"Holy Spirit" - The Essence of God

“Holy Trinity” the Essence of God

Begin with the story of Creation; “Then God said: Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”    God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them.(Gen. 1: 26, 27).  To whom was God speaking when he voiced these pronouns?  Catholic Theology teaches that the three persons of the Trinity always were!  From the Incarnation to the Resurrection we see Jesus as the God/Man, yet he always was God before human creation.  Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as one whom the Father would send after Jesus ascended to the Father, but he always was God before human creation.  See CCC I: 1-3).   

Most persons, Christians and Jews especially, adhere to God the Father.  Christians believe that the Son is God, via the Passion-Death/Resurrection of Jesus.  The problem of belief exists for quite a few Christians in the Holy Spirit being a real person.  If they need a physical being with flesh and bones to believe then how do they adhere that the Father is a real person since he does not have flesh and bones?  

 How many times did Jesus refer to the spirit as Advocate or Counselor, when assuring his disciples whom the Father would send to them after Jesus returned to his Father?  John 14: 15 ff.  Jesus tells his disciples that the Father will send another Advocate to be with them forever.  This Advocate is not a person that suddenly came upon the scene, but was God since before time was created.  All three persons of the Trinity are God.  Each has a specific role yet all three are involved in our creation, our faith, and our salvation.  Three persons who are one God.  One God who is three persons.

 For those who will be confirmed at the Vigil Mass at Easter should reflect on the words that the bishop pronounces as he makes the sign of the cross on the candidate’s forehead, with Chrism:  He does not say receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit (in a plural manner), but receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Not elements of what they are capable of spreading, but the third person of the Holy Trinity.  This is God not a functionary.  St. Irenaeus said we receive all the gifts of the Holy Spirit at Baptism.  But the gift of the Holy Spirit we receive completely at Confirmation.

St. Augustine was perplexed with the Trinity, and in a dream encountered a young child pouring water, using a bucket, saying he was going to empty the ocean into the hole.  He told the child “you will never be able to do that to which the child (an angel) responded to Augustine; “and you Augustine will never understand the Trinity”.  This article also will not attempt to define the theology of the Trinity, just another means of sharing the truth of three persons in one God.  Sacred Scripture contains many reflections on the Holy Spirit being one person of the Trinity.  We may not understand this mystery but not to accept it would be a mistake.  

When the bells ring with the Alleluia at the Gloria on Easter, we shall be ringing in the very Essence of a Trinitarian God; a God who always was, always is, and always will be forever.  This is our proclamation and acceptance of the Plan God promised from the beginning.  This is a Trinity of One, equal and one.  One in Trinity forever.  God is never divided into three Gods, but always defined as one God in three distinct persons.  

Remember when Phillip asked Jesus to show them the Father and that will be enough for us, Jesus said to him; “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip?”  “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”  “How can you say, show us the Father”?  “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?”  “The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.  The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.”  “Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves.”  “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.  And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”  “If you ask of me in my name, I will do it.”   (Jn. 14: 8 - 14).  “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name - he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”  (Jn. 14: 26).    Part of the priestly prayer at the Last Supper signifying the connection between the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.

First comes the Passion of Jesus.  We are sorrowful beating our breast with Mea Culpa, for we have sinned.  We sing Alleluia, alleluia at the Resurrection of Christ.  He has overcome death and sin.  This Christ ascends to heaven and through all this our Lenten/Easter Journey begins being led by the Holy Trinity’s guidance.  The Holy Spirit is sent by the Father in the Son’s name as that guide to our own resurrection, and we shall feel the Essence of God.

Ralph B. Hathaway, Resurrection of Christ 2021