The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Holy Trinity. He was in the beginning with God at Creation. God breathed His Spirit into Adam to give Him life. At Jesus’ Ascension, He commissioned His Apostles to make disciples of all the nations and to baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and He promised to send the Holy Spirit upon them so that they would be emboldened to continue His mission in the Church. At Pentecost, Jesus fulfilled His promise, and the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles in the Upper Room, filling them with His gifts so that they could go out to all the world and proclaim the Good News. The Church today continues Christ’s mission and is guided by the Holy Spirit, who fills the hearts of the faithful and enkindles in them the fire of His love.

In the Beginning

The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Holy Trinity. He proceeds from the Father and the Son and with them is worshipped and glorified as God. In the first lines of the book of Genesis, the sacred author used the Hebrew word ruah to describe God’s presence in the beginning before creation. This is often translated as a “mighty wind” that swept over the nothingness (Genesis 1:2). But the original meaning is clear. Ruah is used to describe the Spirit of God, the very presence of God Himself. Later in Genesis, we read that when God created Adam out of the dust of the ground, He “blew into his nostrils the breath of life” (Genesis 2:7). Here again, the sacred author uses the word ruah for the “breath” of God. Again, this more accurately translates into “spirit.” God breathed into Adam His own spirit and gift of life. Put another way, God “inspirited” Adam, or inspired him. It was the very presence of God placed in Adam that animated him and gave him life.

The Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost

Fifty days after Jesus’ Resurrection, the Apostles gathered in the Upper Room waiting for the Holy Spirit to come. Then, with a sound of rushing wind, the Holy Spirit descended upon them and came to rest like tongues of fire above their heads. Emboldened, the Apostles, led by Peter, preached the Good News of Jesus Christ and our salvation to the gathered crowds. That day, more than 3,000 people repented and were baptized into the Church. The Holy Spirit, the “breath” of God, filled the Apostles with His gifts and enabled them to boldly witness their faith in Jesus and all of His promises.

The Holy Spirit Fills Our Hearts

Together, guided by the Holy Spirit, we strive for holiness. The Holy Spirit fills our hearts in the Sacraments. We are given the Gifts of the Holy Spirit at our Baptism, and they are strengthened in us in Confirmation so that we can be more like Jesus. The Holy Spirit teaches us how to live holy lives, how to follow Jesus, how to pray, and how to share the Gospel with others.