When did i get the Holy Spirit? (mass reading confused me)

[Harry123]

I always thought that I got the Holy Spirit when I was baptized as a baby. However on May 6th 2018, the following reading at mass confused me. In the following verse, Peter says:

“Could anyone refuse the water of baptism to these people, now they have received the Holy Spirit just as much as we have?” ACTS 10:47

How did the pagans (the people Peter is talking about were pagans) receive the Holy Spirit before they were actually baptized? And secondly, if they had already received the Holy Spirit, why would they need to be baptized?

And where would the sacrament of confirmation come into this?

 

[Rob2]

I always thought that I got the Holy Spirit when I was baptized as a baby. However on May 6th 2018, the following reading at mass confused me. In the following verse, Peter says:

“Could anyone refuse the water of baptism to these people, now they have received the Holy Spirit just as much as we have?” ACTS 10:47

How did the pagans (the people Peter is talking about were pagans) receive the Holy Spirit before they were actually baptized? And secondly, if they had already received the Holy Spirit, why would they need to be baptized?

And where would the sacrament of confirmation come into this?

Yes , I too get confused by this passage .

I don’t bother too much about it though .

“The Spirit breatheth where he will; and thou hearest his voice, but thou knowest not whence he cometh, and whither he goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8 ) .

The Holy Spirit comes to us in the sacraments , but the Spirit can’t be boxed in by the sacraments .

The Spirit comes when and where the Spirit wills .

 

[Kei]

Do you know of the gifts of the Holy Spirit?

 

[Harry123]

They are: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.

How does this answer the question?

 

[Kei]

The Sacrament of Confirmation is sort of where you grow in the Holy Spirit, but to grow in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit you should cooperate with them

 

[Harry123]

So when a baby is baptized - are they guaranteed to have got the Holy Spirit at that stage when the baptisim is done? And therefore effectively guaranteed a place in heaven should anything happen that they die before the age of 7 (my understanding is that children come-of-age at age 7 and are then responsible for their actions as they now know right from wrong).

Or is it age 8?

 

[Rob2]

So when a baby is baptized - are they guaranteed to have got the Holy Spirit at that stage when the baptisim is done?

Yes .

As the Catechism teaches , “The anointing with sacred chrism, perfumed oil consecrated by the bishop, signifies the gift of the Holy Spirit to the newly baptized, who has become a Christian, that is, one “anointed” by the Holy Spirit, incorporated into Christ who is anointed priest, prophet, and king.”

 

[Vico]

I always thought that I got the Holy Spirit when I was baptized as a baby. However on May 6th 2018, the following reading at mass confused me. In the following verse, Peter says:

“Could anyone refuse the water of baptism to these people, now they have received the Holy Spirit just as much as we have?” ACTS 10:47

How did the pagans (the people Peter is talking about were pagans) receive the Holy Spirit before they were actually baptized? And secondly, if they had already received the Holy Spirit, why would they need to be baptized?

And where would the sacrament of confirmation come into this?

Haydock Commentary, Acts 10:47

47 Then Peter answered: Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

Ver. 47. Can any man forbid water? &c. Or doubt that these, on whom the Holy Ghost hath descended, may be made members of the Christian Church, by baptism, as Christ ordained? (Witham)

— Such may be the grace of God occasionally towards men, and such their great charity and contrition, that they may have remission, justification, and sanctification, before the external sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and penance be received; as we see in this example: where, at Peter’s preaching, they all received the Holy Ghost before any sacrament. But here we also learn one necessary lesson, that such, notwithstanding, must needs receive the sacraments appointed by Christ, which whosoever contemneth, can never be justified. (St. Augustine, sup. Levit. q. 84. T. 4.)