Since the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, the Spirit is also God and is in communion with the other two persons of the Most Holy Trinity. The Holy Spirit existed from eternity and the Bible mentions that from the time of creation. The Holy Spirit has been at work from the time of incarnation of Jesus, at the beginning of the public ministry of Jesus at River Jordan, and at the beginning of the church on the day of Pentecost. Jesus started his public ministry quoting from Isaiah the prophet, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor” (Lk 4:18, Isa 61:1). The Holy Spirit that came on the apostles continues guiding the church.
The Holy Spirit is the source of physical and spiritual life. The following are a few examples:
The “Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters” (Genesis 1:2) at the time of creation.
“Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Gen 2:7).
The Holy Spirit came upon Mary for the incarnation of Jesus (Mathew 1:18).
Jesus had promised: “Rivers of living water will flow from within him” (Jn 7:38). John continues: “He said this in reference to the Spirit that those who came to believe in him were to receive. There was, of course, no Spirit yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified” (Jn 7:39).
After the glorification of Jesus, the life-giving Holy Spirit came on the apostles inaugurating the formation of the church (Acts 2:1-13).
REFLECTION
We are the temple of God because the Holy Spirit came within us at the time of our baptism (CCC-1279). Let us be constantly aware of this, remain holy, and produce fruits of the Holy Spirit in our lives.