Understanding the Holy Spirit

Summary

In this Word on Fire episode, host Brandon Vaught discusses the Holy Spirit with Bishop Robert Barron, emphasizing its personal nature as the love shared between the Father and the Son in the Trinity. They explore the Spirit's role in the sacraments, particularly Confirmation, and how it empowers Christians through gifts and fruits. The conversation also highlights the release of a new book on St. Catherine of Siena and the upcoming Word on Fire Bible, fostering a deeper understanding of spiritual life and devotion.

Takeaways

• 🌟 The Holy Spirit is a person, not an impersonal energy or force, and is described as the love shared by the Father and the Son in the Christian doctrine of the Trinity.
• 📚 Father Paul Marie has written a new book titled 'St. Catherine of Siena: Mystic, Fire Preacher of Freedom,' which explores the life and spiritual teachings of St. Catherine from a theological perspective.
• 🎓 Bishop Robert Barron discusses the importance of the Holy Spirit in Catholic theology, emphasizing that the Holy Spirit is often overlooked but is essential to understanding the fullness of the Christian God.
• 🔗 The Holy Spirit is seen as the divine power that brings the work of the Son to individuals, interpreting the word and applying the power of the cross and resurrection to individual hearts.
• 🙏 The act of praying is likened to listening in on the conversation between the Father and the Son, with the Holy Spirit being the space in which this conversation occurs.
• 🛐 Bishop Barron suggests setting up a personal devotional area in one's home with items like icons of saints, relics, and a crucifix to create a prayerful atmosphere.
• 🔥 The Holy Spirit is associated with love, joy, and the fruits of the Spirit as described in Galatians chapter five, and is particularly evident in acts of genuine love and forgiveness.
• 💌 The sacrament of Confirmation is described as a strengthening of the gifts of the Holy Spirit received at Baptism, with the bishop playing a significant role in this sacrament.
• 📖 The Word on Fire Institute has published the book 'St. Catherine of Siena' as part of their series, highlighting the connection between St. Catherine and the theological tradition of St. Thomas Aquinas.
• 🌐 The Word on Fire show is working on a new Bible project, with the first volume containing the four Gospels set to release in June, and people can sign up for updates on their website.
• 🎁 The show offers a special deal where purchasing the book 'St. Catherine of Siena' comes with four free digital access codes to the 'Pivotal Players' episode on St. Catherine.

Q & A

What is the main theme discussed in the 'Word on Fire' show with Bishop Robert Barron?

The main theme discussed in the show is the concept of the Holy Spirit within the context of the Trinity, its role in the divine essence, and its importance in Christian theology and spirituality.

Who is the author of the book 'St. Catherine of Siena: Mystic, Fire Preacher of Freedom'?

The book is authored by Father Paul Marie, a Dominican priest and a leading spiritual writer.

What is the significance of the book 'St. Catherine of Siena: Mystic, Fire Preacher of Freedom' in the context of the show?

The book is significant as it explores St. Catherine of Siena's spiritual and theological insights, her connection to St. Thomas Aquinas, and her influence on contemporary spiritual writers like Father Paul Marie.

What is the relationship between Father Paul Marie and Bishop Robert Barron?

Father Paul Marie and Bishop Robert Barron have been friends for about 20 years, and Father Paul contributes to the series of books that Bishop Barron's organization, Word on Fire, publishes.

Why does Bishop Barron believe the Holy Spirit is often overlooked in Western Christianity?

Bishop Barron suggests that Western Christianity has a tendency to be Christocentric, focusing primarily on Jesus Christ, which may inadvertently lead to the Holy Spirit being somewhat neglected or underplayed in comparison.

What does Bishop Barron suggest is a common mistake in understanding the Holy Trinity?

A common mistake is viewing the Holy Trinity as three separate beings or entities, which contradicts the concept of one God in three persons, or considering the Holy Spirit as an impersonal force rather than a person.

What is the role of the Holy Spirit according to the teachings discussed in the show?

The Holy Spirit is described as the love shared by the Father and the Son, the divine power that brings the Son to us, interprets the word, and applies the power of the cross and resurrection to individual hearts.

How does Bishop Barron describe the Holy Spirit in relation to the divine essence?

