YOUCAT Question n. 119 - Part I. What does the Holy Spirit do in the Church?
(Youcat
answer) The Holy Spirit builds up the Church and impels her. He reminds her of
her mission. He calls people into her service and sends them the necessary
gifts. He leads us ever deeper into communion with the Triune God.
A deepening through CCC
(CCC 734)
Because we are dead or at least wounded through sin, the first effect of the
gift of love is the forgiveness of our sins. The communion of the Holy Spirit
(2 Cor 13:14) in the Church restores to the baptized the divine likeness lost
through sin.
Reflecting and meditating
(Youcat comment)
Even though the Church
during her long history has often seemed “abandoned by all good spirits”, the
Holy Spirit has been at work in her despite all the human failings and
inadequacies. The mere fact of her two-thousand-year existence and the many
saints of all eras and cultures are the visible proof of his presence. The Holy
Spirit is the one who maintains the Church as a whole in the truth and leads
her ever deeper into the knowledge of God. It is the Holy Spirit who works in
the Sacraments and brings Sacred Scripture to life for us. Even today he gives
his gifts of grace (charisms) to those who are completely receptive to him.
(CCC Comment)
(CCC 736)
By this power of the Spirit, God's children can bear much fruit. He who has
grafted us onto the true vine will make us bear "the fruit of the Spirit:…
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
self-control" (Gal 5:22-23). "We live by the Spirit"; the more
we renounce ourselves, the more we "walk by the Spirit" (Gal 5:25;
cf. Mt 16:24-26). Through the Holy Spirit we are restored to paradise, led back
to the Kingdom of heaven, and adopted as children, given confidence to call God
"Father" and to share in Christ's grace, called children of light and
given a share in eternal glory (St. Basil, De
Spiritu Sancto, 15, 36: PG 32, 132).
No comments:
Post a Comment