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In this article St. Thomas explains the congruity of
the visible mission of the Holy Ghost descending on our
Lord at His baptism in the figure of a dove and on
Pentecost in the figure of fire.
Reply. This visible mission is fitting, because it is
connatural to man to be led by visible things to the
invisible. These visible missions are to the Trinity of
persons as creatures are to the one God, that is, God
manifests Himself as triune in these visible events,
namely, in the incarnation of the Son and in the heavenly
fire of Pentecost.
The difference between the two visible missions is that
the Son is sent as the principle of sanctification, and
therefore as a person united to human nature to perform a
work as the Redeemer, and the Holy Ghost is sent as the
sign of sanctification through some symbol, as the dove
and fire.[693]
Reply to second objection. With St. Augustine, St.
Thomas holds that the dove that descended on Jesus was
not merely the object of an imaginary vision, but
something real and extramental; so also with the fire on
Pentecost. The reason is that "those who saw this dove
and this fire saw them with their eyes," that is, all
the witnesses present saw them.
Reply to fifth objection. These creatures (the dove and
the fire) were formed externally by the ministry of the
angels.
Reply to sixth objection. St. Thomas explains the
different visible missions which took place in the early
Church to propagate the faith. Thus the Holy Ghost
manifested Himself in the guise of fiery tongues to make
known the office of teaching.
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