C.BASTIN ANITO
Date:31.8.2012
TRINITARIAN ACT OF HOLY SPIRIT
Introduction:
The Catholic Church believed in one
God; in three persons. They are three in persons but one in nature. Their
action is different. The father acted as a creator, the son acted as redemer
and the Holy Spirit acted as a comforter. The purpose of incarnation is the
salvation. Jesus redemed not only from the sin but also from the social and
political clutches. It is not only the action of son but also the act of
trinity. Therefore, this assignment gives some knowledge about the trinitarian
act of Holy Spirit with the limited sources. This assignment is dived into four
chapters. The first chapter deals with the meaning of Trinity and its formula.
The second chapter deals with the biblical perspective of Trinity. The third
chapter gives the answer to the question “who is the Holy Spirit?” The forth
chapter enunciates the praxix of Holy Spirit in the sacraments, the church and
our life.
chapter-1
trinity and formula of trinity
1.1 trinity:
The Etymological word Trinity derived
from Latin Trinitas, meaning "The number three".
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons, the
Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are
distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial.
Tertullian, (A.D. 145-220) a Latin theologian who wrote in the early third
century, is credited with using the words "Trinity",
"person" and "substance” to explain that the Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit are "One in essence but not one in Person".[1]
1.2 Formula of Trinity:
The formula of Trinity is this “God is one in
essence, three in person.” Through this, the church wants to maintain its
monotheism. The first part of the formula, “God is one in the essence” means
that there is only one being whom we named God. The second part of the formula,
“Three in persons” which means each person have some special character with themselves.
They are one but their action is different. We can understand this formula from
the following example. I am a man. As a human being, I have several things can
be predicted of me at the same time. I am a seminarian, a son and a student. I
am all three of these things at the same time. However, I am not all three of
these things in the same relationship.I can be a seminarian and a son at the
same time but obviously not in the same relationship. [2]
Let us return now to the formula of
the Trinity. If we said that God was one in essence, God is one in one thing
and as a person three in another thing. In other words, each person is God,
whole and entire. They are distinct from one another in their relations of
origin.
So let see what bible says about trinity.
chapter-2
trinity in the bible
2.1 Trinity in the Old Testament:
God is not explicitly revealed as Trinity
in the Old Testament. The teachers of Israel interested the oneness of
God. The church fathers found some references of the trinity, which expressed
in the Old Testament. “Like cattle that go down into the valley, the
spirit of the Lord gave them rest. Thus you led your
people, to make for yourself a glorious name?” (Is 63:14).[3]
2.1.1 Prophets and priest:
The prophets were the messengers of
God. They proclaimed the message what the spirit inspired them to proclaim without
the spirit of God, they could not utter any words. Pharaoh said, “Can we find
such a man as this, in who is the spirit of God?” (Gen 41:38). The prophets
proclaimed the message with the power of Holy Spirit. A genuine prophet
received a light from God for the guidance of God’s people. God promised Samuel
“The spirit of the lord will come mighty upon you, and you… shall be turned
into another person (1 Sam 10:6)
The Holy Spirit will turn any one
of us into another person, less unlike Christ, less like ourselves. The spirit
transmitted into another person by anointing someone else as the prophets. For
example, Samuel anointed Saul and then David, upon both of whom, the spirit of
God came with power.
Through the prophet, Ezekiel God promised a
new spirit: (Ez 36:25-27) “I will put
my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe
my ordinances. Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors;
and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.”
The
prophet Ezekiel clearly stated that new beginning was possible only through the
spirit of God. The same spirit of God acted in the liberation history where
Moses liberated the people of Israel
from the slavery. Therefore, the spirit of God acted in the liberation where
others oppressed the people. God sent the prophets with the power of the spirit
to liberate the people.
2.2 Trinity in the New Testament:
2.2.1 In the Gospel:
The only place in the Gospels where the three
divine persons explicitly mentioned together is in the Matthew Gospel 28:19 “Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. From this passage, we come to
know that the father, the son an d the holy spirit are united in one Being.
2.2.2 In the Pauline epistles:
Paul stressed on trinity in order to bring the
people under one umbrella. Therefore, he uses Trinitarian blessing in 2 Cor 13:13
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the
Holy Spirit be with all of you.” From
this blessing, we come to know that God the father, his son and Holy Spirit are
one. They are equally participated in the work of creation and the process of
salvation.
The another example of St. Paul’s reference to the trinity
is in 1 Cor 12 :4-6 “ Now
there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of
services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is
the same God who activates all of them in everyone.”
