Is The CCR Maintaining Its Holiness Mandate?

"Living the new life with Jesus; living the new life with Jesus brings me joy."

"New life, new life; is what we have been given by the Lord... alleluia, alleluia, alleluia Lord..."

Those were among the enchanting, inspiring, moving and spirit-lifting choruses which resonated with members of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in the early days of the movement in the Church in Nigeria and elsewhere. The call to repentance was a clarion one and those touched and filled longed for more of God. That was when one was spirit-filled and yet hungry for God.

The hallmark of the life was humility, love, brotherliness, fellowship and peace. Baptism in the Holy Spirit and the desire to be filled was the desire of all. The hunger in all comers to and participants in the charismatic movement was to know God and the power of His resurrection in prayer, liturgical worship and meeting God in prayerful readihg of the Bible. Obedience to priests and the Church authority was genuine and high and that endeared the charismatic movement to the Church.

Fast forward, to the glory of God, members of the charismatic renewal have grown in status and in knowledge. They've also grown in "power" and the exercise of "authority". We've also gone parralell with non-Catholic pentecostals in charting our own part to "power and prosperity". If that is positive and a setback for the CCR, I am not certain. Fifty years of existence and the charismatic renewal in Nigeria has gone through many processes, the same way the Mother Church has been going through processes and she keeps going strong, regenerating and holding the fort.

The Church is holding tenaciously to her fundamental teachings no matter the age. It is the reason she's the only institution standing to the chagrin of permissive societies. Not even uprising through errorneous teaching could force the Church to waver on her beliefs and practices. Back to the charismatic renewal, what made the movement tick in gaining ground back in the days were humility, obedience, love and yielding to the leading of the Holy Spirit. I give it the acronym HOLY (humility, obedience, love and yielding). Interestingly, those are the hallmarks of holiness of life. Who is a charismatic without humility? Who is charismatic without obedience to obedience to the Church? Who is charismatic without genuine love of God and love of neighbour. Who is charismatic without yielding to the voice of the Holy Spirit?

The subjectr of one of the pieces shared on this blog on Sunday, was on the renewal going on in the Church. Can we say the same of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in Nigeria?

Let us hear your thoughts, please.