for that which raises it to the heights, causing it completely to transcend any natural order, "is the Spirit of our Redeemer, the source of all graces, gifts, and miraculous powers, perennially and intimately pervading the Church and acting in het.'' In the Third Patt of out meditations, the Part entitled "'I'he Mercy of the Mystical Christ'', we shall chic.fly consider the activity of the Holy Spirit, who is the Spidt of the Father and the Son, since He proceeds from both. * * * * * What gteat dignity, then, every Christian possesses, seeing that he has become a partaker of the Divine natw:c, a living member of the mystical body, whose head is Christi What great dignity' I, too, possessed, when, through•baptism, I entered into this great, Divine community! What deep gtatitude I should feel to God for having allowed me to be bom of Christian parents, who, in the first weeks of my life, caused me to be given. through baptism, a new and supematural life! I will often remind myself of whose Head and Body I atn a member, and thank the infinite Mercy of God; and I will also honour the memory of my parents, and pray earnestly for them. 1 From the encycllcai letter "Tho Mystical Body of Jesus Christ," trans. by the Rt. Rev. Canoo George D, Smith, D.D,, Ph.D. (C.T.S.), 4
2. THE PREPARATION FOR THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT cc All these with one mind. continmd sfeadfa.rt{y ifl pray6r with ... Mary, th6 mother of Jmu1 • (Acts I· : 14). On the day of the Ascension. Our Lord told the Apostles to wait in Jerusalem until the Descent of the Holy Spirit, which·He bad promised before His Passion, ''But wait hm in the dry, 1mtil you art clothed witb p01JJerfrom on high'' (Luke 24: 49). The Apostles then "n101111ttd to the upper room . .. [and] with one mintl tontinNlfd Jfeadfa.tt!J in prayer with the women and Mary, the mother ofJu11.1, and with hi.J brethrm" (Acts 1 : 13~14), preparing th.emsclves for the fulfilment of thelr Master's promise: for ten days they remained in fervent prayer and a state of profound recollection. 1.-As the Saviour had bidden them, the Apostles-did not retwn to Galilee, to their own families and occupations, but remained in Jerusalem. in the Cenacle, which was in the upper town; there they spent the time in prayer, recollection and silence. Taught by sad experience in the Garden of Olives, they no longer tu.med a deaf ear to Our Lord's wamiil.g: "Watch a11dpray"; they also remembered the Prophet's words: "T/Jmfore, behold I 'flllll 11///frc her, and will lead her intu the wildemeu: and I will :peak to her kart" (Os. 1 : 14). Solitude, recollection and silence are a. sacriBce offered to God to atone for our sensuality and distractions; theyare the best of all preparations for the reception of any grace, and, in particular, for the inspirations which steal into the deptm of the soul. During the day, the Apostles went to the Temple, where they took part in offering sacrifice to God: "And th6J were tontinual!J in the kmple, praising tJJ1d blessing God" (Luke 24: , 3); probably they themselves offerei;l sacrifices-if not of beasts, which they could not afford, then at least of wheat, com and wine, and, above all, of mortification of the tongue. T.his was the first Retreat, the first prepa{ation for receiving the gifts of the Holy Sp.idt, the promised <:om.forter, of whom the Master had said that He would teach them all truth. "The Advocate, th6 Ho!J Spirit, whom the Father 1'1ill mrd in my name, he will teachyo11 all t/Jiflg.J, and bring 1