This passage witnesses to the doctrine of the
trinity by describing the various chrisms. Even though, these chrisms
attributed to the three persons, thus St.
Paul clearly indicating the distinction of persons.
chapter-3
holy spirit
3.1 Who is the Holy Spirit?
It is the classical faith of the church that
the Holy Spirit is not only a person; he is a divine person; he is God. The Holy
Spirit is not merely a divine energy but a divine subject too. St. Thomas
Aquinas thought that the third person of the trinity had no name of his own,
except “Holy Spirit”, the bible testifies that the spirit is holy because he
himself sanctifies.
The concept of the origin of Holy Spirit is an
enigma because it is a mystery. Many theologians attempted to explain the
relation of Holy Spirit in the trinity in a logical way. Moltmann says,
“The first person of the trinity is only father in relation
to the son. The spirit breathed out not begotten. So the spirit cannot be a
second son of the father. He proceeds from the father. He does not equally
proceed from the son. If this were so, the son would be the second father and
there would bestow different origin for the divine spirit.” [4]
From his point of view, we come to know that
the third person of the trinity is equally related to the father as the son
related to the father. Some orthodox theologians say about the origin of the
spirit that: “ 1) he is not without origin, like the father: 2) he is not
generated, like the son; 3) his procession from the father is relationship
peculiar to himself, the factor determining him alone.”[5]
3.2 IS the SPIRIT OF God mystery? :
Nothing is mystery in the world.
Everything revealed through Christ Jesus. The normal understanding of the
mystery is which the human being cannot grasp or reason out or difficult to
understand. In this sense, the ancient understanding of God was mystery because
no one was able to understand God. God was mystery until the incarnation of Jesus
Christ took place. Christians believed that God revealed him through his son Jesus
Christ. When we know Christ, we know God. The Gospel of St. John clearly
states, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know
me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” (Joh 14:9)
For example, the flying was mystery
until the right brothers invented airplane. The light was mystery until Edison invented the electricity. Whatever is difficult to
understand by the human beings, are called the mystery. When the human being
understands them, then it is no more mystery. Justas, God was mystery until
Jesus was born in this world. The Gospel of St. John says, “Not that anyone has
seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father”. (Jon
14:9)
So according to me God is no more mystery
because through Jesus Christ we are able to understand God. To substantiate my
point, Jesus himself told in the Gospel of St. Matthew “Therefore do not be
afraid of them. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that
will not be known” (Mt 10:26).
chapter-4
The praxis of holy spirit:
4.1 Holy Spirit is the source and power of life:
We read in the book of genesis 1:1-2
“In the beginning when God created the heavens and the
earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep,
while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters”. There was a spirit,
through this spirit God created the world. In the other words, we can say that Holy
Spirit is the source and power of life. At the ecumenical council of Constantinople in 381 A.D. declared that the Holy Spirit
is the life giver. The spirit is the immediate source of all life. The act of Holy
Spirit is continuing today through procreation. The spirit is not only in the
beginning of the creation but his act of creation continues today. No one can
live completely apart from the Holy Spirit. Paul declared in Acts of the
Apostles 17:27-28
“They would
search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not
far from each one of us. For In him we live and move and have our being; as
even some of your own poets have said, for we too are his offspring.”
From the above
declaration of St. Paul,
we come to know that without the Holy Spirit there is no life possible on
earth, no motion, no being. The spirit is power supply for all of these things.
We also read in Genesis 2:7 “The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed
into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.” From this
passage, we come know that man and woman receive life because of God breathing
life into him. The breath of life is inseparably bound to the Holy Spirit. It
is the Holy Spirit that man and woman become living beings.
4.2 The act of spirit in the life of Christ:
It is not possible to separate the
activity of the son from the mission of the spirit. The spirit from the birth
to resurrection possessed the whole life of Jesus. The biological beginning of Jesus
Christ is due to the spirit. That is why, we profess in the creed: “He was
conceived by the holy spirit”. Therefore, the plan of God realized in Jesus
Christ. The New Testament makes the relationship between the spirit and the Christ.
Before the paschal mystery, the spirit bestowed on Jesus; after his death and
resurrection, Jesus who bestows the spirit. From the very moment of Jesus
conception, the spirit anoints him. It manifests deeper during Jesus’ baptism.
