The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) - Day 97: Introduction to the Holy Spirit

Episode Date: April 7, 2023

Together, with Fr. Mike, we begin our examination of the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit, and how God reveals himself as the Holy Spirit in our lives. Fr. Mike emphasizes the words of St. Irenaeus that, “in order to be touched by Christ, we must first be touched by the Holy Spirit.” We also explore eight ways the Catechism lays out for us to be able to understand the Holy Spirit. Today’s readings are Catechism Paragraphs 683-688. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Hi, my name is Father Mike Schmitz and you're listening to The Catechism in a Year Podcast, where we encounter God's plan of sheer goodness for us, revealed in Scripture and passed down through the tradition of the Catholic faith. The Catechism in a Year is brought to you by Ascension. In 365 days, we'll read through the Catechism of the Catholic Church, discovering our identity in God's family as we journey together toward our heavenly home, is is day 97. We are reading paragraphs, 683 to 688 just beginning the intro on the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. I am using as always the ascension edition of the Catechism, which includes the foundations

of faith approach where you can follow along with any recent version of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. You can also download your own Catechism in your reading plan by visiting ascensionpress.com slash C-I-Y. And lastly, you can click follow or subscribe in your daily podcast app for daily updates and daily notifications. As I said today is day 97, paragraphs 683 to 688. Chapter three were beginning. I believe in the Holy Spirit and it's just remarkable. I love. Oh my gosh, you guys, we ended with a bang yesterday, right? On Jesus and the fact that he will come again and glory to judge the living in the dead. My heart was convicted yesterday, but also moved today by this recognition of the Holy

Spirit. The very first line we're going to hear in paragraph 683 is, no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. So it's Saint Paul wrote to the Corinthians. And this recognition, he also wrote to the Galatians, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

And we recognize that in order to be in touch with Christ, we must first have been touched by the Holy Spirit. This is gonna be so remarkable for us. I don't know if you ever thought about this. In order to be touched by Christ, we must first have been touched by the Holy Spirit. That the Holy Spirit comes to meet us and kindles faith in us. And this is just remarkable. In fact, we're going to hear a couple different saints, St. Aaron

AS for one, St. Gregory of Nazeances, this is the second one. To talk about how the Holy Spirit, the Son and the Father have revealed themselves to us over time. That first, here's God reveals the Father. He reveals Himself as Father as one and makes Him want to make sure that's really clear to us. And then, slowly, God reveals that He also is the Son. And then slowly, God reveals He also is the Holy Spirit. He just divine pedagogy, right?

That way of teaching us. He reveals Himself to us. St. Gregor of Nazeansus talks about, now we're gonna talk about also St. Narenais, who said that, here is God the Father, who reveals himself to his son, and here is the son who reveals himself to his Holy Spirit, it's just that's all this connection

in the divine economy of salvation. It's just really remarkable. And now here we are living in these end times. They were ushered in by the Sun's redeeming incarnations as paragraph 686. The end times ushered in by the Sun's redeeming incarnation, where the Spirit is revealed and given, who is recognized and welcomed as a person.

It's remarkable. Again, I'll say that again, these end times right now, where you are not your living. The Spirit is revealed and given. He's recognized and welcomed as a person. Because of this, we're going to talk about how I'll say that again, these end times right now, where you and I are living. The Spirit is revealed and given. He's recognized and welcomed as a person. Because of this, we're going to talk about how the Alporing of Holy Spirit, as the Church, the Alporing Holy Spirit, the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection

of the body and life of lasting. So those last articles of the Creed are all part of this section on the Holy Spirit. There's a chapter on the Holy Spirit because we recognize that this is all part of how God makes this possible, what Jesus did in the incarnation, what He made possible in the incarnation and His Paschal mystery, the life-death and resurrection of Christ, ascension to heaven. The Holy Spirit makes actual, brings those things to us. So the church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, life of everlasting.

