This reflection was written as part of a student project at Bethlehem High School in Saskatoon.

By Lee Koeby Malubay, Bethlehem High School

“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”  These words, spoken by millions, invoke the mystery of the Holy Trinity — especially the mystery of the Holy Spirit.

While some understand the Father as Creator and the Son as Redeemer, the Holy Spirit remains shrouded in ambiguity. Who is this Holy Spirit really? Surely, the Holy Spirit’s identity and function as part of the Holy Trinity involves more than meets the eye.

To begin with, the Holy Spirit is fully God, co-eternal and co-equal with the Father and the Son. In Genesis, it is said that “a mighty wind swept over the waters,” where the wind represents the invisible yet powerful Holy Spirit hovering over creation. This means that the Holy Spirit has been around since the beginning, just like God  the Father and Jesus, and is forever eternal.

The Holy Spirit is often described as a mysterious presence that cannot be seen or touched, but is felt profoundly by believers.

In addition to the image of wind, the Holy Spirit is also represented by various symbols that each highlight a distinct aspect of the Spirit’s divine nature.

The image of a dove symbolizes peace, purity and the Holy Spirit’s descent upon Jesus at his Baptism in the form of a dove.

The image of fire symbolizes the transformative energy of the Spirit, as seen at Pentecost, where the Apostles saw tongues of fire and were suddenly empowered to spread Christ’s message.

Water symbolizes the Holy Spirit’s action in Baptism: spiritual rebirth and cleansing. Images of light and cloud symbolize the Holy Spirit both revealing and yet concealing God’s glory, as recorded in the scriptural account of Christ’s Transfiguration.

Anointing symbolizes God’s love pouring into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, and the laying on of hands symbolizes receiving the Holy Spirit, as experienced in healing and sacramental rites.

Together these symbols show how the Holy Spirit, despite being unseen, can manifest in different forms with great power.

One of the primary roles of the Holy Spirit is to be a guide and teacher, helping us understand God’s will and teachings by providing insight. The Holy Spirit is also known as the Comforter or Advocate. God the Holy Spirit is a bond of love that comforts us, supports us and empowers us during tough times.

Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Additionally, the Holy Spirit is known as the Giver of Gifts. It bestows on us the seven spiritual gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord.

Wisdom allows us to see the world from God’s perspective, recognizing his work in every aspect of life.

Understanding helps us grasp the deeper meaning of faith and live according to Christ’s teachings.

Counsel, or the gift of discernment, guides our moral decisions and leads us to righteousness.

Fortitude, or courage, strengthens our resolve to uphold our faith in the face of adversity.

Knowledge encourages continual learning of God’s revelations and growth in faith.

Piety, or reverence, fosters deep respect for God, cultivating humility, trust, and devotion.

Fear of the Lord instills a recognition of God’s infinite greatness, power, majesty, and love.

The Holy Spirit is also a Sanctifier. By receiving the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, we can bear its fruits, helping us grow in virtues like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Hence, this makes us holy and grow closer to God, allowing us to serve the Church and the world like how he wants us to.

The Holy Spirit and the Church

The Holy Spirit greatly influences the Church. On Pentecost, Jesus’ Apostles, initially demotivated after his crucifixion, heard a violent wind and saw tongues of fire. Overflowing with the Holy Spirit, they boldly proclaimed ‘Jesus is Lord.’ This change from hopelessness to courage demonstrates how the Holy Spirit inspires believers and helps the Church stay united and true to its mission.

Just as the Holy Spirit guided the Apostles, the Holy Spirit guides Church leaders like the pope and bishops, assisting them in decision-making and teaching.

The Holy Spirit also plays a key role in the sacraments.

At Jesus’ Baptism, the Spirit descended as a dove, anointing him for his ministry. Similarly, in our Baptism, the Holy Spirit cleanses us from sin and renews our faith.

In the Eucharist, the Holy Spirit transforms the bread and wine into Christ’s body and blood.

During Confirmation, the Holy Spirit strengthens and deepens our faith, just as it strengthened Jesus for His mission to redeem us.

Furthermore, on a personal level, the Holy Spirit helps individuals live out their faith daily, guiding moral decisions, inspiring prayer, enabling grace and prompting acts of kindness through spiritual gifts.

The Holy Spirit reveals itself as the source of divine life in the conception of Christ, where through the power of the Spirit, the Blessed Virgin Mary conceives Jesus. Just as the Holy Spirit brought Jesus into the world through Mary, the Holy Spirit brings us into new life with God, dwelling within us and transforming us into children of God and temples of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we learn how to live by the energy and influence of God’s Spirit.

The breath of God

In essence, the Holy Spirit is the breath of God — our soul breathes God as our lungs breathe air. The Holy Spirit is invisible but powerful, and this invisible presence can dwell in us, leading to divine sonship.

The Holy Spirit builds, animates and sanctifies the Church through the proclamation of the Gospel and Sacraments, and is the inspiration for moral and spiritual life. As a result, the Holy Spirit makes us participants in the divine life that God originally planned for humanity.

Nevertheless, sanctification works hand in hand with justification. In order to grow closer to God, there must be conversion, the remission of sins and the transformation of humanity. Just as we can choose to enkindle or not a candle that is given to us, we must be willing to let go of our sinful habits, open our hearts and say yes to the influence of the Holy Spirit.

-30-