1. I believe in the Holy Spirit
GIAQUINTO, Corrado
The Holy Spirit
1750s
Oil on canvas, 64 x 48 cm
Private collection
I believe in the Holy Spirit 17
©Fr. Mark Emman H. Sese

2. Compendium of the Catechism
136. What does the Church mean when she confesses: “I believe in the Holy Spirit”?  
To believe in the Holy Spirit is to profess faith in the Third Person of the Most Holy Trinity who proceeds from the Father and the Son and “is worshipped and glorified with the Father and the Son”. The Spirit is “sent into our hearts” (Galatians 4:6) so that we might receive new life as sons of God.

3. Introduction
Christians are temples of the Holy Spirit. From the moment of baptism the Holy Spirit is in our souls, sanctifying them and enriching them with His gifts. If we don’t expel Him by committing a mortal sin, the Holy Spirit inspires and guides us, leading us to Heaven.
The Holy Spirit is Jesus Christ’s great gift, after He ascended into Heaven: “It is for your own good that I am going, because unless I go, the Paraclete will not come to you, but if I go, I will send Him to you.” (John 16: 7).
In the Creed, after having professed our faith in God the Father and God the Son, we also profess that the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Blessed Trinity, is also God.
However, the Holy Spirit is for many believers the Great Unknown, even though as St Paul says, Christians are temples of the Holy Spirit. From the moment of baptism the Holy Spirit is in our souls, sanctifying them and enriching them with His gifts. If we don’t expel Him by committing a mortal sin, the Holy Spirit inspires and guides us, leading us to Heaven. The Holy Spirit is the Paraclete comforting us, “the sweet guest of the soul”.
The Holy Spirit is Jesus Christ’s great gift, after He ascended into Heaven. Just as He had promised during the Last Supper. “It is for your own good that I am going, because unless I go, the Paraclete will not come to you, but if I go, I will send Him to you.” (John 16: 7). And in fact, on the day of Pentecost, they received the Holy Spirit.
Let us pray to the Holy Spirit so that He may help us to understand His mysterious work in the Church and in our souls.
ANDREA DA FIRENZE
Descent of the Holy Spirit
Fresco
Cappella Spagnuolo, Santa Maria Novella, Florence

4. Main ideas
©Fr. Mark Emman H. Sese

5. 1. The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Holy Trinity
The Holy Spirit is the third Person whose divinity we profess in the Creed when we pray: “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, and with the Father and the Son He is worshipped and glorified”.
Therefore we have to believe in the Holy Spirit.
The mystery of the Holy Trinity is a fundamental truth of our faith. As a mystery, we shall never be able to comprehend it. This mystery teaches us that in God there are three Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The three Persons are God, but there is only one God.
The Holy Spirit is the third Person whose divinity we profess in the Creed when we pray: “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, and with the Father and the Son He is worshipped and glorified”. Therefore we have to believe in the Holy Spirit.
BALEN, Hendrick van
Holy Trinity
1620s
Oil on panel
Sint-Jacobskerk, Antwerp

6. 2. God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit accomplishes the work of salvation
The second Person of the Blessed Trinity, became man and died for us. Through His passion, death and resurrection we men have been saved.
But the three Divine Persons take part in our salvation: God the Father sending His Son; the Son dying for us; the Holy Spirit coming on the day of Pentecost to be the soul of the Church and to inhabit in each one of us.
We know that Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Blessed Trinity, became man and died for us. Through His passion, death and resurrection we have been saved. But the three Divine Persons take part in our salvation: God the Father sending His Son; the Son dying for us; the Holy Spirit coming on the day of Pentecost to be the soul of the Church and to inhabit in each one of us.
BECCAFUMI, Domenico
Trinity (detail)
1513
Oil on wood
Pinacoteca Nazionale, Siena

7. 3. The Holy Spirit sanctifies us
Since there is only one God, everything that God does is done by the three Divine Persons. However, we attribute some actions to the Father, some to the Son, some to the Holy Spirit.
The sanctification of men is attributed to the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the love of the Father and the Son, though this task is done by the whole Trinity.
Since there is only one God, everything that God does is done by the three Divine Persons. However, we attribute some actions to the Father, some to the Son, some to the Holy Spirit. So we sometimes say that God the Father is the creator of the world, because creation is accomplished by God’s omnipotence, and God’s omnipotence is attributed to the Father, though the world was also created by the Son and by the Holy Spirit. Redemption was accomplished by the incarnate Son of God. The sanctification of men is attributed to the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the love of the Father and the Son, though this task is done by the whole Trinity.
WIT, Jacob de
Holy Family and Trinity
1726
Oil on canvas, 140 x 105 cm
Amstelkring Museum, Amsterdam

