The Spirit & The Bride

Dr. Alan Schreck  starts to unfold the riches of the Catholic faith with the opening sections of his  Essential Catholic Catechism .   The story of God’s saving plan of love and redemption of the human race begins with these foundational truths: There is a God. This God reveals himself first in all he has created. And the only suitable human response is faith—believing in God who is real and who c...

Dr. Alan Schreck introduces his new podcast series, based on his popular and acclaimed  Essential Catholic Catechism published by TAN Books . This catechism, fully referenced to The Catechism of the Catholic Church , was reviewed and recommended by Christoph Cardinal Schoenborn, the general editor of the CCC. Through this podcast series, Dr. Schreck will highlight the beauty and power of the Catho...

While John’s Gospel is the summit of the revelation of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament, the letters of St. John also provide valuable insight into the work of the Holy Spirit. Also, Revelation, the last book of the Bible, is an apocalyptic work that focuses on the prophetic inspiration of its author and ends with the symbolism of the Spirit as the river of life-giving water in the heavenly Je...

Although there are not any "new" revelations of the Holy Spirit in these New Testament epistles, they are significant because the Holy Spirit is spoken of in various ways. Especially in the letters of St. Peter, we see echoes of revelations of the Holy Spirit's work from the writings of St. Paul and the Gospels.   Listen to more  The Spirit and The Bride episodes  and discover other Catholic podca...

The Holy Spirit is the ultimate source of unity in the Church and in the world, being the love within the Trinity and the source of love that binds people together and overcomes sinful divisions.  St. Paul emphasizes the Spirit is the “love of God poured into our hearts” ( Rom. 5:5 ). He urges all in the Church to “be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” ( Eph. 4:3 ). Al...

Dr. Alan Schreck  explores the gifts of the Holy Spirit, or charisms, in  chapter 14 of St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthian s and in his letters to the  Romans (Chapter 12)  and  Ephesians (Chapter 4) . A reading from  St. Hilary of Poitiers  reveals the presence and importance of charisms in the 4th century, and teachings from the Second Vatican Council show their importance in the life of...

St. Paul’s image of the Church as the “Body of Christ” provides context for his teaching on the “gifts of the Holy Spirit,” or charisms. Every member of the Body of Christ is given these charisms to build up or edify the Church and to serve with love its mission in the world. Dr. Schreck talks about St. Paul and his  First Letter to the Corinthians , listing some of these charisms, describing thei...

After reviewing the work of the Holy Spirit to convict us of sin and to confer God's forgiveness, Dr. Alan Schreck focuses on how, through dwelling in us and in the Church, the Holy Spirit frees us from "the law of sin and death," empowering us to overcome sin and be transformed into new creations in Jesus Christ. The outward manifestation of this spirit of holiness is living a life of love and se...

Dr. Alan Schreck  reviews the theme of the Holy Spirit and prayer in the life and teachings of Jesus and the Church in the Acts of the Apostles. He then focuses on St. Paul’s experiences and writings on how the Holy Spirit enables us to pray. He also shares Pope St. John Paul II’s testimony and teachings on this theme. Listen to more  The Spirit and The Bride episodes  and discover other Catholic...

In the writings of St. Paul, the Holy Spirit is the “guarantee” and “first fruits” of the life of heaven for those “sealed” with the Holy Spirit in Baptism. Based on this,  Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, who served as the Preacher to the Papal Household , and  Pope St. John Paul II  explain how the Holy Spirit is the source of Christian hope, which we are called to share with others. Listen to mor...

Dr. Alan Schreck  reviews how St. Luke, a companion of St. Paul, describes Paul’s experience of the Holy Spirit in the Acts of the Apostles, which is important in understanding how Paul presents the Spirit in his letters. In those letters, Paul says the Holy Spirit manifests himself in the lives of the baptized in many ways: in moral and spiritual transformation, in prayer, and as a foretaste of t...

The climax of the Bible’s revelation of the Holy Spirit as a Divine Person is found in the latter chapters of  the Gospel of John . There, Jesus promises he and the Father will send “another counselor/advocate” to always be with his followers. This “Spirit of Truth” will convict the world of sin, call to mind all that Jesus has taught, and guide the Church into all truth. Listen to more  The Spiri...

The Gospel of John , the last Gospel written, presents the Holy Spirit as the source of new birth—the “life-giving Spirit”—and the one who enables true worship “in Spirit and truth” ( Jn. 4:23–24 ). In this episode,  Dr. Alan Schreck  explores John Chapters 1-7 to discuss what they can teach us about the nature of the Holy Spirit. Listen to more  The Spirit and The Bride episodes  and discover oth...

