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Apologetics 101: The Holy Spirit

On the great feast of Pentecost, we consider the Third Person of the Holy Trinity.

  • The Holy Spirit has been called the “forgotten God.” We talk a lot about the Father and the Son. But there is so much left to explore about the Spirit.

  • What if that is on purpose? It seems the Holy Spirit prefers to operate in an unappreciated and unrecognized way.

  • The Holy Spirit, in a certain sense, represents the hiddenness, mystery and humility of God.

  • The Holy Spirit is the love shared between the Father and the Son.  The Holy Spirit is a Person, not a vague entity or being.

  • In the history of the Church, the Holy Spirit has been primarily represented by two symbols: a dove and fire.

  • Sometimes in our lives, we need a cheerleader and sometimes we need a football coach. The Holy Spirit knows how and when to be which.

  • Through the Sacrament of Confirmation, the Holy Spirit gives us the customized, personalized gifts and encouragement we need to live the Christian life.

  • The Holy Spirit has a unique relationship with Mary, which is related to her humility.

  • In the Gospel, when the angel announces God wants her to become the mother of His Son, Mary admits that she does not know how this can be.

  • Admitting that we don’t know is not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of humility. Whenever we humble ourselves before the Lord, the Spirit rushes to shower us with His seven gifts.