First Sermon for the Feast of Pentecost: On the Six Operations of the Holy Ghost

“ The Spirit also helpeth our infirmity.’—Rom. viii. 26.

To-day, dearest brethren, we celebrate the solemn feast of the Holy Ghost, a feast assuredly that is worthy to be kept with all spiritual joy and with all devotion ; because the Holy Ghost is the very sweetness of God, the very benignity of God, and Himself very God. If, therefore, we honour the festival days of the Saints, with how much greater reason should we honour His festival to Whom all the saints owe their sanctity ? If we show respect for them who have been made holy how much more ought we to respect the Divine Author of their holiness? To-day, then, is the Holy Spirit’s feast-day, because it was to-day that He, invisible in Himself, appeared to the apostles in visible form: just as the Son also, Who in His Divine Nature is invisible, condescended to make Himself visible in the flesh. To-day the Holy Ghost revealed to us something about His own Personality as we had already been taught something concerning the Personalities of the Father and the Son. For eternal life consists in a perfect knowledge of the Trinity. At present “ we know in part ” (r Cor. xiii. ọ), and we hold on faith the rest which we cannot understand, With respect to the Father, I know that He 286

SIX OPERATIONS OF THE HOLY GHOST 287 is the Creator of the world,* since all creatures cry out in testimony, “ He made us, and not we ourselves ” (Ps. xcix. 3). And the Apostle says, “The invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made” (Rom. i. 20). But to comprehend His eternity or His immutability is far beyond me: with regard to such perfections “ He inhabiteth light inaccessible ” (r Tim. vi 16). Concerning the Son also, through His grace, I know something very important, namely, that He has become man.

But “who shall declare His (divine) generation ? ” (Is. liji. 8). Who can comprehend how the Son is coequal with His Father? Of the Holy Spirit likewise I am allowed to know something, not indeed the nature of that procession whereby He proceeds eternally from Father and Son, for that “ knowledge is become wonderful to me; it is high, and I cannot reach to it”

n. 494-5.

(Ps. cxxxviii. 6), but only the fact of His procession to men. There are two things, my brethren, which we have to take into account in the procession of the Holy Ghost, whence He proceeds, and whither. He proceeds from the Father and Son, and so far His procession “hath made darkness its covert” (Ps. xvii. 12); and He proceeds to us, and in this regard His procession began to be made known to-day, and is now manifest to all the faithful.*

And at first indeed—for so it was necessary—the invisible Spirit of God announced His advent by visible signs. But now, the more spiritual are the indications of His presence, the more congruous we recognise them to be, and the more worthy of Him Who is named the Holy Spirit. He then came upon the disciples in the form of fiery tongues, so that with tongues of fire they might preach the law of fire, and preach it in the languages of all nations. Let no one complain that this miraculous gift of the Spirit has not been accorded to us. For “the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man unto profit” (1 Cor. xii. 7). And indeed, if I may be permitted to say so, that manifestation was given to the apostles more for our sakes than for theirs. For what need had they of the tongues of the nations except as a means to the con-whom He has replenished with merits.” Cf. St. Thomas, p. I. q. xlii. a. 6.—(Translator.)

SIX OPERATIONS OF THE HOLY GHOST 289 version of the nations? But they were given another manifestation * which was more proper and personal, and this manifestation is continued in ourselves even to the present hour. Is it not evident that they who passed from such pusillanimity to such constancy of spirit, had been ‘‘ endued with strength from on high ” (Luke xxiv. 49)? They no longer take flight (Matt. xxvi. 56), they no longer conceal themselves “ for fear of the Jews ” (John xx. 19) : they show greater courage now in preaching the Gospel than they showed cowardice not long since in hiding themselves. “This change of the right hand of the Most High” (Ps. lxxvi. Ir) is made clearly apparent in the case of the Prince of the apostles, who once shook with terror at the words of a maid-servant (Matt. xxvi. 69, 70), and a short time afterwards, bore with fortitude the stripes to which he was condemned by the rulers (Acts v. 40). For the Scripture tells us that “they, namely, Peter and John, went from the presence of the council rejoicing that they were accounted worthy to suffer reproach for the name of Jesus” (ibid. 41), for the name of Him Whom, a few days before, when He was being led away to the same council, they had abandoned and left alone. Who can doubt that the “mighty Spirit ” (Acts ii. 2) had descended upon them to enlighten and fortify their souls with His invisible power? In quite the same manner the operations which the Holy Ghost is carrying on within us even now render testimony to Him.

Therefore, inasmuch as we have received a command to avoid what is evil and to do what is good (Ps. xxxvi. 27), observe how “the Spirit helpeth our infirmity ” (Rom. viii. 26) in regard to both. For “there are diversities of graces, but the same Spirit ” (x Cor. xii. 4). Accordingly, with the purpose to turn us away from evil, He operates three things within us, namely, compunction, supplication, and remission. Repentance for sin is the beginning of our conversion to God, and this repentance, not our own spirit, but the Spirit of God operates in us, as reason manifestly teaches and authority defines. Where is the man who, having come cold to the fire and warmed himself, can seriously doubt that the heat which he could not have enjoyed without the presence of the fire, has come to him really from the fire? In the same way, therefore, he that was once cold in impiety and began afterwards to glow with the heat of a fervent repentance, ought to feel assured that another Spirit has descended upon him, and is reproving and condemning his own. For this we have the authority of Christ Himself, Who tells us in the Gospel, speaking of the Spirit Whom the believers were about to receive, that “ when He—the Paraclete—is come, He will reprove * the world because of sin” (John xvi. 8).