The Holy Spirit manifests himself in
the public life of Jesus who liberates from the powers of the evil. The power
of spirit leads Jesus towards the work of the salvation. St. Peter emphasized
it in his discourse at the house of Cornelius: “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and with power, how he went about doing good and healing
all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with him”(Act 10:38). Jesus
ministry filled by the power of the spirit, through this power; Jesus made us
to be the bearer of the Holy Spirit. St. Athanasius says, “The word was made
flesh so that we could receive the Holy Spirit; God became a bearer of the
flesh so that man may become the bearer of the spirit.”[6]
In the hour of Jesus death and the resurrection,
the spirit bestowed Jesus. The spirit envelops the entire life of earthly Jesus.
St. Gregory Nazianzen says, “Christ is born; the spirit bears witness. He is
tempted; the spirit leads him up. He works miracles; the spirit accompanies
them. He ascends; the spirit takes his place.”[7]
From the above, we come to know that the power
of spirit was with Jesus throughout his birth, public ministry, death, and
resurrection.
4.3 The act of spirit in the church:
St. Irenaeus affirms that, “Where the
church is, there is the spirit of God; and where the spirit of God is, there is
the church and every kind of grace.”[8] Therefore, St. Irenaeus
clearly stated that we could not separate the Holy Spirit from the church. They
united in oneness. After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the apostles were
scattered because of the fear on Roman Empire.
The Holy Spirit brought them under one umbrella and guided them to proclaim the
good news of God. The Holy Spirit strengthened their faith and gave them power
to do miracles.
We read in the Acts of the Apostles,
“All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other
languages, as the Spirit gave them ability” (Act 2:4). It is the Spirit, who
dwelling in the believers. Therefore, Holy Spirit is the principle of the
church’s unity. Holy Spirit acts through the pope, bishops, clergy, and all the
faithful to bring unity among the people.
Holy Spirit acted as the principal
agent of the mission. Evangelization will never be possible without the action
of the Holy Spirit. John Paul II says,
“In our own day too, the spirit is the principal agent of the
new evangelization. Hence it will be important to gain a renewed appreciation
of the spirit as the one who builds the kingdom of God within the course of
history and prepares its full manifestation in Jesus Christ, stirring people’s
hearts and quickening in our world the seeds of the full salvation which will
come at the end of time.” [9]
Because of the intervention of the
spirit all, the preaching and every form of catechesis are possible, because Holy
Spirit only can arouse in the heart of man.
Therefore,
the evangelization is not merely the proclamation of abstract truth but it is
the collaboration with the act of the spirit.
4.4 The act of spirit in the sacraments:
4.4.1 Baptism:
We know that the sacrament of
baptism is the gateway for all the sacraments. The role of the spirit appears
clearly at the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan. The action of spirit in the
baptism is very important. Through baptism, we are free from the original sin
and reborn as sons of God and we become the members of the church and share in
her mission. The mission of the church is to make the souls worthy to enter
into the kingdom
of God. Therefore, Jesus
said, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God
without being born of water and the Holy Spirit. What is born of the flesh is
flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit”( John 3:5-6). It is true that human
being can not exist without being biologically; likewise no one can enter into
the kingdom of heaven without the baptismal birth. In the process of physical birth,
the mother receives a seed, which later molded by God. The same thing happens
in the baptism where the water becomes the womb for the one who is to be reborn
in Christ.
4.4.2 Confirmation:
The confirmation is the sacraments through which our faiths
are strengthen by the spirit. Through the confirmation, the spirit unites the
baptized with Christ and making them to share in his messianic salvation with
the triple power as priest, king and prophet. Confirmation also represents the
mystery of Pentecost, which follows the mysterious of the passion and Passover.
Pope Paul VI wrote in the apostolic
constitution: Divinae consortium Naturae, “Right from the time of the Apostles,
in the fulfillment of the will of Christ, they transmitted to the neophytes
through the imposition of hands the gift of spirit, which was meant to complete
the grace of baptism… And precisely this imposition of the hands, which is
truly considered by the catholic tradition as the first beginning of the
sacrament of confirmation, makes perennial the grace of Pentecost for some in
the church.”[10]
Through the confirmation we
receives the seven gifts of holy spirit that are wisdom, understanding,
counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the lord and we become a
witness of our faith and defend it by
word and example. Vatican II document LG 11 also expressed the same view, “By the
sacrament of confirmation they are more perfectly bound to the church and are
endowed with the special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as
witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread the faith by the word and
deed.”[11]
Therefore, from the above, we come to know
that the action of Holy Spirit presents in every sacraments and through him
only we renewed in our faith.
