Benefits from the Holy Ghost by St. Thomas Aquinas
Many Benefits comes
to us from the Holy Ghost.
He
Cleanses us from our sins.
The Reason is that one must repair that which one has made. Now, the Soul is
created by the Holy Spirit, because God has made all
things through Him; for God, by Loving His
Goodness, created everything: "Thou Lovest all things that are, and
hatest none of the things which Thou hast made". Thus, Dionysius says:
"Divine Love did not permit Him to be without Offspring". It
is necessary, therefore, that the hearts of Men, destroyed by Sin,
be made anew by the Holy Ghost: "Thou
shalt send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be Created; and Thou shalt Renew
the Face of the Earth". Nor is it any wonder that the Spirit cleanses,
since all sins are Taken-away by Love: "Many
Sins are forgiven her, because she hath Loved Much". "Charity
covereth all Sins". And likewise: "Charity covereth a multitude
of Sins".
The Holy
Spirit Enlightens the Intellect, since all
that we know, we know through the Holy Ghost: "But the
Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, Whom the Father will send in My Name, He will Teach
you all things and bring all things to your Mind, whatsoever I shall have said
to you". Also: "His Unction Teacheth you all things".
He Assists us and, to a certain extent, compels us to
keep the Commandments. No one can keep the Commandments unless
he loves God: "If any one Love Me, he will keep
My Word". Thus, the Holy Spirit makes us Love God:
"And I give you a New Heart and put a New Spirit within you; and I will
take away the Stony Heart out of your Flesh and will give you a Heart of Flesh.
And I will put My Spirit in the midst of you; and I will Cause you to walk in
My Commandments and to keep My Judgments and do them".
He strengthens in us the Hope of Eternal
Life, because He is the Pledge to us of this our destiny:
"You were signed with the Holy Spirit of Promise Who is the Pledge of
our Inheritance". He is, as it were, the Surety of
our Eternal Life. The Reason is that Eternal Life is
Due to Man inasmuch as He is become the Son of God; and this is
brought about in that He is made Like unto Christ; and this, in
turn, follows from His having the Spirit of Christ, and this is
the Holy Ghost: "For you have not received the Spirit of
bondage again in ear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption of Sons,
whereby we cry: Abba (Father). For the Spirit Himself giveth Testimony to our
Spirit that we are the Sons of God. And also: "Because you are
Sons, God hath sent the Spirit of His Son into your Hearts, crying: Abba,
Father".
He counsels us when we are in doubt,
and Teaches us what is the Will of God: "He that hath an
ear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches". Likewise:
"I may hear Him as a Master".