Bishop Barron describes the Holy Spirit as a person who shares in the one divine essence, which is the unconditioned reality, and is personal just as the Father and the Son are personal.

What is the sacrament that Bishop Barron refers to as the sacrament of the Holy Spirit?

Confirmation is referred to as the sacrament of the Holy Spirit, as it strengthens the presence of the Holy Spirit's gifts in the individual, which were initially received at baptism.

How can one foster a deeper connection with the Holy Spirit according to the show?

One can foster a deeper connection with the Holy Spirit by participating in the sacraments, particularly confirmation, and by consciously begging for the Holy Spirit in prayer, listening in on the conversation between the Father and the Son.

What is the significance of the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of confirmation?

In the sacrament of confirmation, the Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in stirring up and strengthening the gifts received at baptism, enabling the individual to claim these gifts as their own and to live a life guided by the Holy Spirit.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to St. Catherine of Siena's Book and Trinity Discussion

The script begins with a discussion on the nature of God and the Holy Spirit, introducing the new book 'St. Catherine of Siena' by Father Paul Marie, a prominent spiritual writer. Bishop Robert Barron and host Brandon Vaught delve into the divine essence and the personal nature of the Holy Spirit as part of the Trinity. They explore the concept of the Holy Spirit as the love shared between the Father and the Son, emphasizing the Spirit's role in interpreting the divine word and applying the power of the cross and resurrection to individual hearts.

05:02

🔥 The Holy Spirit as the Love Connecting the Trinity

This paragraph delves deeper into the Holy Spirit's role as the love that binds the Father and the Son within the Holy Trinity. Bishop Barron explains the concept of the Holy Spirit as the shared love between the Father and the Son, using the analogy of the Holy Spirit as a 'sigh' of love between them. He clarifies misconceptions about the Holy Spirit being an impersonal force, affirming the Spirit's personhood and divine essence. The discussion highlights the Spirit's importance in maintaining the unity of the Trinity and the theological implications of viewing the Holy Spirit as an addendum rather than an integral part of the divine relationship.

10:02

🌟 The Holy Spirit's Personhood and the Trinity's Dynamic

The conversation continues with a clarification of the Holy Spirit's personhood and the intricacies of the Trinity's relationships. Bishop Barron discusses the concept of the Holy Spirit as a person who shares in the divine essence, differentiating between the unconditioned reality of God and conditioned, contingent realities. He addresses the theological challenge of understanding the Trinity as three distinct persons without falling into tritheism or modalism. The bishop explains the term 'subsistent relations' to describe the unique relationships within the Trinity, emphasizing the Holy Spirit's role as actively and passively proceeding from the Father and the Son.

15:04

🛐 The Role of the Holy Spirit in Sacraments and Spiritual Life

Bishop Barron discusses the Holy Spirit's involvement in all sacraments, particularly in the sacrament of Confirmation, which is described as a means to strengthen the gifts of the Spirit received at Baptism. He explains the biblical basis for the connection between Baptism and Confirmation, highlighting the role of the Holy Spirit in embracing the world and including it within the divine love that unites the Father and the Son. The bishop encourages Catholics to participate in sacraments to fully receive the Holy Spirit's gifts and to actively seek the Spirit's presence in their lives through prayer and spiritual practices.

20:04

🙏 Invoking the Holy Spirit in Prayer and Spiritual Direction

In this paragraph, the focus shifts to personal practices for invoking the Holy Spirit. Bishop Barron suggests that prayer should be an act of 'begging' for the Holy Spirit, emphasizing the importance of listening and being present in the space of the Holy Spirit. He reflects on the spiritual direction process, encouraging individuals to identify moments of love and forgiveness in their lives as signs of the Holy Spirit's action. The bishop also mentions the joy that accompanies the Holy Spirit's presence, citing G.K. Chesterton as an example of someone filled with the Spirit's joy and providing a method for spiritual reflection on the Spirit's influence in one's life.

25:05

🏠 Creating a Personal Devotional Space

The final paragraph addresses a listener's question about setting up a personal devotional space at home. Bishop Barron shares his insights, suggesting the use of icons, relics, and the lighting of a candle as meaningful gestures to signal a transition into prayer. He emphasizes the importance of creating an environment that helps the body and soul recognize the act of prayer and devotion. The bishop's recommendations aim to foster a deeper connection with the divine through tangible and symbolic elements in one's personal prayer space.

