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They differ according to the terminus or the temporal
effect connoted by the mission. The visible mission
connotes an effect that is at least in some way sensible,
by which the person sent is sensibly manifested; thus the
visible mission of the Son took place in the Incarnation
and the visible mission of the Holy Ghost on Pentecost
took place under the species of fire and the gift of
tongues. An invisible mission is one which connotes an
effect of the spiritual order and which is not sensible.
Thus the Holy Ghost is said to be sent to the soul of
the just man at the moment of invisible justification,
which is accomplished by the infusion of habitual grace.
In explaining these articles we shall see that because of
this there are two differences between the two kinds of
missions. By the visible missions of the Incarnation and
of Pentecost only one person is sent and manifested,
while in the invisible mission two proceeding persons are
sent and the Father gives Himself. The second
difference is that the visible mission takes place through
some visible effect designed to manifest the divine person
who is sent; thus the Holy Ghost is sent in the
appearance of fire on Pentecost and in the appearance of a
dove at the baptism of Christ, according to the words of
St. Matthew, "Wesus... saw the Spirit of God
descending as a dove, and coming upon him."[625]
On the other hand, the invisible mission cannot take
place except by some supernatural gift, as is shown in
this third article. We must determine what this
supernatural gift is; whether it is habitual grace (or
grace gratum faciens), or actual grace, or by infused
faith alone, or hope, or finally by the graces gratis
datae, which sinners can receive for the benefit of their
neighbors. In this way we will determine the state of the
question.
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