toyo11r 111ind whatever I bavB .raid to you" (John r4: 16). "Th8 Spirit of tr11th, whtJm the world cannot receive, becaHse it ,,,ither uu him nor M0111J hint. Butyou shall know him, beta/1..fe he will dwell with yo11, and be inyo111' (John 14: 17). The second preparation, as the Bible clearly states, was prayer. This prayer was continuous and united-"of one mliui"-fervCIJ.t and heartfelt; a prayer which implored God for His gifts, and honoured Him for the works of which the Apostles ha.d been witnesses. Just as, in the Old Testament, the yearning prayer for the coming of the Messias had been banded on from one generation to another, so now, from hour to hour, the Apostles cried out for the descent of the Holy Spirit. This smill group of Christ's faithful disciples, gathered on Mount Sion~ represented the whole world, the world that had to make ready for the coming of the Comforter. Theirs was an unceasing prayer, offe.i:ed in the name of Our Lord, and fulfilling all the conditions laid down by the Master for the granting of any prayer: "If yo11 Mk the Father anything in my 1w11e, he will give it toyo1111 (John. 16: 13). There was anothCJ: reason for the in&.llible efficacy of the Apostles' prayer in the Upper Room-the fact tha.t they had among them the Holy Mother, the Mother of Mercy and Intermediary of all graces. She who. at Nazareth. ha.d shared in the myste.cy of the Incarnation, and, on Ca.I.vary, in the mystery of the Redemption, now, in the Upper Roo~ too~ an active part in strengthening and spreading the faith. God bad so willed that we should owe Our Lord's birth to her consent, and the knowledge of His teaching to her testimony and mediation. The Holy Spirit had already descended upon her at Nazareth, and made her the Mother of God; now, in the Upper Room, this same Spirit again descended upon her, that she might, by her example, inspire the Apostles to recollection, perseverance and prayer: tha.t she might become the lv,iother of our faith. We may suppose that all the mysteries which called for fulfilment, confirmation or testimony, were explained and confirmed to the Apostles by the lips of her whom the Spirit of Truth used for His own great purposes. The Apostles, with the Holy Mother and the group of women, may have prayed in this manner.: "O Lord, the nations a.re buried in the darkness of death. How can we, helpless and feeble as we are, arouse them, and give back to them the life they have lost, the life which ha.s been regained by Theel The night of darkness 6
hangs over the world. How are we to scatter the shadows ~d. restore the light? We are a small flock of frightened lambs without a shepherd. How can such as we conquer and vanquish the earth for Thee? Aris~ 0 Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered! Instruct our lips, touch them with Thy fire, and let Thy light arouse and encompass the whole earth! Do not leave us long as orphans; look on the tears streaming from our eyes, and send us the promised Comforter. Clothe us, Lord, with power from on high, and may Satan be conquered and trodden under our feet! Come down, 0 Holy Spirit, sh.inc over Jerusalem, and fill us with 'Iby fu:e, that we may, like torches, carry the flame of Thy love far and wide,, (Novena to the Holy Spirit), . 11.-What caused the Apostles to make this preparation? Above all, the command of the Saviour, who wanted them to prepare in a very special way for the work of the Holy Spirit in their souls, and thus, in however small a degtee; to merit His graces for themselves and the whole world. God never fetters man's free will, and, although He wants to give him His graces, He makes it a condition that man himself should desire them, pray for them, and thus, to some slight extent, deserve them. In the case of the Apostles, as in all other cases, the work of God had to be founded on man's own personal co-operation, The Saviour Himself ~cted in the same way; before undertaking anything; He always prepared Himself by intensified prayer, ell the more fervent io proportion to the magnitude of what He was setting out to do. The second reason for the Apostles' prepru:ation w;i.s, no doubt, the majesty of Him for whose coming it was made. Our Lord, before He left them, had carefully instructed the Apostles concerning the nature and sublimity of the Holy Spirit. "But whm the Advocate has come, whom I will 1mdyo11from the Father, the Spirit of tr«th who promd.r fro111 tho Father, he- will bear witneu co11.emfrtg me'' (John 1 s : 2.6). "If I do not go, 1h11 Advocate will 1101 corm to you,: b11t if I go, 1 will .semi hi111 to you. And.w!Mn he ha.s come he wiJJ convie.t 1h11 world of Jin~ and of j111tice, and of j11dgHJent: o f 1i11, bect#IJIJ they do not believe in me; ofjustice, becaJIJfJ I go lo the Father, (11/d you will .m lllfJ no n1ore; a11d of judgment, beca/1.Ie th'd prince of thiJ world 'has almuly beenj11dgetl . .. ffi willg/o,-ify me, bm:J.11.Je he will recait)e of 111hat iJ ,11ine mid declar11 it to you•~ (John 16 : 7-x4). A final reason for the Apostle_s' preparation was the magnificence of the results which Our Lord had foretold would follow the descent of the Holy Spirit. He had promised them power 7
from on high: ''Wail hm in the tilJ, 1mlil yo11 are ,lothed with power from on high" (Luke 2.4 : 49). This power was to make them witnesses throughout the world, and to work great changes in their own souls, for it was to baptize them, in the most sublime sense of the word, in the baptism of the Messias: "John indud baptizpl with wafeY, b11t you shall be baptiz.ed with the Ho{y Spirit not many da.J1 h.en,6'' (Acts t : 5). In order to emphasize still more the greatness of the Holy Spirit, Our Lord ~s Him "the promiJe of my Father" (Luke 2.4: 49), the seal of all graces, the crow.a. of all promises; and His action was to be the beginning of the Kingdotn of God, for which the Apostles had been waiting s.o eagerly (Acts 1 : 7-8). * * * * * The Apostles in the Upper Room are an example to all Clu:istians 0£ how best to ptepare for the ,:eception of the sacraments, especially those by which the Holy Spltlt confers an indelible cruttacter on the soul. These sacraments arc baptism, confumat:ion and holy orders. The majesty of the expected Comforter is boundless, and the nature of His action cannot be put lnto words. The power of His activity ls infinite, for us and for the whole world; its efficacy is beyond price, and indispensable. And so the preparation for .recdving this action should be extremely careful, extremely conscientious. I will often .remind tnysclf of these truths, especially during the feast of Pentecost, as it comes tound year by year. I must, then. especially, bring home to myself all the motives which led the Apostles to prepare for the co~g of the Holy Spirit, and, during the novena prec-eding the feast, I must unite myself in spirlt with the whole Church, praying with the Apostles and Ow: Blessed Lady in the Upper -Room, that the Holy Spirit may a.rouse me, too, to speak and to heat, to give and to receive. 8
3. ~ SENDING DOWN OF THE'HOLY SPIRIT "And they wtf'd fJII fill,d with th, Ho!J Spirit and began to .rpeale. in foreign longuu" (Acts 2. : 4) .. At last the soiemn day of Pentecost su:rivcd-the cilay set asid~, under the Old Law, to commemorate the giving of the; Law on Mount Sinai, and ·as a festival of harve;»t tban:ksgt:vio.g. .I:arge numbers of pilgrims, both from Palestine and frolD: the diaspomJ came up to Jerusalem for the feast. At.about 9 in the.tnoming (about 3, as_time was reckoned in those days), ".ruddm!J t/w1. came a .ro11nd from /Maven, a.r of a violent wind b/(11J)ing, ol'id•it fi~leJ ~ht w~ol, hou.re. l'/Jlhere th!] 'IJJere sitting. .AJtd thm appear,d to. Jh,111 pa,:t~d tongt1u a.r of flr,, which .rettled IIJ'On earh of them. And th!) were all ft/ltd with th, Ho!J Spirit at1d began .to .rp,ak in foni!J' tonguu, Mien a.r th Holj Spirit prompted •thet!1 lo .rpeak. . . . And wh,n thi.r mmd wa.r heard, th, multit11ds gathered and wm bewildered in mind, becau11 ·eath heard then, .rpeakJng in hi.r own /411g11ag/' (Acts 2 : 2-6). In order to understand the meaning and importa.nc.e of this e'Tcnt, let us reflect on the cause and mann~ of the sending of the Holy Spirit. I.