Sober Intoxication of the Spirit: Filled with the Fullness of God

This humble, yet profound book about the baptism of the Holy Spirit in peoples lives is a much needed bridge between the Catholic Charismatic renewal and other Spirit filled parts of the Church (ie Pentecostal, Protostant Evangelical Charismatics etc). Having been beautifully raised in the Catholic Church in Australia, it was from other denominations that I experienced the life giving baptism of the Holy Spirit. This book is so helpful in communicating to other Catholics how God would love to pour out His love and Spirit on ALL believers if they would allow Him. God has placed this man in the centre of the Catholic Church to be His voice and I thank God for the Holy Spirit's work in Fr Raniero to keep his eyes fixed on Christ and be led by Him alone.

This is a brilliant treatment of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in the world today. It is filled with the wisdom of a man who is Preacher to the Papal Household for several popes; he gives retreats to the popes. Still Father Cantalamesssa writes in an easy-to-read-and-understand style, with very practical advice and encouragement. This is a hopeful, helpful book for anyone who is serious about their faith and desires to live a more God-centered life in Christ Jesus.

There is a great deal of hype and emotionalism in the so-called Charismatic Renewal movement. At times it seems people flock to the next exciting location or other always looking for that next spiritual high. But Fr. Cantalamessa is quick to remind us that any renewal that does not bear fruit for repentance is no renewal at all. He reminds us of the great paradox of being drunk in the Spirit as not some emotional movement that puts us out of our right minds - it is a sober intoxication that leads us to our right minds, renewed in the Spirit of truth. We should be suspicious of any movement that promises intoxication without renewing our minds and our hearts. Our spiritual enemy knows our tendency to follow the latest exciting fad and uses that tendency against us. Fr. Cantalamessa calls us back to be sober minded and wise as serpents in examining our hearts for the true intoxication of the Spirit. A wonderful work that guides us back to focus on the giver rather than the gifts and challenges us to live our lives worthy of the calling to which we have been called. Come Holy Spirit, renew our minds with the sober intoxication that comes only from You.

There are many people who confuse the accidental (people waving their arms and clapping, being "slain in the spirit" etc) with the essential (the recognition of the action of the Holy Spirit in the Church.) In this book Fr. Cantalamessa seeks to clear up such misunderstandings, to lay a foundation of what the renewal in the Spirit means, and to further explain the importance of it. Fr. Cantalamessa shares annecdotes from his life and the lives of others that witness to the action of the Holy Spirit through the ages, and of the sanctifying and transformative power of the Holy Spirit in the lives of people to this very day. This is certainly an instructive book in understanding what the Renewal in the Spirit is, what it is not, and the impacy it can have upon the lives of individual Christians and upon the Church.

When Catholics realize that since 1980 the preacher to the papal household, so far, of two great popes has been a Catholic charismatic, they must take a second look at the Charismatic Renewal which has for too long been viewed by most Catholics as something odd that the Church merely tolerates out of kindness. What Fr. Canatalamessa says in this book is that the Charismatic Renewal is for every Catholic--it is a renewal and unleashing of the graces received in sacramental Baptism and Confirmation and in the other sacraments. In nine chapters, he explains clearly and simply but with the precision and balance of the first-rate theologian that he is how the renewal relates to the sacramental system of the Church and to Christian life. He even critiques some of the excesses of some charismatics who become puffed up over their charisms (as the Corinthians did in the first century!) and those individuals who want to receive charisms but still remain in objective situations of mortal sin, especially in the area of sexual morality (again reminders of the Corinthians to whom Paul wrote in the first century). These critiques show the wisdom, prudence, and balance of Fr. Cantalamessa. Yet, none of the warts in any way suppresses the enthusiasm of Fr. Cantalamessa for the action of the Holy Spirit in the renewal and its promise for the Church. His book is prophetic and calls all Catholics to open up to the abundant, joyful, and full life of the Spirit. The title of the book is taken from a Latin quote from St. Ambrose that is translated: "Let us drink the sober intoxication of the Spirit with joy!" Fr. Cantalamessa persuasively and soberly invites each of us to this new, joyful, and uplifting intoxication. If a non-charismatic Catholic wants an introduction to the Charismatic Renewal, I can think of none better or more authoritative for these times. We are fortunate to have these collected talks translated into English. You can find a fuller review at the above blog link (Oct. 24, 2005, post).