In college, I had the pleasure of taking a sacraments course with Dr. Scott Hahn, which was equal parts awe-inspiring and overwhelming. For starters, the man is practically a living encyclopedia when it comes to the Catholic faith, so notetaking in his class was basically like trying to drink water from a fire hydrant.
Even though I’ve been a practicing Catholic all my life, I was shocked to realize that there was so much about my Catholic faith that I didn’t know, especially when it came to the Holy Spirit.
I did a little digging on the third person of the Trinity and came up with seven names for the Holy Spirit that you may not have known either:
7 Names of the Holy Spirit
The WIld Goose
This is a term that the Celts used for the Holy Spirit during ancient times. They referred to Him by this name because they correctly understood this “wild”, unpredictable nature of the Holy Spirit who always seems to call us out of our comfort zone. Turns out there’s an entire series dedicated to the Holy Spirit under this title.
Spiritual Unction
(1 John 2:20) This is a term used for the Holy Spirit by the apostle John who is telling the early Christians that they are receiving the anointing from the same Holy Spirit that anointed Jesus.
Consuming Fire
(Deuteronomy 4:24, Acts 2:3) This title is partly a throwback to the Old Testament where God is referred to as a “consuming fire.” Later in the new testament, St. Luke recounts how at pentecost the Apostles saw tongues of fire descend and rest above each one of them. Either way, there’s a rich tradition of the Holy Spirit being depicted with fire-related imagery.
Spirit of the Fear of the Lord
This title is given to the Holy Spirit because of his role of enabling us to have a vivid understanding of God’s infinite power and greatness (a.k.a. “Fear of the Lord).
Paraclete
(John 14:16, 26) This is the Greek term that translates into advocate or counselor. When Christ left this earth he promised to send His advocate or paraclete so that His followers would not be left alone. He is the advocate for the entire mystical body of Christ. This title of the Holy Spirit is used in the Divine Praises, said during
Convictor of Sin
(John 16:7-11) In the Gospel according to St. John, Christ talks about how He would send the Holy Spirit to convict men of their sinfulness. This conviction of sin would then lead man to recognize his own need for God’s mercy.
Indweller of Believers
(Romans 8:9-11, Ephesians 2:21-22) When we are in the state of grace, the Holy Spirit dwells within us. St. Paul talks about this is his letters to both Romans and Ephesians which is where we get this title.
The key to remember is that the Holy Spirit is actively looking for a relationship with you. If you don’t know how to invite Him into your life, start by finding a quiet place (preferably in front of the tabernacle) and pray this litany to the Holy Spirit. Be careful though. When you invite the Holy Spirit to enter your life, He always comes in abundance.
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Steven Duran lives in the sleepy town of Sycamore, IL with his wife and their daughter. In his free time he likes to get together with his friends to drink bourbon and talk about the Lord. He’s a tattooed cradle Catholic who loves watching English Premier League soccer on Saturday mornings and occasionally cries while listening to Penny & Sparrow.