Keywords

💡Trinity

The Trinity refers to the belief in Christianity that God is three-in-one, encompassing the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as distinct persons yet one God. It is central to the video's theme, as the discussion revolves around the nature and roles of the Holy Spirit within this divine unity. The script mentions the Trinity to explain the relational aspects of God and the Holy Spirit's role as the love shared between the Father and the Son.

💡Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is one of the three persons of the Christian Godhead, symbolizing divine love and power. The video emphasizes the Holy Spirit's personal nature and its role in connecting the Father and the Son. It is depicted as essential to understanding Christian theology and spirituality, and as a source of spiritual guidance and gifts.

💡Divine Essence

Divine Essence in the script refers to the ultimate reality that is God's unchanging and perfect nature. It is shared by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, making them distinct yet one. The concept is crucial for understanding the unity within the Trinity and is used to explain how the Holy Spirit shares in this essence, contributing to God's perfection.

💡St. Catherine of Siena

St. Catherine of Siena is a Dominican saint and theologian who is central to the discussion in the script due to a new book about her. She is presented as a significant spiritual mentor and hero, whose teachings and life are examined from a theological perspective, showing her connection to the divine and her influence on contemporary spirituality.

💡Spiritual Theology

Spiritual theology is the study of the nature of God and the spiritual life as understood in Christian faith. The script discusses this in the context of St. Catherine of Siena's teachings and how they relate to the Holy Spirit and the divine essence. It is a key concept for understanding the script's exploration of the spiritual dimensions of Christian doctrine.

💡Confirmation

Confirmation is a sacrament in Christianity that strengthens the grace given at baptism. The script discusses it as the 'sacrament of the Holy Spirit,' highlighting its role in deepening the connection with the Holy Spirit and the gifts bestowed upon believers. It is used as an example of how the Holy Spirit is integrated into Christian sacramental life.

💡Sacraments

Sacraments are sacred rituals in Christianity that convey divine grace. The script mentions sacraments as the ordinary means through which God provides the gifts of the Holy Spirit. They are essential for spiritual growth and are linked to the Holy Spirit's transformative work in the lives of believers.

💡Spiritual Gifts

Spiritual gifts are abilities or talents given by the Holy Spirit for the common good. The script discusses these gifts in the context of sacraments and prayer, emphasizing their importance for the spiritual life and the role of the Holy Spirit in their distribution and activation.

💡Word on Fire Institute

The Word on Fire Institute is an educational initiative mentioned in the script, associated with the production of spiritual content and books, such as the one on St. Catherine of Siena. It represents the script's focus on spreading theological knowledge and spiritual insights through various media.

💡Divine Love

Divine Love, as discussed in the script, is the love that exists within the Trinity, particularly manifest in the Holy Spirit. It is portrayed as the driving force behind the mission of Jesus Christ and the source of all spiritual life. The script uses the concept to illustrate the Holy Spirit's role in fostering love and unity within the Christian community.

💡Spiritual Direction

Spiritual direction involves guidance in one's spiritual journey, often provided by a mentor or a spiritual director. The script mentions it in the context of reflecting on the Holy Spirit's work in one's life, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and responding to divine love and guidance.

Highlights

Discussion on the nature of God as perfect, personal reality and the concept of the Holy Spirit as a person sharing in the divine essence.

Introduction of the book 'St. Catherine of Siena' by Father Paul Marie, exploring her spiritual and theological contributions.

Bishop Robert Barron's relationship with Father Paul and the significance of the book in the Word on Fire series.

Catherine of Siena's connection to St. Thomas Aquinas and her influence on the thought of the Dominican tradition.

The importance of the Holy Spirit in the Trinity and the tendency to neglect the Holy Spirit in Western Christianity.

The Holy Spirit as the love that connects the Father and the Son, and its role in the divine mission.

Bishop Barron's work on the Creed and the Holy Spirit's role in the life of the Church and individual believers.

The Holy Spirit as the most available of the Trinity due to its role in interpreting the Word and applying the power of the cross.

The concept of the Holy Spirit as not merely an impersonal energy or force, but a person with a distinct role in the Godhead.

