UNDERSTANDING
THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
HOLY SPIRIT
Even before Christianity reached the Philippines, our
ancestors have always believed in the existence of Spirits
or mystical forces that surround and affect the lives of
people. While most of them believed in a Supreme
Being, who they called Bathala, they adhered to the
spirit world of anitos and diwatas.
HOLY SPIRIT
As Catholic Christian, however, we believe in the
Holy Spirit, who is God himself. When we were
baptized as infants, the Church welcomed us into
God’s family with the formula: “I baptized you in
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Spirit”.
HOLY SPIRIT
As young Children we learn to Sign of the Cross
and offer our prayers in the name of the Father,
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Every Sunday, when we hear Mass, we profess our
faith in the Triune God.
HOLY SPIRIT
Unfortunately, for many of us, the Holy Spirit still
remains as the “Forgotten Person” of the blessed
trinity.
We do not easily connect with the spirit in the
same way that that we relate with Jesus Christ and
God the Father.
HOLY SPIRIT
This shows the great need for us Catholic
Christians to get to know more about the
Holy Spirit and understand its role in our
daily lives.
HOLY SPIRIT
With your groupmates,
Research on the Internet about Person of
the Holy Spirit.
list down at least three bible passages that
speaks about the Holy Spirit.
HOLY SPIRIT
RQ:
What new things did you learn about
the Holy Spirit?
HOLY SPIRIT
Therefore as Christians, this is the first Gift
we receive from God in Baptism, the gift
of his indwelling Spirit or Grace.
God’s Grace is what enables us to live as
true and faithful Christians.
HOLY SPIRIT
Hence, we think of the Holy Spirit, we must
not imagine someone distant or far away
from us. In reality, Holy Spirit is the closest
encounter we have of God, for in the Holy
Spirit we experience GOD-WITHIN-US
SYMBOLS OF HOLY SPIRIT
In our churches, religious art icons and liturgical
prayers, we use different symbols or present the
Holy Spirit.
This all symbols come from the scripture and are
meant to help us understand the Holy Spirit is
truly at work in our Christian lives even if it is
not seen by the naked eye.
SYMBOLS OF HOLY SPIRIT
WIND.
The word Spirit ( Hebrew:
ruah; Latin: Spiritus)
Means “wind or breath”.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus used image of wind to refer the Holy Spirit
The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but
you do not know
where it comes from and where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born
of the spirit
John 3:8
•8 The wind blows wherever it pleases.
You hear its sound, but you cannot tell
where it comes from or where it is
going. So it is with everyone born of the
Spirit.”
WATER
it signifies birth and life.
In Christian tradition, this shows the cleansing and life-giving
action of the Spirit in Baptism.
St. Paul uses this image in his first letter to the Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 12:13
13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so
as to form one body—whether Jews or
Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all
given the one Spirit to drink.
DOVE
one of popular image of the Holy Spirit which usually
seen in churches is the image of the dove.
Just like water, this symbol relates the spirit of Jesus.
This shows how the spirit of God “comes down and
remains in the purified hearts of the baptized.
FIRE
The Holy Spirit is also represented by fire which
transforms and renews everything it touches.
This was what happened to the apostles when “ tounges as of
fire … came to rest on each one of them” during Pentecost
ACTIVITY
draw a symbol or an image which
represents the Holy Spirit for you and
explain your reason for choosing this
image.