-Why did the Holy Spirit come down? In the B.tst ,place, to complete.the Old Testament, and to fulfil the New, For in both Testrunents, God had promised to S?Jd the Holy Spirit _to com~ plete all that bad gone before. "I rPill pow ()llt my spirit upon a/J flub: andyom- son.r an.dyo11r da11ghter.r .rhall prophuy:yo11r old 11m1 .rhall dream dream.r, and your yot1tJg men .rhall .see vi.sion.r" (Joel .z. : .z.8). John the Baptist had spoken of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, to be conferred by the Messias: "He will bap#z., you with-the Ho!J Spirit and with fire" (Matt. , : u). Moreover, as •W11,S said above, 'the Saviow: Himself had spoke.o1 very clearly, and often, of the sending of the Holy Spirit (John 14 : 1:6-17; 11 : i6;, 16 : 7-1 ~). Now, all this had been fulfilled. God's promises had been kept. The descent of the Holy Spirit is tho crown and seal of all the treasury of God's graces. Up to that time, the Prophets bad spoken of the Holy Spiµt, and the Saviour had foretold His coming, but He b,ad never revealed Himself outwatdly to the world. It is true that, at Out Lord's baptism, He had allowed certain chosen souls to recogni2e 9
I ,, lj ~ Him, but this was only for a brief moment, and for a special putpose. Now, howevCJ:, He revealed Himself as the source of all sanctity, and His mission was no longe.c to individuals, but to the whole human mcc. He came, not only to reveal Himself to us, but to give Himself to all, on the one condition that they themselves should long fot Him, and want to possess His gifts, and Himself, by a new and special kind of presence-to possess them, not just fleetingly, but for ever, on certain conditionsconditions which are easy to fulfil. And, finally, the Holy Spirit was come in order to glorify Oo..r Lord and to reveal His kingdotn. The Saviour speaks clearly of this puxpose: '' .AnJ when he (the Holy Spirit] hat come he will conviet th, world of ,fin, a,,d ofjustic,, (llld ofj11dgme11f . .. h, will glorify me, becau.,, h, will r1;ei11, of what is mifl.e and dedar, ii lo Jori'' (John 16: 8 and 14), The Holy Spltit was to carry the work of Chrlst still further, to complete it, and to show yet more clearly that this work is God's Mercy, pouted forth over the whole world. The witness to Christ's Divinity, by means of the Holy Spirit, lasts unceasingly in the Church, and will last until the end of the world. All the gifts, all the strength and power, all the essence and whole life of the Oiurch are maintained by the operation of the Holy Spirit, who ceaselessly glorifies Christ and ensures the growth of His kingdom, It is due to this that Our Lord lives on in the Church, reigning over it and governing it, TI.-How did the Holy Spirit come down? He came in extraordinary circumstances, and in a. manner befitting the Majesty of God. He appeared among men, accompanied by such signs as proclaimed His Divine nature, His person, and His petfections; and at the same time, as the creator and proclaimer of the New Testament, He tevealed His mission. Above all, the Holy Spirit came with great glory-visibly, publicly and solemnly, before the eyes of the whole world, as represented by the pilgrims who had come up to Jerusalem, from every country on earth, for the feast of Pentecost. The sound, as of a strong wind, denoted the procession of the Holy Ghost, by love, from the Father and the Son; it also denoted His name, and the purifying and westible might of His being. This sound also symbolizes the creative breath by which, in the beginning, the Holy Spirit gave life to lifeless nature; it symbolizes, moreover, the thunder which rcsowided on Mount Sinai when God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, and is a reminder 10
of the heavenly origin of the new law, which vanquishes all other pawe.rs, sweeps awny the .rules and laws which no longer bind us, and sows new seeds of virtue-the seeds of love and mercy. The tongues of fire, according to their biblical significance, a.re a symbol of spirituality and holiness, and also of the power of God, meting out judgment and retribution. "And I .raw, and , beh()/d a whirlwind came 011t of tbs north: ar1d a great c/011d~ aJttJ a ft~ 8fJjolding it, at1d brighlt1eu was aborlf it. And 011t of the_ midst thtnef, that is, out of the mid.rt of ihe fire, as ,t were the rs.m11blante of an,ber" (Ezech. x : 4). ((For behold lhB Lord will come with fir,, ISlfd his 1 chariot! are like a whirlwind, to