8. 4. The Holy Spirit and the Church
On the day of Pentecost –ten days after His Ascension and fifty days after His resurrection— the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles and disciples who were together with the Blessed Virgin.
With the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Church opened up to all nations. The Holy Spirit builds, vivifies and sanctifies His Church.
Just as Christ had promised, on the day of Pentecost –ten days after His Ascension and fifty days after His resurrection— the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles and disciples who were together with the Blessed Virgin. With the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Church opened up to all nations. The Holy Spirit builds, vivifies and sanctifies His Church.
BERNINI, Gian Lorenzo
The Throne of Saint Peter
Marble, bronze, white and golden stucco
San Pietro, Rome

9. 5. The Holy Spirit sanctifies mainly through the sacraments
The sanctification performed in us by the Holy Spirit consists in uniting ourselves more and more with God; but in order that the Holy Spirit may accomplish it, we have to let Him do His job in our soul:
By being always in the state of God´s grace.
Receiving the sacraments, especially of Penance and the Eucharist.
We have to listen to what the Holy Spirit tells us; the Holy Spirit teaches through the pastors of the Church, and interiorly inspires what God wants and expects from us.
The sanctification performed in us by the Holy Spirit consists in uniting ourselves more and more with God; but in order that the Holy Spirit may accomplish it, we have to let Him do His job in our soul. How can we do it?
By being always in the state of God´s grace we are, as St Paul says, temples of the Holy Spirit, who is within us and keeps on sanctifying us.
That is the reason for receiving the sacraments, especially of Penance and the Eucharist. With the sacrament of Reconciliation we recover the sanctifying grace –if we have lost it–, and we are fortified. The Eucharist nourishes the soul and confers supernatural grace (grace, virtues and gifts of the Holy Spirit).
We have to listen to what the Holy Spirit tells us; the Holy Spirit teaches through the pastors of the Church, and interiorly inspires what God wants and expects from us.
WEYDEN, Rogier van der
Seven Sacraments (left wing)
Oil on oak panel, 119 x 63 cm
Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerp

10. 6. To get acquainted with the Holy Spirit
We know that the Holy Spirit is the “sweet host of the soul” who is within us when are in God’s grace.
In a special way we have to ask the Holy Spirit His seven gifts, which are necessary to live as truly Christians:
The gift of wisdom.
The gift of intellect.
The gift of counsel.
The gift of fortitude.
The gift of science.
The gift of piety.
The gift of fear.
We know that the Holy Spirit is the “sweet guest of the soul” who is within us when we are in God’s grace. The same way as we talk to the Father and to the Son, we have to get used to talking to the Holy Spirit who sanctifies us. In a special way we have to ask the Holy Spirit for His seven gifts, which are necessary to live as true Christians.
- The gift of wisdom, necessary to relish God’s deeds.
- The gift of intellect helps us to understand better the truths of our faith.
- The gift of counsel helps us to know what God wants from us and from other people.
- The gift of fortitude gives us strength and courage to do the things that God wants us to do.
- The gift of science teaches us which things help us to walk towards God.
- The gift of piety, with which we love God and our neighbour more and better.
- The gift of fear helps us not to offend God when our love for Him weakens.
SAMACCHINI, Orazio
Allegory of Wisdom
Oil on canvas, 137 x 109 cm
Private collection

11. 7. Some prayers addressed to the Holy Spirit
«Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit».
«In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit».
«Come oh Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithfull and enkindle in them the fire of your love».
«Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created».
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Come oh Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithfull and enkindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.
MURILLO, Bartolomé Esteban
St Francis of Assisi at Prayer
Oil on canvas, 182 x 129 cm
O.-L. Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp

12. Resolutions for Christian life
©Fr. Mark Emman H. Sese

13. Resolutions to move forward
Consider that, when we are in God’s grace, the Holy Spirit lives within us as in a temple. Make the resolution to be always in God’s grace.
Repeat some of the prayers addressed to the Holy Spirit, especially around the feast of Pentecost.