We're also going to talk about eight things, eight things, the Holy Spirit continues to give to us. So, or eight ways, we see the Holy Spirit. In fact, paragraph 688, if you're following along in your catacas and you can see this, it's all these dashes. And when those dashes hit, I'm just going to say first, second, third. So first, in the place we know, the Holy Spirit is first in the Scriptures, he inspired. 2nd, in the tradition, to which the Church Fathers are always timely witnesses, and it will go on from there.

But we recognize that there are places we can point to and say, here's where we know the Holy Spirit is present, and here's where the Holy Spirit is actively in our lives. So that's what we're going to do today. Let's pray in the name of Jesus and through the power of the Holy Spirit to the Father right now. Father in heaven. In the name of your son Jesus Christ,

send your Holy Spirit into our hearts. Send your Holy Spirit to continue to sanctify us, to guide us, to help us trust in you. Help us have the gift, your supernatural gift of faith. Help us to have that supernatural gift of hope, help us to have that supernatural gift of hope. Help us to have that supernatural gift of love. That's driven, motivated, and strengthened by you. You are the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, Holy Spirit, come upon us now. May the Father be glorified forever and ever. Amen. And the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

As I said, it is day 97 reading paragraphs 683 to 688. Chapter 3. I believe in the Holy Spirit. No one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. This knowledge of faith is possible only in the Holy Spirit. To be in touch with Christ, we must first have been touched by the Holy Spirit. He comes to meet us and kindles faith in us. The virtue of our baptism, the first sacrament of the faith, the Holy Spirit in the church communicates to us intimately and personally, the life that originates in the Father and is offered to us in the Son.

As St. Irenaeus said, Baptism gives us the grace of new birth in God the Father through His Son in the Holy Spirit. For those who bear God's Spirit are led to the Word, that is, to the Son, and the Son presents them to the Father, and the Father confers incorruptibility on them. And it is impossible to see God's Son without the Spirit, and no one can approach the Father without the Son. For the knowledge of the Father is the Son, and the knowledge of God's Son is obtained through the Holy Spirit. Through His grace, the Holy Spirit is the first to awaken faith in us, and to communicate

to us the new life, which is to know the Father and the one whom He has sent Jesus Christ. But the Spirit is the last of the persons of the Holy Trinity to be revealed. St. Gregory of Nazeansus, the Theologian, explains this progression in terms of the pedagogy of divine condescension when he said, the Old Testament proclaimed the Father clearly, but the Son more obscurely. The New Testament revealed the Son and gave us a glimpse of the divinity of the Spirit. Now the Spirit dwells among us and grants us a clearer vision of Himself. It was not prudent when the divinity of the Father had not yet been confessed to proclaim the Son openly,udent when the divinity of the Father had not yet been confessed to proclaim

the Son openly, and when the divinity of the Son was not yet admitted to add the Holy Spirit as an extra burden to speak somewhat daringly. By advancing and progressing from glory to glory, the light of the Trinity will shine in ever more brilliant ways. To believe in the Holy Spirit is to profess that the Holy Spirit is one of the persons of the Holy Trinity, concept-stant Holy Spirit is one of the persons of the Holy Trinity, consubstantial with the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son, He is adored and glorified.

For this reason, the divine mystery of the Holy Spirit was already treated in the context of Trinitarian theology. Here, however, we have to do with the Holy Spirit only in the divine economy. The Holy Spirit is at work with the Father and the Son from the beginning to the completion of the plan for our salvation. But in these end of times, ushered in by the Son's redeeming incarnation, the Spirit is revealed and given, recognized and welcomed as a person. Now can this divine plan accomplished in Christ, the first born and head of the new creation, be embodied in mankind by the outpouring of the Spirit. As the church, communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and

the life everlasting. Article 8. I believe in the Holy Spirit. As St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now, God's Spirit, who revealed God, makes known to us Christ His Word, His living utterance. But the Spirit does not speak of Himself. The Spirit, who has spoken through the prophets, makes us hear the Father's Word. But we do not hear the Spirit Himself. We know Him only in the movement by which He reveals the Word to us and disposes us to

welcome him in faith. The Spirit of truth who unveils Christ to us will not speak on his own. Such properly divine self-effacement explains why the world cannot receive him because it neither sees him nor knows him, while those who believe in Christ know the Spirit because he dwells with them. The Church, a communion living in the faith of the apostles which she transmits, is the place where we know the Holy Spirit, first in the scriptures he inspires.

