The Holy Spirit in the Life of the

Church

The Holy Spirit brings us God’s Life through the Church

Lesson # 7

The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Church.

The Holy Spirit makes us holy, by uniting us to Christ

He puts us in union with Christ through the Church, in the Liturgy, and the sacraments.

By the Power of the Holy Spirit, the sacraments give us Grace.

Grace helps us to become Holy, and enable us to love with God’s love.

The Coming of the Holy Spirit

While still on earth, Jesus promised that after He ascended into Heaven, He will send the HOLY SPIRIT

40 days after Jesus had risen from the dead, He returned to his Father in Heaven.

The Apostles then, went back to Jerusalem,

The Lord commanded the apostles no to leave Jerusalem, until received the Promise of the Father : THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Before Jesus ascended into Heaven, Jesus told his apostles that:the HOLY SPIRIT would give them power to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, and even to the end of the earth.

The Coming of the Holy Spirit

After Jesus ascend to heaven, the Apostles and Mary, mother of Jesus, gather in the upper room in Jerusalem to Pray

And await the coming of the Holy Spirit, the one who Jesus spoke about.

The day on which the Holy Spirit came to de Disciples, as Jesus promised, is known as PENTECOST.

Acts of Apostles 2:1-4When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all together in one place;

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming,and it filled the whole house where they were sitting

And there appeared to them parted tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them: 

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak with diverse tongues, as the Holy Spirit enable them to proclaim.

Acts of Apostles 2:5-8Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem, Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

they were amazed and astonished, saying: “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 

 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 

 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and began bolding (bravery) proclaiming the Gospel.

He refuse and opposed to those who say that the apostles were drunk.

Peter told them up right, that what they see and hear is THE HOLY SPIRIT.

The Power of the Holy Spirit After the coming of the Holy Spirit, the

apostles were fill with boldness (courage).

At first, they had been a timid and fearful group: They had run away when Jesus was arrested, tried, and put to death.

1) when Jesus was captive for his enemies, in the Garden of Gethsemane, all the Apostles run for their lives.

2) While waiting in the court yard, during the Trial of Jesus, Peter deny even knowing Jesus.

3) Later, when Jesus appeared to the Apostles after raising from death, they were gather in a lock room out of fear.

The Holy Spirit filled them Soon , with the help of the Holy Spirit, they

become strong and fearless.

The Holy Spirit filled them with the fire of faith and the courage to proclaim the Good News of the risen Christ.

Before, they did not know, how to speak about God, but now Peter and the Apostles know exactly what to say.

Peter began to preach to the crowds, He told them that what they had seen and hear was the Holy Spirit;

And that Jesus was the Lord and Messiah,◦ He had worked amazing wonders and deeds; ◦ And he had been raised from the dead by God the Father. ◦ And now Jesus had sent the Holy Spirit, as he promised.

Pentecost the birth of the Church

Peter’s proclamation of Jesus was very powerful. The Gospel says that Peter was cut through the heart…That the crowd asked Peter: “What do they have to do to be save.”

Peter said to them:“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts of Apostles 2:38)

So those who received his word were Baptized, and that day were added, about 3000 souls.

The fact that there were so many, shows the Holy Spirit’s mighty works in Pentecost.

It is the reason why Pentecost is called the Birth of the Church.

PENTECOST When we say Pentecost is the birthday of

the Church…we don’t mean that the church, all of suddenly, began to exist.

Indeed, The life of the Church began before Pentecost…at the moment Christ offer his life for us, on the cross, and reconciled us to God.

Pentecost is not the day of the Life of the Church started…but the day, its existence was made know to all people, through the Power of the Holy Spirit.

The Church came into being when Christ died on the Cross, but it was formally inaugurated on Pentecost, when He sent the Holy Spirit as He had promised.

The birth of the Catholic Church The Holy Spirit was at work through the

Apostles.

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, 1000’s of people change their lives:

1. They were baptized2. Their sins were forgiven. 3. They share in the gift of the Holy Spirit.4. They receive God’s Grace5. The Holy Spirit made them one in their love for

God and one another.

They were the first Christians of the Catholic Church. ◦ They live together in fellowship and prayer◦ Participate of the Eucharist ◦ Share their possessions and cared for the needy as

best as they could.

In all, what they say, and what they did, they were the presence of Jesus Christ in the earth.

What is Church?

The Church is the community of all those, who believe in Christ and are Baptize.

But to be a Christian is not just to believe in Jesus Christ. ..We must give witness to Christ in all that we say, and do.

When people see us, they should see the Power of the Holy Spirit and Christ working in our lives. If they see it, they come to believe, too.

Just as 3000’s became member of the Church in Pentecost through baptism.

We too, became members of the Church when we are Baptize.

Through the Sacrament of Baptism, we share Christ death and Resurrection. (A Sacrifice that reconcile us to God)

The Holy Spirit the Soul of the Church

In Baptism, all our sins are forget away, by the power of the Holy Spirit

a) We are filled with GOD’S LIVE, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit

b) We become Children of God, and members of Christ Mystical Body: THE CHURCH.

The Holy Spirit is the Soul of the “Mystical Body of Christ”.

The Church is the Mystical body of Christ .

And the Holy Spirit gives life to the Body of Christ: “The Church”

Thus one reason, why we must participate on the Liturgy and Sacraments, to receive God’s life.

THE HOLY SPIRIT brings us GOD’S LIFE through THE CHURCH