The sacrament of Confirmation as a means to strengthen the gifts of the Holy Spirit received at Baptism.

The importance of the sacraments in receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the Church's role in spiritual life.

Personal practices for inviting and recognizing the Holy Spirit's presence in daily life.

Bishop Barron's reflections on the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in acts of love and forgiveness.

The announcement of the Word on Fire Bible project and its upcoming release.

Advice on setting up a personal chapel or devotional area in the home for spiritual practice.

The significance of using icons, relics, and candles in creating a conducive environment for prayer and reflection.

Transcripts

but God is if soon sa God is the shear

active to be itself therefore God is

utterly perfect and personal in his

reality now who's the Holy Spirit the

Holy Spirit is a person who shares in

the one divine essence that one divine

essence is the unconditioned reality

I've just been talking about therefore

of course the Holy Spirit is personal as

the son is personal as the father is

personal

welcome back to the word on fire show

I'm the host Brandon Vaught the content

director at word on fire joining us from

Santa Barbara is Bishop Robert Barron

Bishop Baron good to see you hey Brandon

good to see you as always

hey one of the most exciting new books

that we've released just came out a

couple weeks ago and I know it's it's

very special to you given your

connection to the author you know is a

book titled st. Catherine of Siena and

it's by father Paul Marie talked a

little bit about the new book

and your relationship to father Paul

yeah we've been friends for about 20

years now and father Paul teaches

spirituality at the angelicum the great

Dominican University in Rome and I think

one of the really leading spiritual

writers in the world today so we were

delighted that he was some you know

willing to contribute to this series of

ours and it's a book on st. Catherine

who was one of his great mentors and

heroes and it's a really penetrating

interesting study of st. Catherine of

Siena from a spiritual theological

standpoint Catherine of course as a

Dominican was very indebted not so much

in the high academic sense but she was

indebted to abstain Thomas Aquinas and

his vision of things of the God world

relationship of sin and grace etc and

that comes through and father Paul also

links her to some other interesting

figures in the history of thought so the

book I think is is terrific so yeah I'm

real pleased about that and this is the

first book that we've published through

the word on fire Institute which makes

it doubly exciting it's kind of a more

serious look at Katherine there's

footnotes and endnotes but I don't think

it's to scholarly that it would put off

say the average lay reader so if you

want to learn more about Kathy and I

highly suggest checking it out you can

find it at word on fire show.com slash

katharine again the book is titled st.