Beginning with St. Paul's conversion in the Acts of the Apostles , Dr. Schreck explores how the apostles' mission in proclaiming the Gospel and carrying on Jesus' ministry is guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit. He highlights how St. Peter is guided by the Spirit to bring Gentiles into the Church, how the Spirit guides the Church's leaders at the Council of Jerusalem, and how St. Paul prays ov...

Dr. Schreck explores how the mission of the Church, in the power of the Holy Spirit, is described in Acts of the Apostles after Pentecost. Acts 4 describes a powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit in response to the Church's prayer that they would proclaim the word of God with boldness, even amid persecution. The Holy Spirit comes upon the first deacons in Acts 6 , including St. Stephen, who is ma...

Each of the Synoptic Gospels describes Jesus' commission, immediately before his Ascension, to preach the Gospel to the nations. St. Luke stresses this cannot be accomplished until Jesus' disciples receive the "promise of the Father," the Holy Spirit. Dr. Schreck shows how, in Acts 1 and 2 , this promise is repeated and fulfilled with the sending of the Spirit on Pentecost. The Church is born and...

Dr. Schreck discusses some of the distinctive themes in the Gospel of St. Luke, especially as a "Gospel of mission" addressed to a Gentile (non-Jewish) audience. St. Luke highlights the role of the Holy Spirit in this mission, providing both guidance and power. This explains the desire of "the heavenly Father [to] give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him" ( Lk 11:13 ). Listen to more The Spirit a...

The Synoptic Gospels' testimony to the Holy Spirit is very similar from Jesus' baptism through his temptations in the desert. Dr. Schreck examines the distinctive emphasis on the Holy Spirit in Jesus' life and teaching in the Gospels of Mark and Matthew. He also shows how Jesus is anointed by the Spirit as priest, prophet, and king, and how his followers today share in this anointing for mission t...

What happened at Jesus' baptism by John in the Jordan?  Dr. Schreck talks about how Jesus' baptism was not only a revelation of his communion with the Father and Holy Spirit—a Trinitarian theophany—but also an anointing. It was an empowerment of Jesus in his humanity, equipping him to carry out his mission as "the Christ" (or Anointed One) in the power of the Holy Spirit. Dr. Schreck also explains...

In all four Gospels, John the Baptist prophesies that Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit and, in  Matthew  and  Luke , with fire. Dr. Schreck  discusses the meaning of this prophecy and how and when it was fulfilled. When Jesus submits to be baptized by John, the Holy Spirit descends on him in the form of a dove and the voice of the Father is heard, providing a revelation/theophany of the Ble...

Dr. Schreck  examines the revelation of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament at the chronological beginning of this revelation: when angels announce the conception of John the Baptist and Jesus. In the announcements to Mary and Joseph, it’s clear the Holy Spirit is distinct from the “Son of God” ( Lk. 1:35 ) or “the Son of the Most High” ( Lk. 1:32 ), who is conceived in Mary by the Holy Spirit. H...

As  Dr. Schreck  begins to explore the fuller revelation of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament, he starts with a fundamental question: Can we, or do we, believe that how the Holy Spirit is revealed in the New Testament is what God desires to do in the Church today?  Dr. Schreck responds to the view that the Holy Spirit’s action recorded in the New Testament was a unique grace for the first Chris...

Dr. Schreck  talks about how Haggai, Zechariah, and Nehemiah encouraged the people to rely on the power of the Spirit to rebuild the temple after their return from exile in Babylon. He also explores how apocalyptic writings speak of God’s plan and the Spirit’s work in the “last days.” With the decline of prophecy, rabbis in the late Old Testament and in the time of Christ viewed the Spirit as spea...

Among the later writings of the Old Testament are the Wisdom books, including Proverbs, Job, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), and the book of Wisdom. In this episode,  Dr. Schreck  discusses how the Spirit is presented in these writings.   Listen to more The Spirit and The Bride episodes and discover other Catholic podcasts, videos, and resources at  Faith and Reason . 

Dr. Schreck  continues looking at the spirit in the Old Testament with the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel.  Although Jeremiah has a negative view of prophecy because of false prophets’ claims, he himself prophesies God establishing a “new covenant.”  Ezekiel speaks frequently and positively about the spirit of God and also prophesies a “new covenant,” which includes a “new spirit” that will awaken...