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The CreedSession 3: “I Believe in the Holy Spirit”

Who is the Holy Spirit, and how do I experience the Spirit in my daily life?

Session Schedule

• Opening Prayer• Paired Activity• Talk #1: The Holy Spirit• Standing Activity• Talk #2: The Church – Four Marks,

Communion of Saints, and Mary the Mother of God• Small Group Activity• Closing Prayer

Opening Prayer:

Come Holy GhostCome Holy Ghost

Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest,And in our hearts take up thy rest;Come with thy grace and heav'nly aidTo fill the hearts which thou hast made, (2X)

O Comforter, to thee we cry,Thou heav'nly gift of God most high;Thou fount of life, and fire of love,And sweet anointing from above, (2X)

Opening Prayer:

Come Holy Ghost (cont.)

O Holy Ghost, Through thee alone,Know we the Father and the Son;Be this our firm unchanging creed,That thou dost from them both proceed, (2X)

Praise we the Lord, Father and Son,And Holy Spirit with them one;And may the Son on us bestowAll gifts that from the Spirit flow, (2X)

Paired Activity: • When have you experienced the Holy Spirit?

• Which symbol of the Holy Spirit speaks to you? Which do you most relate to?

• What are some of the signs of the Holy Spirit at work in the world today?

Talk #1: The Holy Spirit,“the Lord, the Giver of Life”

• The Spirit = The bond of Love betweenFather and Son; one in substance or being

• Holy Spirit – “proceeds from the Father and the Son”

• Third Person of the Holy Trinity (the last one revealed): desires a personal relationship with us

The Mission of the Son and of the Spirit

“In the indivisible Trinity, the Son and the Spirit are distinct but inseparable. From the very beginning until the end of time, when the Father sends his Son

he also sends his Spirit who unites us to Christ in faith so that… we can call God ‘Father’ (Rom 8:15).

The Spirit is invisible but we know him through his actions, when he reveals the Word to us and

when he acts in the Church.” (Comp., n. 137)

Symbols of the Holy Spirit

WaterFireWindCloud & LightDove

• Anointing and Sealingthe gift of God’s love

• Leading and purifying the Church, from within

• Transforming the world

Divine Revelation

• In Creation: God’s Word & Breath

• In Salvation History:

-- Theophanies– Prophets– John the Baptist– Mary, “Seat of Wisdom”– Christ, the “anointed one”– Pentecost – full revelation of Holy Trinity

The Work of the Holy Spirit

• The Spirit prepares human beings, in order to draw them to Christ

• The Spirit manifests the Risen Lord to us and opens our minds to understand his death and Resurrection

• The Spirit makes present the mystery Christ, supremely in the Eucharist

• The Spirit brings us into communion with God

Fr. Barron on The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Church

Gifts of the Holy Spirit

“The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding,

The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

And He will delight in the fear of the Lord, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make a decision by what His ears hear.”

(Isaiah 11:2-3)

Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Wisdom: Contemplates the things of God

Understanding: Grasps the truths of the faith

Counsel: judges how best to act

Fortitude: strengthens us to follow through on right actions

Knowledge: Sees circumstances from God’s perspective

Piety: Perfects the virtue of religion Fear of the Lord: Confirms Hope

Fruits of the Holy Spirit

Love Joy PeacePatienceKindness

GoodnessFaithfulnessGentlenessSelf-Control

Standing Activity:Symbols of Faith

Nicene Creed... I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son,who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins

and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Apostles’ Creed... I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church,the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,and life everlasting. Amen.

*Compare and contrast; *Discuss which word or phrase speaks to you about who the Spirit is at this phase of your life….

Talk #2: The Church—Four Marks,

Communion of Saints, & the Mother of God

• Both visible Institution, and spiritual Sacrament of Salvation for the whole world

• People of God

• Body of Christ

• Temple of the Holy Spirit

Marks of the Church

One–Profession of one faith received from Apostles–Common celebration of divine worship–Apostolic succession

Holy–Holy because Christ sanctified her–Canonization recognizes power of the Holy Spirit within the Church

Marks of the Church

Catholic– Universal because Christ is present in her– Universal because sent to whole human race

Apostolic– Founded by apostles– Hands on their teaching– Apostolic succession

Both Visible and Spiritual

• Universal sacrament of salvation• Society structured with hierarchical organs

and the mystical body of Christ• Visible society and spiritual community• Earthly church and Church endowed

with heavenly riches• Human and divine elements

Church as Sacrament

• “The Church’s mission is not an addition to that of Christ and the Holy Spirit, but is its sacrament; in her whole being and in all her members the Church is sent to announce, to bear witness, to make present and spread the mystery of the communion of the Holy Trinity.” (CCC, n. 738)

• Church as Body of Christ

Communion of Saints

“‘What is the Church if not the assembly of all the saints?’ The communion of the saints is the Church.” (CCC, n. 946)

• Communion in faith• Communion of the Sacraments• Communion of charisms• Communion in charity

…Everyday Sainthood

The Universal Call to Holiness

• Vatican II: “The Council, par excellence, of the Holy Spirit”

• “The classes and duties of life are many, but holiness is one—that sanctity which is cultivated by all who are moved by the Spirit of God, and who obey the voice of the Father and worship God the Father in spirit and in truth. These people follow the poor Christ, the humble and cross-bearing Christ, in order to be worthy of being sharers in His glory. Every person must walk unhesitatingly according to his own personal gifts and duties in the path of living faith, which arouses hope and works through charity.” (LG, n. 41)

Mary: Mother of the Church

• “Woman, behold your son”… “Behold your mother” (Jn 19:26-27).

• As the Incarnation points to the Paschal Mystery, so Mary’s Bethlehem anticipates her role at the foot of the Cross

• The Queen of the Apostles in the upper room on Pentecost

• “We believe that the Holy Mother of God, the new Eve, Mother of the Church, continues in heaven to exercise her maternal role on behalf of the members of Christ.” (CCC, n. 975)

Small Group Activity: Images of Mary

• Who is Mary for you?

• Who is she for Jesus, and for the Church?

Who is the Holy Spirit, and how do I experience the Spirit in my daily life?

Follow-up Reflection and Resources

2) Recommended follow-up: US/CCA, ch. 9:

“Receive the Holy Spirit”

3) For Catechists & Catholic School Teachers:“Record of Formation,” including:

required reflection & documentation

1) Session Evaluation & Feedback

Closing Prayer:“Come, Holy Spirit”

An Act of CharityO my God, I love Thee above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because Thou art all-good and worthy of all love.

I love my neighbor as myself for the love of Thee.

I forgive all who have injured me, and ask pardon of all whom I have injured.