Catherine of Siena mystic a fire

preacher of freedom it's by father Paul

Marie a great Dominican and one of our

fellows of the word on fire Institute so

you could find it again at word on fire

show.com slash Catherine well bishop

some years back another book came out it

was by an evangelist

preacher named Francis Chan and it's old

I don't know million copies a mega

popular book and it had a very

intriguing title and Alan I don't want

to talk about the book I want to focus

on the title and what it suggests it was

called forgotten God reversing our

tragic neglect of the Holy Spirit and

that phrase has always stuck with me

forgotten God that if we believe in one

God in three persons we talk often about

the Father we pray often to the son but

in many circles the Holy Spirit sort of

gets short shrift I mean do you find

that the case in the Catholic Church

today outside of maybe more of

charismatic circles circles that invoke

and pray often to the Holy Spirit that

by and large the Holy Spirit seems to

sort of be third on the totem pole when

it comes to the Trinity yeah there's

some truth to it I think maybe we in the

West should take our lumps a little bit

on this because Eastern Christianity for

centuries now has been criticizing the

West just for that a kind of neglect of

the Holy Spirit it's probably fair to

say that in the theology and

spirituality of the Eastern Christian

Church there's a greater stress on the

spirit years ago a colleague of mine

used the phrase I've always liked he

said we are Christocentric and indeed

that's one of our principles of the word

on fire Institute where Christocentric

but we shouldn't be crystal monist

and what he meant was a sort of

reduction of everything to the second

person of the Trinity the Holy Spirit in

a way it's funny Brandon because the

Holy Spirit should be the most available

if you want of a three persons because

the Spirit is if you want the divine

power bringing to bear the Sun upon us

he's the one who interprets the word the

one who applies to individual hearts the

power of the cross and resurrection so

in a way the spirit is the one that

we're most directly in contact with you

might say but I think in our theology in

spirituality we've tended a bit to

underplay the spirit now I know you've

mentioned a few times that during this

coronavirus pandemic

one of the goods that's come out of it

despite all the tragic suffering of

course is that a lot of your events have

been canceled a lot of your trips have

been canceled

so you've gotten to spend a lot more

time at home and one of the things

you've done is significant work on this

new book you've been writing on

the Creed and I know you just wrapped up

the section on the Holy Spirit so I

thought maybe even good time to ask you

what are the basics that Catholics need

to know about the Holy Spirit who is the

Holy Spirit maybe the first thing you

just implied it there in your question

is who so we might have a tendency to

say well what is the Holy Spirit and the

Holy Spirit is just some sort of

impersonal energy or force the Holy

Spirit is a who as a person here's the

way to state it classically the Holy

Spirit is the love shared by the father

and the son so from all eternity the

father you might say the father I always

loved about German phrase the old coins

he's the he's the fundamental source of

the divine life the Father Knows himself

in this great act of self-knowledge

notícias soui san agustin called it's

self-knowledge the Sun emerges if you

want the Sun is begotten we say of the

father so the son is the logos the word

the interior word by which the Father

Knows himself

now since the father and son share

everything except paternity and

filiation those are unique to each one

but they share the same divine essence

that means that when the father looks at

the son he sees utter perfection and

when the son who's endowed with mine and

will etc looks back at the father he

sees utter perfection and so the two of

them fall in love with each other

I've always loved our friend Fulton

Sheen's great line that they they sigh

their love for each other and that sigh

of course the spiritus Sanctus the the

holy breath shared by the father and son

is the Holy Spirit and now you see that

the brilliance of st. Augustine's image

that you see how this doesn't split God

into three there aren't three gods or

three things rather one God in these

three subsistent relations of eternity

filiation and

we call it technically spy raishin which

means mutual breathing forth the spirit

is that third person of the Trinity the

shared love a father and son I think for

a lot of Catholics the Holy Spirit feels

like an addendum to the father and the

son and a lot of people wonder why is

the Holy Spirit even necessary what does

the Holy Spirit provide that say we

don't get from the father or the son

well maybe let's go back because I've

been doing more hi Phil esophageal

language let's go back to the scriptural

source so we say that the father sent

the son how far well into our humanity

how far well into our death how far all

the way to the limit of God forsaken us

the father sends the son out why so is

to embrace all the world that had run

away from God right now in this great

image the father and the son kind of

stretched to the limit what is it that

keeps them from snapping apart well it's

the Holy Spirit because it's the love

that connects them the love in which the

son was sent the love by which the son

accepted his mission now watch as the

Sun returns to the father so we say

Christ risen from the dead now returns

the father was he bring with him in

principle everyone that he's embraced

therefore the whole world in principle

has been included within the Holy Spirit

within the love that connects the father

and the son

that's why hardly an addendum the Holy

Spirit in a way is the whole operation