But what is the use of repentance unless it be accompanied with supplication for pardon? It is necessary, therefore, that the Spirit should operate this in us also, replenishing our minds with the peculiar sweetness of hope, so that we may ask “in faith, nothing wavering ” (James i. 6). Do you wish me to prove that this likewise is the work of the Holy Spirit? I say, then, that so long as He is absent, you can discover no such power of supplication in your own spirit.

which does not suit the context here. Cf, A Lapide.—(Translator.)

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Besides, we have it on the authority of St. Paul that He it is by Whom “we cry Abba, Father” (Rom. viii. 15). And the same Apostle assures us that “ the Spirit Himself asketh for us with unspeakable groanings ” (ibid. 26). Both these operations of repentance and supplication the Holy Ghost accomplishes within our own hearts. But what does He do in the heart of the Father? As dwelling in us, He makes intercession for us; so, dwelling in the Father, He forgives with the Father: He is our Advocate with the Father in our hearts, He is our Lord in the Father’s heart. Accordingly, what we supplicate is granted by the same Spirit Who has inspired our supplication. And as He lifts us up to God in loving confidence, so does He make God incline to us in loving compassion. But that you may know with full certainty that the remission of our sins is also an operation of the Holy Ghost, hear what Christ once said to His apostles, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them” (John xx., 22, 23). So much for the operations whereby “ the Spirit helpeth our infirmity ” in the avoidance of evil.

Let us now consider what help to do good we receive from “ the good Spirit ” (Luke xi. 13). He admonishes us, He moves us, He instructs us. He admonishes our memory (John xiv. 26), He moves our will, He instructs our reason: of which three faculties our souls entirely consist.* He suggests what is good to the memory in holy meditations, and thus banishes from our minds pusillanimity and sloth. Therefore, my brethren, as often as you become conscious of these promptings to good in your hearts, give glory to God and reverence the Holy Spirit Whose voice is sounding in your ears (Cant. ii. 14). For it is He “‘ That speaketh justice ” (Is. Ixiii. 1). And in the Gospel we hear the Lord saying of the Paraclete, Whom the disciples were about to receive, “ He will bring all things to your mind, whatsoever I shall have said to you” (John xiv. 26). Observe also the words which immediately precede, “ He will teach you all things ” (ibid.). For I have stated that it is one of the works of the Holy Spirit to instruct the reason. Many are admonished to do good, but know not what the good is that they ought to do unless the grace of the Holy Ghost comes again to their assistance. He must teach us how to carry out in action the good thought wherewith He inspires us: otherwise His grace in us shall be void (x Cor. xv. 10). What more remains for Him to do? “To him that knoweth to do the good and doth it not, to him it is sin” (James iv. 17). Consequently, we require not only to be admonished and instructed, but also to be moved and drawn towards the good by the same Spirit Who “helpeth our infirmity,” and by Whom “the charity of God—that is to say, a good will—is poured forth in our hearts” (Rom. v. 5).

When, therefore, the Spirit comes and thus takes complete possession of the soul, by admonishing and instructing and moving her; speaking ever in our thoughts, so that we also can hear what the Lord God is saying in us (Ps. lxxxiv. 9), enlightening our understanding, and inflaming our will: does it not seem to you, brethren, that the whole house of our

SIX OPERATIONS OF THE HOLY GHOST 293 soul has become filled with “parted tongues, as it were, of fire’ (Acts ii. 3)? For, as I have said already, the soul is constituted entirely of memory, intellect, and will. The division of the tongues may be taken to represent the multiplicity of our thoughts, which in their very multiplicity can be said to resemble flames of fire, when the same light of truth and the same heat of charity appear manifest in all. Or perhaps I had better say that the filling of the whole house is reserved for the end, when “ good measure and pressed down and shaken together and running over they shall give into your bosom” (Luke vi. 38). But “when shall these things be” (Matt. xxiv. 3)? Doubtless, “ when the days of the pentecost shall have been accomplished ” (Acts ii. 1). Happy they who have already entered upon the quinquagesima of repose and the year of jubilee (Levit. xxv.). I speak of our brothers to whom “the Spirit hath said that they may rest from their labours ” (Apoc. xiv. 13). For this also appertains to the Spirit. There are two spiritual seasons, my brethren, which we have to celebrate. The one may becalled quadragesima, the other quinquagesima ; the one precedes the passion, the other follows the resurrection ; the one is passed in compunction of heart and the lamentations of penance, the other in joyousness of spirit and in the chanting of solemn alleluias ; the one is all the time of this present life; the other begins after death and is the period of the repose of the saints. But when this quinquagesima also comes to an end in the general resurrection and final judgment, “ the days of pentecost being accomplished,’ then the Spirit shall descend in His fulness and the whole house shall be filled. For “the whole earth shall be filled with

His majesty” (Ps. lxxi. 19), when not only shall the soul be purified, but the body too “ shall rise a spiritual body,” if yet, according to the Apostle’s admonition, it has been sown in Christ whilst still an “ animal body ” (x Cor. xv. 44).*

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