rentlcr hi.r wrath in indigation, and /Ji.r reb11ke with fta,nu of ftrl' (Is. 66: 1,). Out of the burning bush there once issued the words of Jahweh wblch were to ftee Israel from bondage; out of the flames of fuc, the grace of the Holy Spirit now streamed forth on the Apostles, for the world's renewal. The Holy Spicit came, rich in graces, which He lavished on 1 the Apostles. It was indeed the fulness of gr.ace-above all, the , fulness of sanctifying grace, and of the graces necessary to those holding office: "And foar came upon mry so11/; many wonder.r a//o and Jigns W8f8 don8 by tn8an.r of the apostlu in ]ert1.1ale"1, and great fe.ar tan1e upon all" (Acts 2 ; 43). Through the Apostles these gtaces were imparted to others, and thus the feast of Pentecost became the image and inexhaustible source of all graces, in ages yet to come, And, finally, the Holy Spirit came, bringing with Him all His goodness and Mercy. For He is the God of Jove and Mercy. the -God of kindness, pity and peace. His (:()ming, therefore, was not one of judgtl).eot and condemnation. but of salvation and redemption, not only for the Jews but for the whole world. <r.AJ,d it .rball Gome /o ,pa.u that whoever co/1.r upon the name of the Lora Jha/1 b, saved" (Acts i : _11). The HC?lY Spirit came to sanctify, comfort and gladden the world by His new presence-He came, ncvet to leave us: "TIM Spirit of truth ... will dwell with yo11, and be in ytJ11" (John 14 ~ 17), This p.resence of His does·not depend on the faith of any one individual, or of any one nation, but is closely bound -up with the existence of the Church. As long as the ChU-tch exists in the world, so long will the Holy Spirit remain on earth, blessing men, and bestowing on them truth, grace and Mctcy. * * * * *
Come, Holy Spirit, and change the face of the earth! For everything is becoming dulled and stale; everything sighs for Thy presence. The souls of the oppressed cry out to Thee; those crushed by a load of suffering call on Thee for help. Strengthen those whose hearts fail them; lift the burden that weighs so heavily on them! Support those undergoing physical anguish, that their courage may not give way! Teach holy patience and love to those who are pursued by the hatred of their own brethren! May those who have met with temporal misfortune cling with all their hearts to more lasting treasures! Visit the hearts of those in bitter grief, that they may not give way under their sufferings! Holy Spirit, comfort those who weep, stretch out Thy right hand to those who fall, that we may all keep to the straight path marked out for us by the Merciful Saviour. 4. WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT? "Unle.rs a man be born again of. . . the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3 : s), It is not easy to·give an adequate reply to the question: Who is the Holy Spirit? For, just as we feel the breath of spring and see the wonders that it works, yet cannot say whence it comes or whither it goes, so, too, is it with the Holy Spirit. "The wind blows where it will, and thou hearest it.r sound, but do.rt not kn()1J) where it come.r from or where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit" (John 3 : 8). The Holy Spirit does not, like the .Son of God, come to us in human form, but dwells in the unfathomable depths of the Godhead, and acts in the silent recesses of our souls: "But to 11.f God has re1Jtaled them through Hi.r Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God" (I Cor. 2.: 10). Let us leam, then, who He is-first, in the bosom of the Godhead; and then, in His whole external activity. I.-In the bosom of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit is true God, the third Person of the Holy Trinity, equal to the Father and the Son. The name of the Holy Spirit is God. The Bible calls Him simply "God" in many passages, both in the Old Testament and the New: "Well did the Ho/y Spirit .speak through I.saia.r the prophet to our father.r, saying, 'Go to thi.r people and .ray: With the ear you will hear J2.
