The Holy Spirit: unknown or traveling companion?

Whenever the Holy Spirit is discussed, the difficulty of understanding the true essence and what the third person of the Holy Trinity does for us comes to the fore once again… Unfortunately, the Holy Spirit is “the unknown figure in our faith” (Pope Francis): we know Jesus, with his evident humanity, and the Father, whom, with a little creativity, we imagine as an old man with a white beard, but we do not know the Holy Spirit! We do not know who he is or what he does and, at most, we know that he is one of the three members of the Trinity, but nothing more.

Rediscovering the Holy Spirit is more important today than ever in order to live an authentic Christian life. So, to try to outline the profile of this “unknown figure” and make him our companion on the journey, let us be guided by the right questions:
Who is the Holy Spirit?
What does the Holy Spirit do?
Where does the Holy Spirit manifest himself?
How does the Holy Spirit live in us?

The answers to these questions give life to four wonderful “paintings” that enable us to have a living experience of the Holy Spirit.
Imagine entering a sort of “art gallery,” where you can pause in front of each of the four paintings to admire some typical and evocative brushstrokes depicting the third Person of the Trinity. In this way, you will have the opportunity to draw closer to the figure of the Holy Spirit, transfigured into a vibrant and contemporary dynamism.
Remember that without the Spirit we are not Christians; the Church and its mission do not exist. Without him, we live a double life: Christians in words, “worldly” in our actions.

	Who is the Holy Spirit? This is the first painting: it directly represents the divine Subject of the Spirit. It constitutes the light from which everything comes to life. We can glimpse his mystery through symbols or images presented by Scripture and the tradition of the Church. The most common are wind and breath; the dove and fire; the oil of anointing and water; the Paraclete; the gift, the Spirit and love; and others.
	What does the Holy Spirit do? The second painting reviews the Spirit’s various activities, which make him active toward us human creatures, renewing the face of the earth through his fruitful outpouring of love and truth.
	Where does the Holy Spirit manifest himself? The third painting broadens the view, showing the places and situations in which his Person is manifested: the Word of God, prayer and Mary. In a remarkably rich and profound way, the presence and action of the Holy Spirit are explored in their truest, most delicate and interior features, inspiring the joyful awareness that although the Spirit is veiled, he nevertheless offers surprising glimpses of light and beauty.
	How does the Holy Spirit live in us? Finally, the fourth painting vividly illustrates the ways in which the divine gift, beginning with Baptism, takes concrete form in human existence and, above all, in concrete Christian and ecclesial life, opening suggestive and unexpected horizons.

Through this exhibition journey, in the oasis of the heart, one can contemplate, know, love and pray to the Spirit of God, allowing his sweetness, richness and vitality to penetrate us and to be refreshed and enlightened, healed and comforted.
Father Renzo Lavatori, with particular depth and intensity, using language that everyone can understand, presents this beautiful theological and interior journey clearly and in detail, masterfully painting the four pictures in the book The Perpetual Vitality of the Holy Spirit. It is an excellent resource that accompanies every believer in understanding the Holy Spirit in order to live an authentic Christian life; for catechesis in parish communities and for preparing adults for the sacrament of Confirmation. It is a useful aid for a personal journey toward Pentecost.