Come, Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, etc., etc.
Eighth Day.
The Holy Trinity does all the work exterior to itself by the joint power of all; for the persons of God cannot be separated from the one God. There are certain things which in our human mind we ascribe more to one person than to the other, but all the divine persons must necessarily be participants [pg 337] in the work of each. For example, the creation is ascribed to the Father, because it seems to be a parental act to call something into existence, and so we say God the Father created us. God the Son redeemed us, and God the Holy Ghost sanctifies us. And still we read that in the creation, “The Spirit of the Lord moved over the waters,” meaning that God the Father was not only or singly engaged in the creation, but that the other divine persons participated also. The same way, in the creation of man, all the divine persons were engaged in this important work of God's power. Human beings were to know God, and to become the temples of the Holy Ghost; and consequently the Holy Ghost had early in the creation to show His co-operation.
Prayer.
Come, Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, etc., etc.
Ninth Day.
Hence, in the beginning of the world, God created a man, framing his body out of clay and dust, but giving him a living soul by breathing upon him. It was the Spirit of God that gave that soul the touch of life and immortality. There is a wonderful similarity between that breathing into man at his creation, and the time when, after the resurrection, the Lord appeared to the apostles and breathed on them, saying: “Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” St. Athanasius says, “First by the Word of God, man was made. And the Lord breathed into him the Spirit of life, and confirmed him with a participation of His Spirit. The same God confers His Spirit on His [pg 338] disciples, that we may be renovated in the same Spirit in Whom we first were made.” No doubt both the natural life, the life of the body, and also the supernatural life, the love of God and participation in His glory, were granted by the Holy Ghost at the creation.
Prayer.