Week after the Ascension - Who is the Holy Spirit?

"When the Advocate has come, whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness concerning me." St. John, 15:26.

"I believe in the Holy Spirit." Creed.

One of the most brilliant converts to the Catholic Church, Henry Edward Manning, lived in the 19th century. In 1842, while still a member of the Anglican Church, he published a book of sermons, only to have a devout and intelligent friend point out to him afterwards that he had entirely forgotten to mention the Holy Ghost. Not once had he spoken of the Holy Spirit.

True enough, he had completely forgotten to speak of the "forgotten God." He started to think and investigate. He read and studied all he could find about the Holy Spirit, especially the many Bible references to the Third Person of the Holy Trinity. Light came; strength came; courage came. Two years after that chance criticism Manning entered the Catholic Church, where the Holy Spirit became the soul of his life.

Just as Manning left the Holy Ghost out of his book, so many of us leave the Holy Spirit out of the work we do. Unlike Manning, too many of us never attempt to learn something about this Spirit of light and love. Jesus tells us that He will send this Spirit of truth, this Giver of life, this Sanctifier. More than three hundred times in one way or another the Bible speaks of the Holy Ghost.

When we pray in the Apostles' Creed: "I believe in the Holy Spirit," we mean that the Holy Spirit is God. He is the Thitd Person of the Blessed Trinity. He has the same nature as God the Father and God the Son, although He is a different person. He is not the Father and He is not the Son. He is the Spirit of both. This is one of the deepest mysteries of Christian faith.

This mystery was revealed before the coming of Christ, but not as clearly as it is now. Christ taught us much more about the Holy Spirit. Jesus told us that the Holy Spirit is God like the Father and Himself, but He is a different Person from the Father and the Son. At our Lord's baptism the Holy Spirit came down upon Him in the form of a dove. The Holy Spirit was different from the Son who was baptized, and from the Father whose voice was heard from heaven. When Jesus sent His apostles to preach to the whole world, He commanded them to baptize all nations, "in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

The Holy Spirit has the powers of God. He knows all things: "For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God." 1 Cor. 2:10. The Holy Ghost is everywhere: "The Spirit of the Lord hath filled the whole world." Wisdom, 1:7. In the words of the Angel Gabriel to our Blessed Mother the Holy Ghost is all-powerful:. "The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee." St.. Luke, 1:35. The Holy Spirit has the power of prophecy: "Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." He works miracles: "I cast out devils by the Spirit of God." St. Matthew, 12:28. Through the Holy Spirit comes the power of forgiving sins: "Receive the Holy Spirit, whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them." In a word, the Holy Spirit has the same powers as the Father and the Son.

I would attempt to explain another point, expressed by our Lord in these words just read to you: "The Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father." St. John, 15:26. To proceed means to move forward, to move away from or out of. A procession is a group that moves out of the sanctuary and through the church. Does the Holy Spirit "proceed" from God the Father and God the Son in that way? No. Let me try to illustrate.

An artist has an idea of a picture of the Sacred Heart that he would like to paint. In his mind he works out an idea of his picture: the size, the figure, the facial features, the coloring, the background. The picture is still locked up in his mind. It is a part of the artist's soul, as it were; it remains within him, is part of him.

When he puts his picture on canvas, he transfers what was in his mind to canvas. The more skillful he is the better he expresses in paint and color the picture that was in his soul. The picture, as it were, comes out of his mind and lives apart from the artist. The picture proceeds from the painter.

The Holy Spirit does not proceed in that way from the Father and Son. Rather, this is how it happens. Suppose the artist had his picture only in his soul, and never did put it on canvas. And suppose we would be able to see that picture in his soul, as part of the artist. In some similar way, the Holy Ghost proceeds from the will of the Father and the Son, but remains true God, remains perfect and equal to them. In created things there is no perfect example of this.

We make much of this Third Person of the Holy Trinity, because we go back in spirit to the time when Mary and the Apostles were waiting for His official coming. Join that group. Wait and pray for His coming. They needed light and strength and courage. So do we. They receive light and courage from the Holy Spirit. So shall we.

You professional people need the Holy Spirit. You parents, you young people choosing a way or a partner in life, all of you need this Holy Spirit.

Let me ask you a candid question: "Did you ever ask the Holy Spirit to help you with any problem?" Try it. When you make the sign of the cross at the end of this sermon think especially of the Third Person of the Trinity. Bring the Holy Spirit into your thinking, into your problems, into your decisions. Say simply: Holy Spirit, help me with this problem. Come, Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of these Thy faithful. Amen.
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Adapted from Talks on the Creed
by Fr. Arthur Tonne, OFM (© 1946)