Second, in the tradition to which the Church fathers are always timely witnesses, third, in the Church's magisterium which he assists. Fourth, in the sacramental liturgy through its words and symbols in which the Holy Spirit puts us into communion with Christ. Fifth, in prayer wherein he intercedes for us. Sixth, in the carisms and ministries by which the Church is built up. Seventh, in the signs of apostolic and missionary life. And eighth, in the witness of saints, through whom he manifests his

holiness and continues the work of salvation. All right, so there we have it day 97, this beginning talking about the reality I, in the profession of our faith, I believe in the Holy Spirit. One of the things that the Catechism makes very, very clear is we talked about this is in paragraph 685 to jump a little bit ahead. Pergraf 685, it says, for this reason, the divine mystery of the Holy Spirit was already treated in the context of trinitarian theology way back when we talked about the Trinity. When it came to here is the very nature, the very reality of who God is. We talked about theology and the difference between theology and economy. And theology is who God is in Himself. And economy is who God is.

How we reveal Himself to us, how we interact with us. So here's the cataclysm saying, we already dealt with the fact that here is father, son, and Holy Spirit, one divine being three divine persons, right? That whole thing plus I say that whole thing. As a viner, Sam, when I'm talking about it, it's a complete mystery, ridiculous. We talked about that theology, God, who God is in Himself way back when. Now, however, in these next days and next paragraphs, we're going to talk about the Holy Spirit with regard to divine economy. Like, how does God come to us in the Holy Spirit? How does God reveal Himself to us in the Holy Spirit? How does God interact with us in the Holy

Spirit? So keep that in mind that we've already talked about the very identity, the very nature of who the Holy Spirit is. Now we're going to talk about how that Holy Spirit, how he interacts with us and what he does, how he's active in our salvation. So I think that's pretty important. I think, I don't know, what do you think about those two quotes from St. Aaron S and St. Gregory of Nazeansus, that recognition of, oh man, here's an Aaron S. says, let's review this quickly. Aaron S. says, baptism gives us the grace of new birth and God the Father through his son in the Holy Spirit.

So we recognize this, right? That in baptism we have the Holy Spirit dwells in us and we become adopted sons and daughters who God the Father, give new life through his son. Goes on to say, for those who bear God's spirit are led to the Word, capital W, right? who bear God's spirit are led to the word, capital W, right to the word, that is to the sun.

Those bear God's spirit are led to the word to the sun. And the sun presents them to the Father and the Father confers in corruptibility on them. That here we are, we baptized, we bear God's spirit led to the word, the sun, the word God

presents us to the Father and the Father confers in corruptability on us. He goes on to say, it is impossible to see God's Son without the Spirit, and no one can approach the Father without the Son. And this is just remarkable for the knowledge of the Father is the Son, and the knowledge of God's Son is obtained through the Holy Spirit. It's just, it's incredible and procession, I guess, maybe progression of that. Again, we're given the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us new life in the sun. The sun brings us to the Father

who gives us the incorruptibility, just remarkable. You know, of course, this is a mystery still. How does that work? It's not like as if one member, one person of the Trinity works, one the other one doesn't. They're all working together, but they all work together.

