The Holy Ghost Comes in to our Souls at Baptism
From the book The Holy Ghost our Greatest Friend
We are reminded the the Holy Ghost abides in our soul when we are in a state of sanctifying grace and that it was through Baptism that He came to abide in our souls. What a glorious thing it is to contemplate the Holy Ghost living within us but how often we neglect to thing on this and to speak with the Holy Ghost and offer him our praise and thanksgiving. What benefits we would receive if in the quiet moments throughout our day we would turn to Him, speak with Him, honor and love Him.
Yours in Jesus and Mary,
From the book The Holy Ghost our Greatest Friend by Father Paul O’Sullivan, O. P. (TAN Books, 2013, pages 7-12).
The Holy Ghost Comes in to our Souls at Baptism
The Holy Ghost comes into our souls in Baptism. He remains there forever. Day and night we carry Him about in our souls. Wherever we go, whatever we are doing, the Holy Ghost is really and truly with us. He only leaves us if we commit a mortal sin. By a deliberate mortal sin—oh, horror of horrors—we expel Him from our souls with all His Divine love and graces. In His place the devil comes and fills that glorious soul with all the horrible corruption and filth of Hell.
If such an awful thing happens to any of us, let us throw ourselves on our knees and beg God's pardon and go to Confession. When our souls are washed in the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost will once again return to the soul, which He so tenderly loves and will once more fix His abode in it.
How Long does the Holy Ghost remain in our Souls?
He remains in our souls not only during all our life, but during all eternity, forever and forever. As we have said, we are bound to love and adore Him in our souls as really and truly as we are bound to adore Jesus Christ on the Altar. Nay, more; as an eminent Dominican theologian remarks, we have in a way a greater obligation to adore the Holy Ghost in our souls than to adore Jesus Christ on the altar, because if we fail to honor Jesus Christ on the altar, many others who enter the church will adore Him, so that He will not be abandoned and left alone. But if we fail to adore, honor and love the Holy Ghost in our souls, He is completely abandoned and left alone. No one can take our place. This is our personal obligation.
What an immense joy and consolation it is, we repeat, for us to know that the Holy Ghost is really, truly and personally in our souls. We are His living tabernacles. He is always with us. It seems incredible that few Christians realize this wonderful truth. They never think of the Holy Ghost during the long hours of the day; much less do they honor Him during the night, during their seven or eight hours’ sleep.
But how can they honor the Holy Ghost when they are asleep? By realizing that He is with them when asleep and by offering their sleep in His honor, as we shall explain later on. What a joy it would be to them if at night when they awaken, and sometimes when they remain awake for hours at a time, they spoke lovingly to Him and enjoyed His presence.
And again how consoling for the sick, when suffering and alone, if they felt that the Holy Ghost Himself was really and truly with them. They never perhaps heard of this beautiful doctrine.
Many Christians never even address a single word, a single tiny prayer to the Divine Spirit. They seem to be utterly ignorant that He is in their souls. They make absolutely no account of Him.
This goes on day after day, all their life long!