Our Spirituality
Mary, Mother of Eternal Love and Mary, Mother of the Church, two 15th Century paintings from the altar piece in the Church of St. Reinoldi, Dortmund, Germany, that represent OSS spirituality
SPIRITUALITY
The Founder of the Opus Spiritus Sancti communities described our spirituality in this way:
The spirituality of the Opus Spiritus Sancti conveys a profound understanding of the mystery of the Incarnation, a lively relationship with the Risen Lord and a rich experience of the Holy Spirit.
Incarnation
The Incarnation of the Word of God in the world, that already began with creation as the Spirit of God hovered over the waters, continues as in a large curve to the Incarnation in Mary and into Pentecost with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and on to the end of time when God as sovereign Lord will be all in all.
The Holy Spirit who once came upon Mary also descended upon the disciples of Jesus. In that event the Incarnation became an on-going process. This Incarnation is what it means to be in-Christ and continues in every Pentecost in all the faithful who are open to the Spirit’s coming, just as Mary was.
The Risen Lord and the Holy Spirit
The Risen Lord is the central point of our spirituality in the OSS. Our spiritual homeland in this Work of the Holy Spirit is the Easter-Pentecost world. Easter is the new beginning, the beginning of a new creation. This newness is established in the peace that came about between God and humanity. “When the disciples saw the Lord, they were filled with joy.”
The high point of the first appearances of Jesus to the Apostles after his Resurrection was in the sending of the Holy Spirit: “Receive the Holy Spirit!” (John 20:22). The Last Supper room now also becomes a Pentecost Hall. We hope that our chapels of the Incarnation and Pentecost will also become places of the descent of the Spirit. The events of the Incarnation, Easter and Pentecost form the foundation of our spiritual life.
Just like Peter (Acts 2:14) we too must courageously step out to give witness to the whole world to the Risen Lord and the Holy Spirit who was sent from the Father and the Son. Each one of us is sent just as Christ sent out his disciples. Each one is responsible for working in the world wherever s/he is or wherever s/he is sent. The way Christ lived and surrendered himself to God on the Cross is now
repeated in the life of every Christian. “I am the way and the truth and the life.” (Jn 14:6).
The New Pentecost
“Together they devoted themselves to constant prayer. There were some women in their company, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers” (Acts 1:14). We pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit and for a New Pentecost. We want to continue to pray and to work with the Lord who lives in us until God is all in all (1. Cor. 15:28).
The Founder of the Opus Spiritus Sancti communities described our spirituality in this way:
The spirituality of the Opus Spiritus Sancti conveys a profound understanding of the mystery of the Incarnation, a lively relationship with the Risen Lord and a rich experience of the Holy Spirit.
Incarnation
The Incarnation of the Word of God in the world, that already began with creation as the Spirit of God hovered over the waters, continues as in a large curve to the Incarnation in Mary and into Pentecost with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and on to the end of time when God as sovereign Lord will be all in all.
The Holy Spirit who once came upon Mary also descended upon the disciples of Jesus. In that event the Incarnation became an on-going process. This Incarnation is what it means to be in-Christ and continues in every Pentecost in all the faithful who are open to the Spirit’s coming, just as Mary was.
The Risen Lord and the Holy Spirit
The Risen Lord is the central point of our spirituality in the OSS. Our spiritual homeland in this Work of the Holy Spirit is the Easter-Pentecost world. Easter is the new beginning, the beginning of a new creation. This newness is established in the peace that came about between God and humanity. “When the disciples saw the Lord, they were filled with joy.”
The high point of the first appearances of Jesus to the Apostles after his Resurrection was in the sending of the Holy Spirit: “Receive the Holy Spirit!” (John 20:22). The Last Supper room now also becomes a Pentecost Hall. We hope that our chapels of the Incarnation and Pentecost will also become places of the descent of the Spirit. The events of the Incarnation, Easter and Pentecost form the foundation of our spiritual life.
Just like Peter (Acts 2:14) we too must courageously step out to give witness to the whole world to the Risen Lord and the Holy Spirit who was sent from the Father and the Son. Each one of us is sent just as Christ sent out his disciples. Each one is responsible for working in the world wherever s/he is or wherever s/he is sent. The way Christ lived and surrendered himself to God on the Cross is now
repeated in the life of every Christian. “I am the way and the truth and the life.” (Jn 14:6).
The New Pentecost
“Together they devoted themselves to constant prayer. There were some women in their company, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers” (Acts 1:14). We pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit and for a New Pentecost. We want to continue to pray and to work with the Lord who lives in us until God is all in all (1. Cor. 15:28).