The Holy Spirit's Role in the Life of
the Church
Who is the Holy Spirit?
• The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Holy
Trinity—fully God, co-equal with the Father
and the Son.
• The Spirit was present in creation (Genesis
1:2), in the mission of Jesus (Luke 4:18), and at
Pentecost.
• The Spirit breathes life into the Church and
empowers believers to continue Christ’s work.
CCC 687: "No one comprehends the
thoughts of God except the Spirit of
God.
• means that only God, through the Holy
Spirit, possesses the full knowledge of
divine thoughts and plans; human
reason and observation are insufficient
to understand these spiritual realities,
which are only revealed through the
Spirit's action within believers, guiding
them to faith in Christ and the Father.
God's Transcendence: The passage
highlights the immense difference
between God and humanity,
emphasizing that God's thoughts are
far beyond human comprehension,
much like no one can fully know
another person's thoughts except their
own spirit.
The Holy Spirit's Role: The Holy Spirit,
being divine, is the only one who fully
understands the depths of God. He is
God's means of communicating divine
knowledge and wisdom to people.
Revelation and Understanding: This
spiritual wisdom is not gained
through human intellect but through
the Holy Spirit's revelation. The Spirit
reveals God's "living utterance"
(Christ) and His plans, leading
believers to understand and accept
them through faith.
Fostering Faith: By understanding that
only the Spirit knows God's mind, and
that the Spirit reveals this truth to us,
Christians come to know God. It
explains why the "natural person,"
one without the Spirit, finds God's
ways to be "folly" and cannot
understand them.
A Trinitarian Perspective: This
understanding is grounded in the
Christian belief in the Holy Trinity. It
emphasizes the unique and
indispensable role of the Holy Spirit in
bringing humanity into relationship
with God.
The Holy Spirit at Pentecost
• Pentecost marks the birth of the Church
(Acts 2).
• The apostles, once fearful and scattered,
became bold proclaimers of the Gospel.
• he Spirit gave the gift of tongues, unity,
mission, and courage.
CCC 731: "On the day of Pentecost...
the Church is made manifest to the
world.
CCC 731 states that, "On the day of Pentecost, when the
seven weeks of Easter had come to an end, Christ's
Passover is fulfilled in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit,
manifested, given, and communicated as a divine
person: from his fullness, Christ, the Lord, pours out the
Spirit in abundance". This event also marks the full
revelation of the Holy Trinity and the establishment of
the Church, allowing believers to share in the
communion of the Trinity.
Key points from CCC 731:
-Fulfillment of Easter: Pentecost marks the
completion of Christ's Passover.
-Outpouring of the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is
poured out "in abundance" by Christ.
-Manifestation of the Trinity: The Holy Trinity is
fully revealed on this day.
-Birth of the Church: The Church is
opened to believers, signifying the
start of the "last days" when believers
share in the communion of the Holy
Trinity.
-Divine Person: The Spirit is given and
communicated as a divine person.
The Work of the Spirit in the Church
Today
The Spirit continues to work in many ways:
Area Role of the Holy Spirit
Magisterium Guides the Pope and bishops in teaching faith and morals (CCC 890)
Sacraments Sanctifies and transforms through grace (CCC 1116–1131)
Scripture Inspires and illuminates God’s Word (CCC 109–119)
Mission Sends and equips believers to evangelize (CCC 852–853)
Prayer Helps us pray when we do not know how (Romans 8:26)
Charisms and
Distributes spiritual gifts to build up the Body of Christ (1 Cor 12)
Ministries
Fruits and Gifts of the Holy Spirit
The Spirit works within us through:
-7 Gifts: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude,
Knowledge, Piety, Fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2–3; CCC
1831)
-12 Fruits: Charity, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness,
Goodness, Generosity, Gentleness, Faithfulness,
Modesty, Self-control, Chastity (CCC 1832)
Which of these gifts and fruits do you see in yourself
or others?
Mary and the Holy Spirit
-Mary is the perfect model of
openness to the Spirit—she said “yes”
to God (Luke 1:35).
-The Holy Spirit overshadowed her
and brought forth the Incarnation.
CCC 721: "Mary is the masterwork of
the mission of the Son and the Spirit."
in CCC 721, "Mary is the masterwork of the
mission of the Son and the Spirit" means that
Mary was specially prepared by the Holy Spirit
to become the dwelling place for God's Son,
the Word made flesh, at the fullness of time.
This highlights her unique role in God's plan, as
the Father found in her a perfect dwelling for
both the Son and the Spirit, initiating the
communion of humanity with Christ.
Key Aspects of the Statement
-The Fullness of Time: The phrase "in the
fullness of time" refers to the specific
moment when God sent his Son, and the Holy
Spirit prepared Mary to conceive Jesus.
-The Holy Spirit's Preparation: The Holy Spirit
had a pivotal role in preparing Mary for her
divine motherhood.
-A Dwelling Place: Mary became a holy
dwelling place where the Son (Jesus) and the
Spirit could live among people, beginning the
process of bringing humanity into communion
with God.
-Mary's Unique Role: The term "masterwork"
emphasizes that Mary is the most perfect
creation of God's plan, a masterpiece in the
joint mission of the Son and the Spirit to bring
salvation to the world.
