Day 34: Unity in the Holy Spirit

Before his Passover, Jesus announced the sending of "another Paraclete" (Advocate), the Holy Spirit. At work since creation, having previously "spoken through the prophets", the Spirit will now be with and in the disciples, to teach them and guide them "into all the truth". The Holy Spirit is thus revealed as another divine person with Jesus and the Father. CCC 243

The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Most Holy Trinity. Together with the Father and the Son, He is God. Not as 1/3 God, but fully God as both the Father and Son are, united in a communion of love as One God. We see this in Scripture, such as Matthew 1:20; 3:16, Luke 1:35 & 41; 3:22, and John 16:7. It is through the Creeds at Nicaea I and Constantinople I the dogma of the faith in this is more fleshed out. He is our Paraclete, filling us with the love of God and leading us towards Him through our daily lives. All of this I understand and believe. Yet to be perfectly honest, when the Catechism starts speaking about "spirations" and other related matters in CCC 246-248, my lack of formal theological training becomes apparent and the layman comes to the fore. In short, I do not understand why the filioque became and still remains to some, a bitter disagreement between East and West. I understand the dispute over doctrinal authority, i.e. the papacy & ecumenical councils, but not the deep theology behind this. I've never really looked into this matter and perhaps should someday. 

For now, though, I echo the Catechism Companion, Vol I in how it describes all this:

In 1054, the Church experienced a schism between East and West, partially over the theological language used to describe the Holy Spirit. We continue to pray for a restored full unity with the Eastern Orthodox Church so, as St. John Paul II has said, the Church "may breathe with her two lungs."

Pentecost icon depicting the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and Mary in the form of tongues of flame above their heads