and will not ,mder.Jtand; t111d mingyou will see and will not pmitll " (Acts 2.8 : i ,-.16). Through the lips of the prophets, then, spoke the Holy Spitlt-the true God who, by His grace, dwells in our souls: "Do yo11 not lelfow that yorr are the tm,ple of God .and that the Spirit of God dwel/J in yo11?1' (I Cor. , : 16); "Do you not h,ow that yo11r member.r ar, the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is inyou?;,_ (I Cor. 6 : 19). Since a church or temple is built only for God, this means that the Holy Spirit is our God... W~ ha.s Sat1111 tempt1d thy heart that thou should.JI lie to the Ho{y Spirit? ... Thou ha.rt not /i,d to men, but lo Gcd'' (Acts s : 3-4). Here, again. Peter says qulte clearly that to lie to the Holy Spirit is to lie to God. Holy Scripture also ascribes to the Holy Spirit attributes that are essentially divine. He proceeds from the Father: "I will send yo,, from th, Father, th, Spirit of lr11lb who pro,mh from th, Fath,r'' (John 1 ~ : 16), and has, therefore, the same nature as the Father: He sees and declates the future: "Th, things thal ara to ,ome he will detlan to you" (John 16: 13); He has, then, divine knowledge, the knowledge that God, of His very nature, possesses; He is infalUbJe, absolute truth-and ocly God can be th.at. He gives birth to man through the waters of baptism: "Unless a 111@ be born again of water (JJld th, Spirit, he ,annot ,nter into the kingdom of God,. (John 3 : 5): He justifies man through repentance: ''Re,eive the Ho!J Spiri1,' whose sin.r you shall forgive, lh'!J ar, forgiven them'' (John .20: .2.2-23): He pow;s forth into our hearts supernatural virtuesespecially love: "The d1arity of God is poured forth in onr hearts by the Ho!J Spirit who has bten given to u.l' (Rom, 5 : 5). All supernatural life, thet1, is the work of the Holy Spirl4 and the Church ls His Kingdom, which He rules indivisibly: "All thm thittgs are the work of om and t!M :ame Spirit" (I Cor. 1·.2 i x 1). The Church, therefore, acknowledges the Holy Spirit as true God; and worships Him, as she worships the Father and the Son -in her prayers:, in the sacramental formulas, and in the sign of the cross. She condemned the heresy of the Bunom.lans and of Macedonius, who held that the Holy Spirit was a creature; and she added to the Nicene Creed the beautiful words: "I believe in the Holy Spirit, who together with the Pg:'ther and the Son is adored and glocined". From all this it is clea.t that the Holy Spirit is not merely a. Divine power or attribute, but a true, real Person, distinct from the Father and the Son, proceeding from them, and s~t as the Comforter, the eternal Source of love, the Lord, Creator, Preserver and Ruler of the whole world. If the 0
Holy Spitit is God, He is omnipotence and infi.n.i.ty, to whom all things are known. He is our last and highest Bad-Goodness, Truth and Beauty; above all, He is Love and Mercy. II.-The Holy Spirit is the third Divine Person. God, like every ratienal and free being, bas His own personality, although He differs from all other beings in this, that in Him there is not one Person alone-there are three Persons, all possessing one Divine nature, and all enjoying the full exercise of this nature. The Divine Persons are the self-existent manifestation of the superabundant inner life of• God; They are the fruit of the Divine f~ty. Although each Person possesses the same Divine nature, each possesses it in a diJferent way. The Father does not proceed from any Person; He possesses the Divine nature, but He is unbegotten, and does not proceed from anyone. But the Father knows Himself, and by this knowledge begets a living, perfect Image, equal in essence to Himself, and to whom He communicates •His own Divine nature. This image of the Father is the Son-the wisdom and knowledge begotten of the Father, arid hence known as the Word. The Father and Son, in Their mutual love, impart their being to a Third Person-in other words, they give to Him, that He too may possess it, the nature tpat they themselves have in common. This third Person is the Holy Spirit, whose distinctive property is that He proceeds from the love of the Father and the Son. Why is. the third Divine Person known as the Holy Spirit? He