think of this - Brandon whenever we do

this little gesture right and we say in

the name of the Father we begin with the

unoriginal source of divinity and then

of the son this is meant to imitate the

downward trajectory of the Son of God

the Son though he was in the form of God

did not deem equality with God a thing

to be grasped but rather emptied himself

when all the way down and then the Holy

Spirit is the gathering of the world

into the love that connects the father

in the son and that's why the Spirit

hardly an addendum in some ways is

is the whole story the point of the

story that's why we have a spiritual

life because we've been gathered into

the love that connects the father and

the son I've seen some people maybe

ill-advisedly compare the holy spirit to

say the force in Star Wars and then here

you know we've been using analogies that

aren't perfect but analogies

nevertheless that compare the Holy

Spirit to love or to the divine breath

but for a lot of people I think all of

these are sort of lifeless energy forms

you know they're abstract things but we

describe the Holy Spirit as a person

what does it mean to say that the Holy

Spirit is the love between the father

and the son but that the Holy Spirit is

a person what marks it as a person we

got me a couple moves one is when we

accept that God is the unconditioned

source of existence itself that means

that God is utterly fulfilled in his

being there's no potentiality in God God

is

Octus purest as Thomas Aquinas said it

means like pure actualization pure

energy well that means that there can't

be any lack in God the minute you say oh

gods like the force in Star Wars you

mean some kind of grand all-enveloping

thing that doesn't really have mind will

and personality well then you've said if

so facto conditioned contingent reality

that's not God Thomas would have called

that by the way ends commune a like

being in general but God is if soon si

God as the sheer act of to be itself

therefore God is utterly perfect and

personal in his reality now who's the

Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit is a person

who shares in the one divine essence

that one divine essence is the

unconditioned reality I've just been

talking about therefore of course the

Holy Spirit is personal as the son is

personal as the father is personal so

none of the three persons of the Trinity

should be compared to like a Star Wars

force they're all personal in that sense

now maybe we'll get to this we also use

person in a kind of derivative way too

when talking about the personhood of the

Holy Spirit but you're getting at this

more fundamental sense that in the

measure that all three person

share the one divine essence they can't

be less than personal let's go into that

other sense of personhood because again

I think this is troubling to a lot of

people they envision the Trinity as

three different persons and to them they

think this means they're like three

different people with unique intellects

unique wills they're kind of going in

three different directions

maybe they're part of the same family so

they share some common mission but

they're really three distinct beings if

you will right what do we mean when we

use the word personhood visa via the

Trinity we're getting the deep waters of

course but you know the famous icon by

roubloff that is one of my favorites of

its the three angels visiting Abraham

but it's meant to be a picture of the

Trinity as well and you have these three

figures around a table and they're

raised in such a clever way I can't go

into the details but but roubloff is

signaling the different relationships

within the Trinity the trouble is we

tend to think of it that way like oh

there's the father and then there's the

sanno and there's the Holy Spirit these

three as you say beings around a table

well that can't be right because that's

traicee ism that would compromise the

divine unity you can't speak of the

unconditioned reality as somehow

breaking into three beings right so

that's one extreme try theism however we

can't go to the other extreme and say

that the Trinitarian persons well that's

just a way of talking about the three

modes by which God manifested himself so

in the old testament 'is manifested his

father then in Jesus oh now he's

manifested as the son and now on the

life of the church he's manifested as

the Holy Spirit

that's called modalism or sub alien ISM

after its founders Sebelius the idea

there is that God is one supremely but

then God can wear three different masks

or have have three modes of appearance

well to that the church also said no so

no to try theism no to modalism and one

way Brandon to read all of the history

of Trinitarian theology is how do you

navigate the narrow space between try

theism and modalism

and the way the church resolved that is

with our great Trinitarian theology and

now I'm getting to your question which

is what do you mean when you say

a the Father Son and spirit are persons

you mean something very real so we're

not talking about modalism at the same

time you're not talking about splitting

God into three things you're talking

about I'll use Thomas's language now

you're talking about three subsistent

relations that obtain within the unity

of God what do I mean I mean the father

this or groans this primordial source

the divine life as I say giving rise to

the son therefore the father has a

relation of paternity visa vie the son

not let me correct myself because I said

it wrong you shouldn't say the father

has a relation of paternity rather the

father is a relation of paternity to the

son the son having been begotten by the

father is a relationship of filiation

visa vie the father the Holy Spirit now

breathed forth by the father and the son

is a relationship of active spy raishin

that's the father and son in relation to

the spirit and is passive spy raishin

that's his own relationship visa vie

