Catechism of the Catholic Church · Part One › Section Two › Chapter Three · Article 8 (§§687–747)
Paragraphs · 61
The Catechism's text is under copyright, so each paragraph is quoted briefly here with a link to the full text at vatican.va.
"I Believe in the Holy Spirit"
- §687 — "No one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God." Now God's Spirit, who reveals God, makes known to us Christ, his Word, his living Utterance, but the Spirit does not speak of himself.vatican.va
- §688 — The Church, a communion living in the faith of the apostles which she transmits, is the place where we know the Holy Spirit: - in the Scriptures he inspired; - in the Tradition, to which the Church Fathers are always timely witnesses; - in the…vatican.va
I. The Joint Mission of the Son and the Spirit
- §689 — The One whom the Father has sent into our hearts, the Spirit of his Son, is truly God. Consubstantial with the Father and the Son, the Spirit is inseparable from them, in both the inner life of the Trinity and his gift of love for the world.vatican.va
- §690 — Jesus is Christ, "anointed," because the Spirit is his anointing, and everything that occurs from the Incarnation on derives from this fullness. When Christ is finally glorified, he can in turn send the Spirit from his place with the Father to those who believe in…vatican.va
The proper name of the Holy Spirit
- §691 — "Holy Spirit" is the proper name of the one whom we adore and glorify with the Father and the Son. the Church has received this name from the Lord and professes it in the Baptism of her new children.vatican.va
- §692 — When he proclaims and promises the coming of the Holy Spirit, Jesus calls him the "Paraclete," literally, "he who is called to one's side," advocatus.vatican.va
- §693 — Besides the proper name of "Holy Spirit," which is most frequently used in the Acts of the Apostles and in the Epistles, we also find in St.vatican.va
- §694 — Water. the symbolism of water signifies the Holy Spirit's action in Baptism, since after the invocation of the Holy Spirit it becomes the efficacious sacramental sign of new birth: just as the gestation of our first birth took place in water, so the water of…vatican.va
- §695 — Anointing. the symbolism of anointing with oil also signifies the Holy Spirit, to the point of becoming a synonym for the Holy Spirit. In Christian initiation, anointing is the sacramental sign of Confirmation, called "chrismation" in the Churches of the East.vatican.va
- §696 — Fire. While water signifies birth and the fruitfulness of life given in the Holy Spirit, fire symbolizes the transforming energy of the Holy Spirit's actions.vatican.va
- §697 — Cloud and light. These two images occur together in the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. In the theophanies of the Old Testament, the cloud, now obscure, now luminous, reveals the living and saving God, while veiling the transcendence of his glory - with Moses on…vatican.va
- §698 — The seal is a symbol close to that of anointing. "The Father has set his seal" on Christ and also seals us in him. Because this seal indicates the indelible effect of the anointing with the Holy Spirit in the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and…vatican.va
- §699 — The hand. Jesus heals the sick and blesses little children by laying hands on them. In his name the apostles will do the same. Even more pointedly, it is by the Apostles' imposition of hands that the Holy Spirit is given.vatican.va
- §700 — The finger. "It is by the finger of God that [Jesus] cast out demons." If God's law was written on tablets of stone "by the finger of God," then the "letter from Christ" entrusted to the care of the apostles, is written "with the Spirit…vatican.va
- §701 — The dove. At the end of the flood, whose symbolism refers to Baptism, a dove released by Noah returns with a fresh olive-tree branch in its beak as a sign that the earth was again habitable.vatican.va