is called "Spirit,, because His procession from the Father and Son is by means of love and breath. The love of Father and Son qnites ·into one•breath, which contains all the reality and fulness of their mutual love. It is true that the Father, too, is a Spirit, as is the·Son-in other wotds,·each is an incotporeal being; but the third Person is called "Spirit'' because He is the breath of the other two Persons. In Him Father and Son are indeed one Spirit, since :ije is the mingled breath of their love-since in Him is the seal and crown of that unity which is their life and love. •• The third Person is called, not only "Spirit", but "the Holy Spirit». Holiness consists, above all, in the purity and simplicity of the will and of love. As the Third Person in the Holy Trinity is the Person of love, holiness belongs to Him in a very special way, for it is based chiefly on the will, and on love. The Father and the Son are, indeed, equally holiness itself in their mutual love, but the Holy Spirit is the expression, the flowering of the 14 C 3 L g
love and holiness of Father and Son, and is, therefore, essential holiness; and this holiness He imparts to rational creatures, sanctifying and perfecting them. We also call the Holy Spirit "Love" and "Gift". Love, because it is from love that He comes, because love is Hls origin and His distinctive mark, because it gives Him His name, and because He iii the Person of the love between Fathe.r and Son. And, as active and peJ:fect love always tends to devote and communicate itself, thus giving, as it were, a pledge of itself, it is called a gift, as being the expression and fruit of love. And so we call the Holy Spirit "the Gift", inasmuch as He is the supe.rabundaoce and effect of the love between Father and Son. The Father and Son impart their natu.te•to the Holy Spirit out of love, and through love; th~y give Him forth and possess Him as the pledge of their mutual love. He is, then, .as regards His essence and origin, a. gift and a pledge, while being, at the same time, the prototype, source and cause of all gifts, and the sup.reme gift of God to all His creatures. Such, then, is the Holy Spirit, as He is in the bosom of the Godhead: He is the true God, of one nature with the Father and Son, and equal to them in all things save His mode of procession. For the Father does not proceed frpm anyone, the Son is begotten of the Father through knowledge, a.ad the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son through the breathing forth of their love. As the Father is characterized by omnipotence, and the Son by wisdom, so the distinguishing mark of the Holy Spirit is love. And j£ the Holy Spirit is love, it follows that He is also loving kindness, a flame which enlightens and warms all things, enkinclling and transforming them. He is the sou.tee of all the gifts that God gives to His creatures, but, above all, fie is Himself the greatest Gift of God. He is peace, Joy) happiness (Meschlet). Before all ages, the Holy Spirit already existed as the Eternal God; even then His love shone forth, for the bosom of God the Father, and the bosom of God the Son, were the resting place of the Holy Spirit. Bow down, ye heavens, and humbly adore the Spirit of Lovel Be.ad low, earth, before this Spirit, whose love embraces all space, and who, through love, is in Himself holy and happy from all eternity. 0 Love, pure and inexhaustible, I lift up my heart to Theel He whom Thou dost enfold shines and glows with purity! When shall I be touched by Thy fire? Come15
warm and strengthen my feeble soull Come down, Spirit of life, to souls that are humble and pure; transform the proud, and cleanse those who are stained with sin! 5. THE RELATION OF THE HOLY SPilUT TO THE CHURCH OF CHRIST "[The Holy Spirit] will dwell with you, and be in you" (John 14: 17). Although Our Lord l~d the foundations of the Church, gave it its constitution, appointed His successor, created an inexhaustible treasury of merits, bequeathed to it His teachlng and a sublime example of all the virtues, it was nevertheless the Holy Spirit, on the day ofPentecost, who finally esta.blisbed it, when He 1 came down on the Apostles and filled them with all His dlvetse gifts. He came down, not just for one swift hour. From that day onward, He has remained in the Oiu.rch, and, as Our Lord foretold, acts in it unceasingly. He dwells in the souls of the Saviour's faithful followers, enlightening them and transforming them into the likeness of God; He rules Christ's Bock and keeps it from error. The link, then, between the Holy Spirit and the 1 Church is not a loose one, nor is it the result of mere chance; it is essential and enduring. I.