4.4.3 Eucharist:
At the last supper, Jesus
instituted the Eucharistic sacrifices of his body and blood. In the remembrance
of his sacrifice, we renew the memories act of the Eucharist during our
liturgical celebration. The liturgical celebration is not only the
communication of the economy of salvation as already realized, but also the
expression of Christian life clearly explained in the Anaphora of Hippolytus of
Rome. He says,
“Send your holy spirit on the
offering of the holy church and after having reunited them, grant to all the
saints who receive it to be filled with the holy spirit, in order to strengthen
them in faith and in truth, so that they can praise and glorify you with your
son Jesus Christ, through whom glory and honors come to you, father and son
with the holy spirit in the holy church, now and forever and ever.”(Apostolic
Tradition 4) [12]
The lord Jesus is certainly present
in the Eucharist. This presence is not static but dynamic, because, in it, we
celebrate the mysteries of Christ. The Holy Spirit also presents with the
consent of the father and the will of the son who manifests the divine energy
and through the hand of the priest, consecrates, and converts the holy gift
into the body and the blood of our lord Jesus Christ.
Conclusion:
After reading many books, I come to know that
the Trinitarian act of Holy Spirit is creative, productive and liberation. The
Holy Spirit strengthened Jesus. Through the same spirit, we also strengthened
in our faith. In addition, bearing witness to the new creation brought about by
the love of God. It also contains the message of liberation by the power of the
spirit, who alone can help the people to free themselves from the oppression.
If it so, the next plan of God’s salvation will be on Tamilians, because they
are oppressed by other people. Sinhalese in Srilanka oppresses Tamilians. In India,
other state people oppress them. I hope that Tamilians will make the history of
liberation as like Israel
in the future with the help of Holy Spirit.
Bibliography
BOOKS:
1)
Billy, Graham. Holy
Spirit: Activating God'S Power in Your Life. New york: Fount Books , 1978 .
2)
Gardeil. Holy
Spirit in Christian Life . New
york: A & C Black , 1990 .
3)
John, William. Holy Spirit Lord and Life
Given . New York
: Loizeaux Brothers , 1980 .
4)
M, Henry. Holy
Spirit. London
: Burns & Oates, 1960.
5)
Marian, Balwierz.
Holy Spirit and the Church as A Subject of Evangelization According . Rome: Romae Pont
Universita , 1980.
6)
Rita, Bennett
Dennis. Holy Spirit and You A Study Guide to the Spirit. New Jersey: Logos
International, 1995.
7)
Dominic Veliath
and George Kuruvachira. the holy spirit. Bangalore: Kristu Jothi
Publication, 1997.
8)
Sheed, Frank J. the
action of Holy Spirit. Mary Land: The word among us press, 1981.
9) Paul
J.Achtemeier, “Bible Dictionary”.
Bangalore,Theological publication in India, 2009.
10) Jurgen
Moltmann, “The trinity and the kingdom”.
Minneapolis, Fortress press, 1993.
Articles:
1) Gomez, Felipe. "Holy spirit in the world." East
Asian Pastoral Review , 2009: 59-81.
2)
Morgan, J C.
"Holy Spirit Is the Power of God." Breaking the Word, 1980:
12-45.
3)
Buono, Anthony M.
"Holy Spirit in the Liturgy." Pastoral Life , 1988: 50-66.
[1]
Paul J.Achtemeier, “Bible Dictionary”.
(Bangalore,Theological publication in India,
2009).p-1178.
[2] Jurgen Moltmann, “The trinity and the kingdom”. (Minneapolis, Fortress press,
1993).p-158.
[3]
All the bible quotations have taken from the New Revised Standard Version
catholic edition, theological publications in India,
Bangalore,
2011.
[4] Jurgen Moltmann, “The Trinity and the kingdom.p-169.
[5]
Jurgen Moltmann, “The Trinity and the
kingdom.p-169.
[6] Dominic Veliath and George Kuruvachira. the holy
spirit. (Bangalore: Kristu Jothi Publication, 1997).P-48.
[7]
Dominic veliath and George Kunwachira, “ The
Holy Spirit”. P-47.
[8]
Dominic veliath and George Kunwachira, “
The Holy Spirit”. P-51.
[10]
Dominic veliath,and George Kunwachira, “The
Holy Spirit”. P-98.
[11]
Augustin Flannery, “Vatican Council II”.
(Mumbai ,St. Paul’s publication, 1975).p-329.
[12]
Dominic veliath,and George Kunwachira, “The
Holy Spirit”. P-103.
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