Spiritum Sanctum Dominum

"The Holy Spirit is indivisibly united with the Father and the Son." St. Basil of Caesarea

The Christian conondrum. "We have never heard that there is a Holy Spirit," thus spoke the disciples of Ephesus to Paul (Acts 19). Does one dare to doubt? Or is villification the inevitable outcome? Here in the desert it is not a question of, "Is there a spirit?" Those who traverse these lonely places in time become sensitive to spirits dancing in the dark. The question is therefore narrower and thus more dangerous. Here in the desert one encounters wind. Is not the Spirit "in," or "on," the wind. The Spirit is wind...... and perhaps fire.(?) [Where is Moses when you need him.] The question before us is, "Who is the Spirit"?

The wind is untameable. It has a mind of its own, and one would be wise to work with it. Though at times it is determined to push hard against you, bending forward into it only makes life worse. At times its howling will haunt you. Then at others you will be lonely, lost without it in a dry and thirsty land. Listless days can be some of the worst in the desert.

Ancient Christiandom seemed at times haunted as to the identity of the Holy Spirit. Is he the Lord? The Council of Nicea in 325 speaks affirmatively, "we believe in the Holy Spirit." They speak affirmatively, but not defensively. It is delightfully rare. I wonder if it was assumptive in nature or more cautious? Jesus of course spoke without caution. Without hesitation he proclaimed, "those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit are unforgiven" (my translation). It begs the question if those who "speak against" the Son of Man will be forgiven, "What of the status of the Holy Spirit against whom such sins will not be forgiven?" Ancient Christianity relied heavily upon Jesus' baptismal formula in affirming the deity of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28). The First Council of Constantinople dedicated energy to this issue and determined that the Holy Spirit was "hypostasis" with the Father and the Son. In effect they are three in one (see 'to onoma' in the singular).

Shouldn't we give the council's their due? Wrestling with the questions of wandering humanity, who desparately needed to be found and led home. The atmosphere historically (politics), philosophically and religously was electric. There was a lot of tension in the air as empires crumbled and mystics and logicians fought for a foothold on the text. The pious one would say, "I would not have joined the fray." But in life and faith it is hard to quit the fight. And there is a good fight.

May it be there is wisdom in Jesus? He is very much the advocate of the Spirit. In John 15, Jesus expresses the procession of the Spirit from the Father. He becomes our strength in the absence of the Son and thus the Church is born (see Acts 2, 15). Peter without hesitation finds Ananias and Saphira guilty. "Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?" "You have not lied to men but to God" (Acts 5). The exegesis is profound for the text speaks plainly. The Holy Spirit is the Lord. Therein is the tension. For what becomes of the Shema? "Hear O Israel: the LORD our God is one LORD." The text says that the Holy Spirit is God. In conjunction the text implies (primarily Jesus) that the Father, Son and Spirit are "One." It is the ancient conondrum. For did not Jesus stress the importance of the Shema in Mark 12?

God is a mystery. We can not unlock him for he holds the keys. Theologians will ponticifate and mystics will elaborate on him of whom we only vaguely understand. His mind is forever beyond our grasp (his thoughts are not our thoughts) but his person is amongst us. For the logos became flesh and dwelt amongst us. And the Spirit is within us. Flesh has become the temple of God. NOW that is a paradox. God, guide me through this desert! Sola Scriptura, WHB