by Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon Christ's greatest gift to the Church is the gift of the Holy Spirit; this gift is, moreover, original, unique, and exclusive. Now if someone finds this assertion unsurprising, I suspect he may not have given it the critical reflection it calls for. There should be at least a few faithful Bible-readers, I think, who are disposed to wonder if it is true. Consider, for instance: Does not our hymnography proclaim that the Holy Spirit is "everywhere present and filling all things"? Since the Spirit hovered over the face of the deep in the first instance of Creation, doesn't He already fill the length and breadth of the Universe? And, moreover, doesn't the … [Read more...]