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The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son

June 3, 2013
Deacon Robert Banet

Here’s something I heard.  It’s about explaining the Holy Trinity.

Forget it, Charlie. It’s a mystery and there’s no way we can understand it.

True enough, we can’t know everything but we can know something.

OK.  You’ve got me interested.

We humans love.  We love chocolate candy and we love our pets and most of all we love those who are equal to us, who have the same nature.  We love our children, our mothers and that’s a far grander love than we have for our pets or our favorite food.

OK. So what’s that got to do with the Holy Trinity?

The Father loves His creation, He loves us, He loves the angels.  But He most of all loves Someone equal to Him, Someone who has the same nature.  And who is that?

I know. He loves the Son.

Right.  Someone just like Himself.  And then we go on. We use the word “proceed.” The love is so great, so deep that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.  Somewhat like the love of a father and mother procreating a child.

So that’s what you mean when you say God is love!

Yes. I know it does not begin to explain the mystery. A mystery is still a mystery.  But maybe it gives us something to think about when we say the Glory be to the Father. Or even when we make the Sign of the Cross.

Maybe you’ve got something, Charlie.

And that’s not all.  This is not something the Father did.  It’s something that’s been going on since before time began.  It did not have a beginning.  It’s an eternal love.

That is indeed something to think about.

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