THE HOLY SPIRIT
Who is the Holy Spirit? (CCC 687-741)
The Holy
Spirit is the third Person of the Holy Trinity. He is the Love
that flows between the Father and the Son. He is the ultimate
gift of God to humanity, in that the Father sends the Holy
Spirit to live within us. In this way, we have God’s very life
within us and we are able to be called sons and daughters of
God.
When do we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit? (CCC 683)
We receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit first at our baptism. The depth of
the gift is increased and renewed in the Sacrament of
Confirmation. As well, each time we receive any of the
Sacraments, especially the Eucharist, we receive a new
outpouring of the Holy Spirit and His graces.
What is the mission of the Holy Spirit? (CCC 689-690)
Most simply,
His mission is the sanctification of man in order
that we can be united to Christ and live in Him. He lives in us
and speaks to us, allowing us to know God. Jesus visibly
revealed God, but the Spirit reveals Him to our hearts and
minds. He convinces us of our sins, in order that we may
recognize our need for mercy, and in that need, choose to turn
back to God to be healed. By this mission, He brings to
completion with work of God on earth – God the Father created
us; Jesus makes possible again our Salvation by His death and
Resurrection; the Holy Spirit makes us holy, revealing and
cleansing our sins, so that we can participate in the Life of
the Trinity (if we choose it).
When did God give the gift of the Holy Spirit to man? (CCC
731-736)
The Holy
Spirit is given fully to man on the feast of Pentecost, 50 days
after the Resurrection of Christ. On this day, the Trinity is
fully revealed and man receives the gift of the Holy Spirit in
abundance. On that day, the Church was born. We must emphasize
the word fully in this case because it is important to note the
Holy Spirit was still at work in the world and in the hearts of
men before this day. But God chose this moment to bring the
third Person of the Trinity out from hidden obscurity and to
manifest His fullness to the world.