-The Holy Spirit indeed dwells in the Church, as we sec from the Saviour's words: "And I will ask the Father and he wi/J give you anqther Adocate to dwell with you forMJer, th, Spirit of truth whom the world ca1111ot reteive, beca1m it neither Je,s him nor knowJ him. But you shall know him, beca111e h~ will dwell with yo11, and be in you" (John 14: 16-17) ... "It i.t expedimt for you that I depart. For if I do -no/ go, the A.Jt)f)tfl./e will not tome to yon; but if I go, I will .rend him to yo1l1 (John 16 : 7). On the Day of Pentecost this promise was fulfilled, and, by the will of Ottist, the Holy Spirit dwells in the Church for ever, so that, without Him, as the evangelist says, the Church would be incomplete: "He who believu in 111e, a; th, ScriptJ,n .rqys, 'From within him there s//all flow river.I of living waler'. He 1aid thiJ, howetJer, of the Spirit whom they who believed in him were to receive; for the Spirit had not yet been gwen, .ri,rce ]ml.! had notye'/ been glorified" (John 7 : 38-39). The Fathers of the Church call the Holy Spirit the Church's 16
dowry, the gift, the breath, the witness to its life and fellowship with Christ; St. Augustine calls the Church the home and dwelling place of the Holy Spirit (Ds fide, J 6). And St. Ircnaeus ,says: "TV'hm thn-s is tlM Chm-th, thers, too, Is the Ho!J Spirit,· and whm there is t!M Spirit of God, then, loo, i.r the Chnrch, a11tl 1t16,Y grace (Ad. her., ~ : 14). For if the Church is the body of Christ, it is for the Holy Spirit to give life to this body, which would otherwise be dead. And the Holy Spirit does indeed give life to the Church. He IUlimates it and unites it with Christ, as with its Head; the Holy Spirit permeates the Church; He is not merely somethi.o.g added on to it for adornment, to give it a. finishing touch of perfection; He is an essential part of it, without which -the Church could not act, or possess its distinctive, m.'l.tks---could ,not be enc, holy, unique, catholic and apostolic. The mark of unity is one supreme head, from which flows the spiritual unity linking all the members. In the Church the chief sou.rec of this unity is the Holy Spirit, who unites the invisible Head-Christ-with the visible head, His Vlcar, on whom He confers the gift of infallibility in mattets of faith and morals. The universality o.r catholicity of the Church is also a unity, caused by the Holy Spirit's giving life to the whole mystical body, which He perfects and develops. An infallible mark of the holiness of the Church is the miracles which the Holy Spirit lavishes upon it unceasingly. Its apostolic character is derived from the layingMon of hands----a rite which goes back, 1n an unbroken chal.n, to the time of the Apostles. This laying-on of hands at the consecration of priests is, together with miracles, the urunistakable mark of the Holy Spirit's work in the Church. Although the Saviour bad otganized the Church, chosen the Apostles, given them authority, instituted the sacraments and established the hierarchy, the Church was not yet alive ot capable of action. The Divine powers in it were still, as it were, dormant, for none bad as yet preached its doctrine, or baptized, or freed a soul from sin, or offered up the greatest of nll sacrifices. The world of Jewry and the world of paganism waited ~patiently at the gates of the Church, but no one opened those gates to them. Not until the feast of Pentecost, at nine o'clock; did the Church's activity begin. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, St. Peter addressed the crowd of pilgrims who had come to Jerusalem "from etmy nation llftd4r h~aven" (Acts 2: 5); the grace of the Holy f Sp~it touched the hearts of his hearers, and three thousand of 17
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