that that is the relationship he is Visa

be the father and son and see what I'm

tripping up we always do it because our

own language is so conditioned by things

that have relationships but when Thomas

says the Trinitarian persons are

subsistent relations

he's breaking that way of thinking right

within the unity of God there are these

three subsisting modes of relationality

that we call father son and spirit now I

love this how come we call them persons

because I mean let's admit it when you

say three persons it does sound like

Rudolph's icon right it's this person

that person the third person how come we

call persons here's the gustin's answer

so we have something to say when people

ask us what they are

you see his point is what we call them

essences or substances or suppose it's

or

but but all those terms are problematic

is person problematic mm-hmm but it's

just so we have something to say when

people ask us what are these three

things what we'll call them persons for

want of a better term I love how it is a

descendant of Agustin st. Anselm of

Canterbury refer to the three persons as

Trez natio quid which means literally in

latin 3 i don't know what's messy oh

quit I don't know what they are because

we don't have subsistent relations

within our normal range of experience

right we have things like you and I are

two separate substances who right now

are having a relation we're talking to

each other right or I have a relation

now to this camera over here I'm in

front of it etc so it's substance with a

relation the Trinitarian persons aren't

like that they are subsistent relations

and see that's why they don't violate

the integrity of the divine unity

well let's talk about one of the unique

and great joys I know you have as a

bishop and that's to do confirmation so

you knew thousands of them every single

year unfortunately now with the

coronavirus academic they've been

temporarily delayed but confirmations

often described as the sacrament of the

Holy Spirit it's like the one sacrament

where the Holy Spirit is especially

emphasized but I know a lot of people

think well hey I thought when I'm

baptized I received the Holy Spirit why

do I need confirmation or what does

confirmation do you've preached often on

confirmation every confirmation you've

been to so maybe give us a little

overview of confirmation the Holy Spirit

what happens there during this sacrament

yeah good I mean the Holy Spirit's

involved in all the sacraments

necessarily because the Holy Spirit is

that as I say by which the the

accomplishment of the son is applied to

our lives so the spirits involved in

every sacrament you're quite right in

saying baptism we are given the gifts of

the Holy Spirit

confirmation stirs it up

confirmation as the name suggests

confirm are a means to strengthen right

it's strengthens the presence of these

gifts of the Spirit in us so

that at this moment a little later in

life were able to court of claim them as

our own so there's a tight link between

Baptism and Confirmation you know in the

ex the Apostles that great scene where

they they discover that here's a group

that had been baptized but they haven't

yet received the spirit and so they say

oh let's let's get our heavy weights

let's get John and Peter to come down

from Jerusalem and let's have them you

know address these people and then

through them the Holy Spirit comes upon

them well that's the biblical ground for

the relation between Baptism and

Confirmation which is why it's not an

absolute necessity but typically the

church brings in the heavyweights

it brings in the bishops to preside over

confirmation because they're the

successors of Peter and John right who

presided and those in that early

ceremony so I put it that way Brandon

the confirmation is they confirming and

stirring up of the gifts of the Spirit

given at baptism well as you say along

with the Holy Spirit comes these gifts

that the Holy Spirit brings to every

Christian and I'm reminded of that other

colorful episode in the book of Acts

where Simon Magus is a magician

asks how do I get the Holy Spirit can I

buy it from right offers to exchange

money for the Holy Spirit it leads to a

natural question if the Holy Spirit is

so wonderful we want him to invade our

lives our hearts and bring with him all

these great gifts how do we receive the

Holy Spirit and all these gifts well I

would say you know in a Catholic context

that's why we we attend and receive the

sacraments the sacraments are the

ordinary means by which God gives us the

gifts of the Spirit so don't stay away

from the sacraments if you want the

gifts of the Spirit the ordinary means

that Christ established is his church

and and the church's sacraments so it's

not a matter of triviality or

indifference that so many Catholics stay

away from the sacraments and why am I

not you know being stirred up by the

Holy Spirit well are you going to wear

the Holy Spirit's on offer you know so I

think that's how you do it but you also

Brandon more generally you beg for the

Holy Spirit you a lot of my prayer think

of it that way is begging for the Holy

Spirit

that's what you do when you pray

I remember years ago a spiritual teacher

said to me when you pray you listen in

as the father and son are speaking about

you think about that for a second

so we were using all this - psychical

language but the father and the son

aren't like just up out there someplace

but they're there in us right we talk

about the the the the indwelling of the

Trinity in us so when I pray I listen in

in a very conscious focused way as the

father and son speak about me they in

other words I'm now in the space of the

Holy Spirit and I'm I'm listening well

in that space all right Lord send your

spirit

give me your spirit stir up your spirit

in me that's that's what you asked for

when you pray that's what you listen in