And that's remarkable. Gregor of Nazanzus, right? His nickname is the theologian. When you,, right? His nickname is the theologian. When your neck name is the theologian, you must be pretty smart. What he says, of course, is the divine pedagogy, right? This divine condescension of how slowly God is. He was on to say, the Old Testament proclaimed the Father clearly, but the Son more obscurely. So you can see hints of the Son, you can see hints of the Trinity in the Old Testament. But the Old Testament proclaimed the Father clearly, and the Son, obscurely. The New Testament revealed the Son and gave us a glimpse of the divinity of the Holy Spirit.

Now the Spirit dwells among us, grants us an even clearer vision of Himself. And He goes, He points out, it wasn't prudent when the divinity of the Father had not yet been confessed to proclaim this unopenedly. And then when the divinity of the Son was not yet admitted to add the Holy Spirit as an extra burden. And so it's just this recognition of here is God revealing himself slowly over the course of time, first as father, then as father and son and finally here as father, son and Holy Spirit, which is just remarkable, so incredible and just beautiful.

The last thing I want to highlight is paragraph paragraph 687 in following, talks about how the Holy Spirit is active in our world. It says, now God's Spirit, who reveals God, makes known to us Christ His Word, His living utterance, but the Spirit does not speak of Himself. We know Him only in the movement by which He reveals the word to us and disposes us to welcome him in faith. This powerful recognition of, if we have come to know Jesus ever, anything about Christ, if we have had any encounter with Christ, it's always been by the power of the Holy Spirit, always been by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. In fact, those eight markers, those eight ways in which we know the Holy Spirit that is our name, the scripture.

Yeah, because the Holy Spirit that is our named, the Scripture. Yeah, because Holy Spirit inspired the Scripture. In tradition, which the followers are always a timely witness. In the Church's Magisterium, remember those, that's the Scripture, Tradition, Magisterium, Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and Magisterium. That's that three-legged stool that we can rely upon. The Holy Spirit is the one who inspires and guides and assists all that. Number four, the sacrament of liturgy, which puts us into communion with Christ. Think about this.

Oh my gosh. We'll talk about this when it comes to sacraments, when it comes to the next few days talking with the Holy Spirit. Here's what Jesus did for us 2,000 years ago. How do you and I come into contact with that gift? We'll only buy the power of the Holy Spirit. So in the sacrament of liturgy, the only thing that changes bread and wine

into the body and blood of Christ, the only thing that makes the words, I absolve you of all your sins and the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, really truly forgives sins is the Holy Spirit. It's the power of the presence of the Holy Spirit that takes what Jesus did in the past and brings us right now to this present moment in prayer, 5th, where when we pray, the Holy

Spirit intercedes for us. Why? Because we don't know how to pray as we ought. And 6th in the Charisms and Ministries by which the Church is built up every gift the God has given all the people of God, every Charism, every ministry in the Church, that's the Holy Spirit. Almost 2nd to last, the signs of apost, every carism, every ministry in the church, that's the Holy Spirit. Almost second to last, the signs of apostolic and missionary life,

like every initiative, every outreach of, right now even, apostolic, reaching out, ministry, serving people, that's the Holy Spirit. And lastly, the witness of saints, through whom the Holy Spirit manifests his holiness and continues the work of salvation. You know, God is glorified in his saints. We pay attention to saints to try to study their lives and we honor them and we look to them. Why?

Because when we look to them, what we're seeing is God's gifts on display. When we look to them, what we're seeing is what this is what God can do in the life of an ordinary human being. That's what the Holy Spirit has done in the lives of the witnesses of the saints. So that's what we got today, the beginning as we begin talking about the Holy Spirit. You know, we have so much more to talk about when it comes to the Holy Spirit in this world and in your life and my life. And so just, man, we're just calling upon the Holy Spirit today and know that you can walk in the Holy Spirit.

In fact, every time we pray, as Christians, we pray in the power of the Holy Spirit. So that's my invitation. Pray for each other in the power of the Holy Spirit. Please, be for me. I am praying for you in the power of the Holy Spirit. My name is Father Mike. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless.

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