III. God's Spirit and Word in the Time of the Promises
- §702 — From the beginning until "the fullness of time," The joint mission of the Father's Word and Spirit remains hidden, but it is at work. God's Spirit prepares for the time of the Messiah.vatican.va
- §703 — The Word of God and his Breath are at the origin of the being and life of every creature:vatican.va
- §704 — "God fashioned man with his own hands [that is, the Son and the Holy Spirit] and impressed his own form on the flesh he had fashioned, in such a way that even what was visible might bear the divine form."vatican.va
- §705 — Disfigured by sin and death, man remains "in the image of God," in the image of the Son, but is deprived "of the glory of God," of his "likeness."vatican.va
- §706 — Against all human hope, God promises descendants to Abraham, as the fruit of faith and of the power of the Holy Spirit. In Abraham's progeny all the nations of the earth will be blessed.vatican.va
- §707 — Theophanies (manifestations of God) light up the way of the promise, from the patriarchs to Moses and from Joshua to the visions that inaugurated the missions of the great prophets.vatican.va
- §708 — This divine pedagogy appears especially in the gift of the Law. God gave the letter of the Law as a "pedagogue" to lead his people towards Christ.vatican.va
- §709 — The Law, the sign of God's promise and covenant, ought to have governed the hearts and institutions of that people to whom Abraham's faith gave birth.vatican.va
- §710 — The forgetting of the Law and the infidelity to the covenant end in death: it is the Exile, apparently the failure of the promises, which is in fact the mysterious fidelity of the Savior God and the beginning of a promised restoration, but according to the Spirit.vatican.va
- §711 — "Behold, I am doing a new thing." Two prophetic lines were to develop, one leading to the expectation of the Messiah, the other pointing to the announcement of a new Spirit.vatican.va
- §712 — The characteristics of the awaited Messiah begin to appear in the "Book of Emmanuel" ("Isaiah said this when he saw his glory," speaking of Christ), especially in the first two verses of Isaiah 11:vatican.va
- §713 — The Messiah's characteristics are revealed above all in the "Servant songs." These songs proclaim the meaning of Jesus' Passion and show how he will pour out the Holy Spirit to give life to the many: not as an outsider, but by embracing our "form as slave."vatican.va
- §714 — This is why Christ inaugurates the proclamation of the Good News by making his own the following passage from Isaiah:vatican.va
- §715 — The prophetic texts that directly concern the sending of the Holy Spirit are oracles by which God speaks to the heart of his people in the language of the promise, with the accents of "love and fidelity."vatican.va
- §716 — The People of the "poor" - those who, humble and meek, rely solely on their God's mysterious plans, who await the justice, not of men but of the Messiah - are in the end the great achievement of the Holy Spirit's hidden mission during the time of the promises that prepare for Christ's coming.vatican.va
John, precursor, prophet, and baptist
- §717 — "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John." John was "filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb" by Christ himself, whom the Virgin Mary had just conceived by the Holy Spirit.vatican.va
- §718 — John is "Elijah (who) must come." The fire of the Spirit dwells in him and makes him the forerunner of the coming Lord. In John, the precursor, the Holy Spirit completes the work of "[making] ready a people prepared for the Lord."vatican.va
- §719 — John the Baptist is "more than a prophet." In him, the Holy Spirit concludes his speaking through the prophets. John completes the cycle of prophets begun by Elijah.vatican.va
- §720 — Finally, with John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit begins the restoration to man of "the divine likeness," prefiguring what he would achieve with and in Christ.vatican.va
