—to Mary, 74: “Our Lord is with you.” This is the very sense of God’s words to Moses and the other prophets: “Indeed, I am with you.” Likewise, He said to Joshua son of Nun: “I will be with you just as I was with My servant Moses.” Thus, according to the ordinary usage of Christian speech and the meaning of their expressions, they intend nothing more than that God—exalted is He—and the Holy Spirit are with every preacher, monk, and devout believer in this supportive way.

He continued: As for the declaration that John son of Zechariah heard from heaven about the Messiah, and John’s testimony in his favor, Matthew states in his Gospel: “When the Messiah, peace be upon him, came up out of the Jordan, the heavens opened for him, and John saw the Holy Spirit descending upon the Messiah in the form of a dove, and he heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, whom I have chosen.’”