to hear when you pray can you think

bishop of some time in your life where

you've seen the undeniable action or

voice of the Holy Spirit when you've

sensed the Holy Spirit in a profound way

oh gosh you know wait Brandon see it's

your whole spiritual life is like that

and and not typically in a spectacular

way

but if what's the Holy Spirit's name his

spirit is is loved right he's the love

between the father and the son he's

called the vinculum

amaura sometimes which means the chain

of love right the chain that connects

father and son he's also called in

Aquinas and the great tradition donum

day he's the gift of God okay whenever

they're for real love breaks out and you

and I've talked about this real love is

not just the own having a nice feeling

about somebody it's not just you know

generosity love is to will the good of

the other when that breaks out we say

there there it is there's the Holy

Spirit there's the Holy Spirit when

forgiveness is is clearly evident that's

the Holy Spirit right so think of those

moments in your life when real love we

forgiveness especially forgiveness of

enemies is on display that's the

unmistakable mark of the Holy Spirit you

know one way to Brandon when I was doing

spiritual direction with people that's

one way to do it is just say okay what

was the spirit up to in your life this

past you know two weeks or past month

what were the occasions and

opportunities for love when did the

spirit open a path for you to deeper

love tell me about that tell me how you

cooperated with it tell me how you

resisted it tell me how you ignored it

tell me how you you benefited from it

that there's spiritual direction if you

want in a nutshell those are all the

signs I think of a spirit go back to

Galatians five right and you got the

gifts of the Spirit and the signs of the

Spirit

one of which is joy is when people

that's our friend Chesterton to me is

such a great model of someone filled

with the Holy Spirit because it's the

joyfulness and I sense that in people I

consider really holy that's one of the

great marks is their joyfulness

[Music]

well time now for a question from one of

our listeners if you have one we'd love

to hear it just send it in via ask

Bishop Baron comm that's the website you

want to go to and from there you can

record your question on any device today

we have one from Franco in New York and

he's asking about how to arrange a

personal chapel or a personal devotional

area so you're just busting greetings

bishop bang my name's Franco and I live

in New York State drawing some

inspiration from your private chapel I

was wondering what type of things or

what type of items would belong in a

home devotional corner hmm thank you

very much have a great day good you know

I have a privilege as a bishop to have

the Blessed Sacrament in my Chapel now

that's a that's a rare thing and the

church doesn't give that permission you

know to anybody just have the Blessed

Sacrament but shy event you know icons

are their icons of saints that mean a

lot to you even like a little candle III

like when you enter into prayer that

there's some gesture that you perform

that signals to your body and your soul

that we're doing something different and

that can be like for example the

lighting of a candle in front of a icon

so I think the pictures of the saints I

go back to this is years ago my thesis

director Michel Corbin the great Jesuit

scholar and I just begun work on my

doctoral paper and he said Hova you know

you you have to you have to do something

and and I thought he was gonna refer to

some book I had to get and he said you

have to get an icon and put it next to

your computer and I I did it in Paris

I've done it to this day I have an icon

next to my computer so when I write I'm

doing it in a prayerful spirit so I

would get it get a couple icons of your

favorite Saints you can find a relic of

a saint and you can come across those in

different ways maybe put a relic of a

saint up in that corner but something

that signals to your body and your soul

that we're doing something different now

little crucifix or something and maybe

the lighting of the candle

that's a good thing well thanks for the

question Franco and thanks all of you

for listening a couple of bits of

exciting news first of all for the last

four years we've been secretly working

on an extraordinary new project it's

called the word on fire Bible and we're

about to release the first volume of

this Bible which contains the four

Gospels now I'm not going to give any

more details than that right now more

will be rolling out here in the coming

weeks I'm sure we'll do at least a whole

episode or two on this extraordinary

project but for now

visit the website word on fire dot org

slash Bible word on fire dot org slash

Bible you can enter your email address

on there and we'll send you all sorts of

updates as the Bible gets ready to roll

out it'll debut in the middle of June so

not too far from here but you're gonna

want to see this you're gonna want to be

a part of it it's truly I think one of

the most extraordinary initiatives we've

ever released that word on fire and

second just as a reminder check out our

new book st. Catherine of Siena mystic a

fire preacher of freedom it's by the

great Dominican poet and theologian

father Paul Marie who is a fellow of our

word on fire Institute you can find that

both again at word on fire show.com

slash Catherine we have a great special

deal running where if you buy the book

you get four free digital access to our

Saint Catherine of Siena pivotal players

episode which you can watch on any

device as well so check it out word on

fire show.com slash Catherine thanks so

much for tuning in and we'll see you

next week on the word on fire show

thanks so much for watching if you

enjoyed this video I encourage you to

share it and be sure to subscribe to my

youtube channel

[Music]

you