13. The Procession of the Holy Ghost

 

  

 

I. The Divine Father, in begetting the Son—equal to Himself and the very Image of His glory—moves by an act of His intellect to love that reflection of His own perfections. The Son, in return, necessarily loves the Father with equal and infinite love. This shared love within the Godhead is itself divine, and is the Person of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost proceeds from both the Father and the Son as from one source, since they are united in will and in love. The Father eternally begets the Son, equal in divinity and power, and included in this is the power to be the principle of the Holy Ghost. It is in this mutual love that the Holy Ghost is produced, forming the relation between Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Without this procession there would be no distinction of Persons. The production of the Holy Ghost is the great glory of the Son with the Father, just as the generation of the Son is the great glory of the Father. Love is the fulfillment of the law, the aim of our souls toward God, and the healing of many sins.


II. This love is infinitely great, because it springs from a Being of infinite capacity, and its object is infinitely worthy of love. Such is the love shared among the Divine Persons. Though it is one simple and eternal act, we may think of it in the ways we know love ourselves:


The love of appreciation, by which the Divine Persons esteem and value each other as the Supreme Good above all else.


The love of good-will, by which They wish to each other the praise, joy, and glory that each deserves.


The love of delight, which is the highest kind of love, expressed by the Father when He said of Our Lord, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. iii. 17).


We too should exercise ourselves in these three acts of love toward each Divine Person. The love of delight is the source of spiritual joy, one of the fruits of the Holy Ghost. True religion is always joyful. Make sure that this is true for you, for it is a sure test of virtue.


III. The love in God that produces the Holy Ghost is also the love of all that is good, which includes His love for His creatures. All creatures, present in the eternal mind of God, are seen by Him in that divine act of knowledge which produces the Son, and loved by Him in the act of will which produces the Holy Ghost. From this comes the infinite and unexpected love God shows for mankind even in their weakness. Though men fall, they still bear a trace of their divine origin. God not only loves all that He has made, but He loves them in the Holy Ghost.

So we too should love the Holy Ghost, the source of every grace and good gift in creation. He is the fountain of spiritual blessings described in the hymn Veni Sancte Spiritus. He brings us charity, joy, peace, patience, faith, modesty, and more. He is truly our Paraclete and Comforter. Too late have you known Him; too late have you loved Him!