By Henry Aloysius Barry
CHAPTER XII. PROCESSION OF THE HOLY GHOST.
The formal and characteristic designation of the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity is the 'Word'—"The Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us." (John i, 14.) This revealed designation supplies us with a key which lets us into the character of his procession, namely by way of the "intellect". It is material in entering into the particular study of the Holy Ghost to know just how the Holy Ghost, the Third Person, proceeds. St. Thomas gives us the cue to it when he says, "every act of the will has its root in love." (Contra Gent, iv, c. 19.) Now the Holy Scriptures, as they are expounded by the Fathers of the Church, show us that the Holy Ghost proceeds via the "will," for, revelation gives us internal views of the personal character of the Blessed Trinity by what is termed, 'appropriations'. In other words, they assign, by a certain law, such of the divine works "ad-extra" to such or such divine person according as such works have a peculiar resemblance to such or such a one's personal character. In showing, therefore, that the Holy Ghost is peculiarly Love, the Holy Scriptures unveil to us the personal character, and point out to us the relational origin, of the Third Person, in other words, the mode of his procession —by act of love or "via voluntatis."
The work of the Incarnation even, peculiarly as exquisitely the work of divine charity inasmuch as it is the very source and fountain-head of all the grace and holiness in us, is attributed to the Holy Ghost. The union of humanity with the 'Word' and, consequently, the substantial sanctification of that same humanity, likewise the unction of the most sacred humanity by created grace are assigned to the Holy Ghost. (Luke i, 35; Matt xvii, 20; Acts x, 38; Luke iv, 18)—(Franzlein De Deo Trino et uno, p. 399.) — Getting down, farther, to the members of Christ, it is the Holy Ghost, we find, that pours charity into the hearts of the faithful—"The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost, Who is given to us." (Rom. v, 15.) We find in another instance where uncreated charity is made peculiar to the Holy Ghost —"I beseech you by the charity of the Holy Ghost." (Rom. xv, 30.) The Holy Ghost is the author of all holiness, of all piety, of all sweetness—"The virtue of the Spirit is charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, longanimity, mildness, faith, modesty, continency and chastity." (Gal. v, 22,3.)
The Holy Ghost parcels out the various chrisms—"The word of Wisdom and to another the word of Knowledge." (Cor. xii.) In the Holy Ghost we are made members of the Christian body, melted as it were into Christ, that is, reborn and regenerated—"He upon Whom thou shalt see the Spirit descend and remain upon, He it is Who baptizeth with the Holy Ghost." (John i, 33.) "Amen, Amen, I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God." (Ill, 5, 8.) "We are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the spirit of the Lord." (I. Cor. iii, 18.) By the Holy Ghost it is we claim the adoption of sons, whereby we cry, Abba —Father— (Rom. viii, 18.) The Holy Ghost dwells in His sanctified a sin a temple, as St. Paul tells the Corinthians and—"God hath sealed us and given the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts." (II. Cor. i, 21, 22.) "Whosoever are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God." (Rom. viii, 14.) Deaf and dumb of soul, paralytics, captives of the perverse spirit, sin-swept are we and it is the Spirit that asketh in our behalf with unspeakable groanings.
CHAPTER XII. PROCESSION OF THE HOLY GHOST.
The formal and characteristic designation of the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity is the 'Word'—"The Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us." (John i, 14.) This revealed designation supplies us with a key which lets us into the character of his procession, namely by way of the "intellect". It is material in entering into the particular study of the Holy Ghost to know just how the Holy Ghost, the Third Person, proceeds. St. Thomas gives us the cue to it when he says, "every act of the will has its root in love." (Contra Gent, iv, c. 19.) Now the Holy Scriptures, as they are expounded by the Fathers of the Church, show us that the Holy Ghost proceeds via the "will," for, revelation gives us internal views of the personal character of the Blessed Trinity by what is termed, 'appropriations'. In other words, they assign, by a certain law, such of the divine works "ad-extra" to such or such divine person according as such works have a peculiar resemblance to such or such a one's personal character. In showing, therefore, that the Holy Ghost is peculiarly Love, the Holy Scriptures unveil to us the personal character, and point out to us the relational origin, of the Third Person, in other words, the mode of his procession —by act of love or "via voluntatis."
The work of the Incarnation even, peculiarly as exquisitely the work of divine charity inasmuch as it is the very source and fountain-head of all the grace and holiness in us, is attributed to the Holy Ghost. The union of humanity with the 'Word' and, consequently, the substantial sanctification of that same humanity, likewise the unction of the most sacred humanity by created grace are assigned to the Holy Ghost. (Luke i, 35; Matt xvii, 20; Acts x, 38; Luke iv, 18)—(Franzlein De Deo Trino et uno, p. 399.) — Getting down, farther, to the members of Christ, it is the Holy Ghost, we find, that pours charity into the hearts of the faithful—"The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost, Who is given to us." (Rom. v, 15.) We find in another instance where uncreated charity is made peculiar to the Holy Ghost —"I beseech you by the charity of the Holy Ghost." (Rom. xv, 30.) The Holy Ghost is the author of all holiness, of all piety, of all sweetness—"The virtue of the Spirit is charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, longanimity, mildness, faith, modesty, continency and chastity." (Gal. v, 22,3.)
The Holy Ghost parcels out the various chrisms—"The word of Wisdom and to another the word of Knowledge." (Cor. xii.) In the Holy Ghost we are made members of the Christian body, melted as it were into Christ, that is, reborn and regenerated—"He upon Whom thou shalt see the Spirit descend and remain upon, He it is Who baptizeth with the Holy Ghost." (John i, 33.) "Amen, Amen, I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God." (Ill, 5, 8.) "We are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the spirit of the Lord." (I. Cor. iii, 18.) By the Holy Ghost it is we claim the adoption of sons, whereby we cry, Abba —Father— (Rom. viii, 18.) The Holy Ghost dwells in His sanctified a sin a temple, as St. Paul tells the Corinthians and—"God hath sealed us and given the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts." (II. Cor. i, 21, 22.) "Whosoever are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God." (Rom. viii, 14.) Deaf and dumb of soul, paralytics, captives of the perverse spirit, sin-swept are we and it is the Spirit that asketh in our behalf with unspeakable groanings.