- §721 — Mary, the all-holy ever-virgin Mother of God, is the masterwork of the mission of the Son and the Spirit in the fullness of time. For the first time in the plan of salvation and because his Spirit had prepared her, the Father found the dwelling…vatican.va
- §722 — The Holy Spirit prepared Mary by his grace. It was fitting that the mother of him in whom "the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily" should herself be "full of grace."vatican.va
- §723 — In Mary, the Holy Spirit fulfills the plan of the Father's loving goodness. With and through the Holy Spirit, the Virgin conceives and gives birth to the Son of God.vatican.va
- §724 — In Mary, the Holy Spirit manifests the Son of the Father, now become the Son of the Virgin. She is the burning bush of the definitive theophany.vatican.va
- §725 — Finally, through Mary, the Holy Spirit begins to bring men, the objects of God's merciful love, into communion with Christ. and the humble are always the first to accept him: shepherds, magi, Simeon and Anna, the bride and groom at Cana, and the first disciples.vatican.va
- §726 — At the end of this mission of the Spirit, Mary became the Woman, the new Eve ("mother of the living"), the mother of the "whole Christ."vatican.va
- §727 — The entire mission of the Son and the Holy Spirit, in the fullness of time, is contained in this: that the Son is the one anointed by the Father's Spirit since his Incarnation - Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah.vatican.va
- §728 — Jesus does not reveal the Holy Spirit fully, until he himself has been glorified through his Death and Resurrection. Nevertheless, little by little he alludes to him even in his teaching of the multitudes, as when he reveals that his own flesh will be food for the life of the world.vatican.va
- §729 — Only when the hour has arrived for his glorification does Jesus promise the coming of the Holy Spirit, since his Death and Resurrection will fulfill the promise made to the fathers.vatican.va
- §730 — At last Jesus' hour arrives: he commends his spirit into the Father's hands at the very moment when by his death he conquers death, so that, "raised from the dead by the glory of the Father," he might immediately give the Holy Spirit by "breathing" on his disciples.vatican.va
Pentecost
- §731 — On the day of Pentecost when the seven weeks of Easter had come to an end, Christ's Passover is fulfilled in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, manifested, given, and communicated as a divine person: of his fullness, Christ, the Lord, pours out the Spirit in abundance.vatican.va
- §732 — On that day, the Holy Trinity is fully revealed. Since that day, the Kingdom announced by Christ has been open to those who believe in him: in the humility of the flesh and in faith, they already share in the communion of the Holy Trinity.vatican.va
- §733 — "God is Love" and love is his first gift, containing all others. "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."vatican.va
- §734 — Because we are dead or at least wounded through sin, the first effect of the gift of love is the forgiveness of our sins. the communion of the Holy Spirit in the Church restores to the baptized the divine likeness lost through sin.vatican.va
- §735 — He, then, gives us the "pledge" or "first fruits" of our inheritance: the very life of the Holy Trinity, which is to love as "God (has) loved us."vatican.va
- §736 — By this power of the Spirit, God's children can bear much fruit. He who has grafted us onto the true vine will make us bear "the fruit of the Spirit: .vatican.va
- §737 — The mission of Christ and the Holy Spirit is brought to completion in the Church, which is the Body of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit.vatican.va
- §738 — Thus 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, bear witness, make present, and spread the mystery of the…vatican.va
