I believe in the Holy Spirit

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I believe in the Holy Spirit
GIAQUINTO, Corrado The Holy Spirit 1750s Oil on
canvas, 64 x 48 cm Private collection

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Compendium of the Catechism

• 136. What does the Church mean when she
  confesses I believe in the Holy Spirit?
• 683-686 
• 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 46) so that we might receive new life
  as sons of God.

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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 dont expel Him by committing a
  mortal sin, the Holy Spirit inspires and guides
  us, leading us to Heaven.
• The Holy Spirit is Jesus Christs 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).

ANDREA DA FIRENZE Descent of the Holy
Spirit 1365-68 Fresco Cappella Spagnuolo, Santa
Maria Novella, Florence
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Main ideas
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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.

BALEN, Hendrick van Holy Trinity 1620s Oil on
panel Sint-Jacobskerk, Antwerp
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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.

BECCAFUMI, Domenico Trinity (detail) 1513 Oil on
wood Pinacoteca Nazionale, Siena
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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.

WIT, Jacob de Holy Family and Trinity 1726 Oil on
canvas, 140 x 105 cm Amstelkring Museum, Amsterdam
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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.

BERNINI, Gian Lorenzo The Throne of Saint
Peter 1657-66 Marble, bronze, white and golden
stucco San Pietro, Rome
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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 Gods 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.

WEYDEN, Rogier van der Seven Sacraments (left
wing) 1445-50 Oil on oak panel, 119 x 63
cm Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerp
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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 Gods
  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.

SAMACCHINI, Orazio Allegory of Wisdom Oil on
canvas, 137 x 109 cm Private collection
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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.

MURILLO, Bartolomé Esteban St Francis of Assisi
at Prayer 1645-50 Oil on canvas, 182 x 129
cm O.-L. Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp
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Resolutions for Christian life
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Resolutions to move forward

• Consider that, when we are in Gods grace, the
  Holy Spirit lives within us as in a temple. Make
  the resolution to be always in Gods grace.
• Repeat some of the prayers addressed to the Holy
  Spirit, especially around the feast of Pentecost.