- §739 — Because the Holy Spirit is the anointing of Christ, it is Christ who, as the head of the Body, pours out the Spirit among his members to nourish, heal, and organize them in their mutual functions, to give them life, send them to bear witness,…vatican.va
- §740 — These "mighty works of God," offered to believers in the sacraments of the Church, bear their fruit in the new life in Christ, according to the Spirit.vatican.va
- §741 — "The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with sighs too deep for words."vatican.va
In Brief
- §742 — "Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! "' (Gal 4:6).vatican.va
- §743 — From the beginning to the end of time, whenever God sends his Son, he always sends his Spirit: their mission is conjoined and inseparable.vatican.va
- §744 — In the fullness of time the Holy Spirit completes in Mary all the preparations for Christ's coming among the People of God. By the action of the Holy Spirit in her, the Father gives the world Emmanuel "God-with-us" (Mt 1:23).vatican.va
- §745 — The Son of God was consecrated as Christ (Messiah) by the anointing of the Holy Spirit at his Incarnation (cf Ps 2:6-7).vatican.va
- §746 — By his Death and his Resurrection, Jesus is constituted in glory as Lord and Christ (cf Acts 2:36). From his fullness, he poured out the Holy Spirit on the apostles and the Church.vatican.va
- §747 — The Holy Spirit, whom Christ the head pours out on his members, builds, animates, and sanctifies the Church. She is the sacrament of the Holy Trinity's communion with men.vatican.va
Scripture cited · 426 verses
Genesis 1:2 · Genesis 2:7 · Genesis 8:8 · Genesis 8:9 · Genesis 8:10 · Genesis 8:11 · Genesis 8:12 · Genesis 12:3 · Genesis 18:1 · Genesis 18:2 · Genesis 18:3 · Genesis 18:4 · Genesis 18:5 · Genesis 18:6 · Genesis 18:7 · Genesis 18:8 · Genesis 18:9 · Genesis 18:10 · Genesis 18:11 · Genesis 18:12 · Genesis 18:13 · Genesis 18:14 · Genesis 18:15 · Genesis 22:17 · Genesis 22:18 · Genesis 22:19 · Exodus 17:1 · Exodus 17:2 · Exodus 17:3 · Exodus 17:4 · Exodus 17:5 · Exodus 17:6 · Exodus 19:5 · Exodus 19:6 · Exodus 24:15 · Exodus 24:16 · Exodus 24:17 · Exodus 24:18 · Exodus 30:22 · Exodus 30:23 · Exodus 30:24 · Exodus 30:25 · Exodus 30:26 · Exodus 30:27 · Exodus 30:28 · Exodus 30:29 · Exodus 30:30 · Exodus 30:31 · Exodus 30:32 · Exodus 31:18 · Exodus 33:9 · Exodus 33:10 · Exodus 40:36 · Exodus 40:37 · Exodus 40:38 · 1 Samuel 16:13 · 1 Kings 8:10 · 1 Kings 8:11 · 1 Kings 8:12 · 1 Kings 18:38 · 1 Kings 18:39 · Psalm 22:27 · Psalm 33:6 · Psalm 34:3 · Psalm 104:30 · Proverbs 8:1 · Proverbs 8:2 · Proverbs 8:3 · Proverbs 8:4 · Proverbs 8:5 · Proverbs 8:6 · Proverbs 8:7 · Proverbs 8:8 · Proverbs 8:9 · Proverbs 8:10 · Proverbs 8:11 · Proverbs 8:12 · Proverbs 8:13 · Proverbs 8:14 · Proverbs 8:15 · Proverbs 8:16 · Proverbs 8:17 · Proverbs 8:18 · Proverbs 8:19 · Proverbs 8:20 · Proverbs 8:21 · Proverbs 8:22 · Proverbs 8:23 · Proverbs 8:24 · Proverbs 8:25 · Proverbs 8:26 · Proverbs 8:27 · Proverbs 8:28 · Proverbs 8:29 · Proverbs 8:30 · Proverbs 8:31 · Proverbs 8:32 · Proverbs 8:33 · Proverbs 8:34 · Proverbs 8:35 · Proverbs 8:36 · Proverbs 9:1 · Proverbs 9:2 · Proverbs 9:3 · Proverbs 9:4 · Ecclesiastes 3:20 · Ecclesiastes 3:21 · Sirach 48:1 · Isaiah 11:1 · Isaiah 11:2 · Isaiah 40:1 · Isaiah 40:2 · Isaiah 40:3 · Isaiah 42:1 · Isaiah 42:2 · Isaiah 42:3 · Isaiah 42:4 · Isaiah 42:5 · Isaiah 42:6 · Isaiah 42:7 · Isaiah 42:8 · Isaiah 42:9 · Isaiah 43:19 · Isaiah 49:1 · Isaiah 49:2 · Isaiah 49:3 · Isaiah 49:4 · Isaiah 49:5 · Isaiah 49:6 · Isaiah 49:13 · Isaiah 50:4 · Isaiah 50:5 · Isaiah 50:6 · Isaiah 50:7 · Isaiah 50:8 · Isaiah 50:9 · Isaiah 50:10 · Isaiah 52:13 · Isaiah 52:14 · Isaiah 52:15 · Isaiah 53:1 · Isaiah 53:2 · Isaiah 53:3 · Isaiah 53:4 · Isaiah 53:5 · Isaiah 53:6 · Isaiah 53:7 · Isaiah 53:8 · Isaiah 53:9 · Isaiah 53:10 · Isaiah 53:11 · Isaiah 53:12 · Isaiah 55:1 · Isaiah 61:1 · Isaiah 61:2 · Jeremiah 31:31 · Jeremiah 31:32 · Jeremiah 31:33 · Jeremiah 31:34 · Ezekiel 11:19 · and 266 more