PENTECOST SUNDAY: REFLECTION ON THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND HIS FRUITS

 

THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRITS  (Isaiah 11:2)

HOLY FEAR OF GOD

It is a fear that arises, not from the thought of hell, but from sentiments of reverence and filial submission to our heavenly Father. It is the fear that is the beginning of wisdom, detaching us from worldly pleasures that could in any way separate us from God. They that fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and in His sight will sanctify their souls. With this gift the Christian becomes keenly aware of anything that may hurt his/her relationship with God.  There is a holy “fear” of hurting this relationship and grace is given to avoid these things at all cost.

PIETY

The gift of Piety begets in our hearts a filial affection for God as our most loving Father. It inspires us to love and respect for His sake persons and things consecrated to Him, as well as those who are vested with His authority, His Blessed Mother and the Saints, the Church and its visible Head, our parents and superiors, our country and its rulers. He who is filled with the gift of Piety finds the practice of his religion, not a burdensome duty, but a delightful service. Where there is love, there is no labor. This gift enables us to first reverence and love God, but also to see the dignity of one another and reverence each other as children of God.

FORTITUDE

By the gift of Fortitude the soul is strengthened against natural fear, and supported to the end in the performance of duty. Fortitude imparts to the will an impulse and energy which move it to under take without hesitancy the most arduous tasks, to face dangers, to trample under foot human respect, and to endure without complaint the slow martyrdom of even lifelong tribulation. He that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved. Simply put, it is a firmness of mind and spirit to do good and avoid evil.  It’s a sort of Christian courage.  The Gospel will call all of us to a radical life of love.  Fortitude gives us the strength we need to follow through.

KNOWLEDGE

The gift of Knowledge enables the soul to evaluate created things at their true worth  in their relation to God. Knowledge unmasks the pretense of creatures, reveals their emptiness, and points out their only true purpose as instruments in the service of God. It shows us the loving care of God even in adversity, and directs us to glorify Him in every circumstance of life. Guided by its light, we put first things first, and prize the friendship of God beyond all else. Knowledge is a fountain of life to him that possesses it. With this gift the Christian knows, more in the practical intellect, what God’s will is in this or that situation.  We know how to live, how to discern God’s will and what decision to make in our daily life.  It also enables us to learn from our past mistakes.

UNDERSTANDING

Understanding, as a gift of the Holy Spirit, helps us to grasp the meaning of the truths of our holy religion by faith we know them, but by Understanding we learn to appreciate and relish them. It enables us to penetrate the inner meaning of revealed truths and through them to be quickened to newness of life. Our faith ceases to be sterile and inactive, but inspires a mode of life that bears eloquent testimony to the faith that is in us; we begin to walk worthy of God in all things pleasing, and increasing in the knowledge of God. It is the ability to have a supernatural assurance of the matters of faith.  Life makes sense.  We can make sense of the deeper parts of revelation, make sense of suffering and understand those things that tempt us to doubt.  With this gift we come to see how everything in life can work for good in accordance with God’s plan.

COUNSEL

The gift of Counsel endows the soul with supernatural prudence, enabling it to judge promptly and rightly what must done, especially in difficult circumstances. Counsel applies the principles furnished by Knowledge and Understanding to the innumerable concrete cases that confront us in the course of our daily duty as parents, teachers, public servants, and Christian citizens. Counsel is supernatural common sense, a priceless treasure in the quest of salvation. With this gift the Christian sees him/herself as a link in a chain which makes up the entire Church.  God uses each one of us to help and support one another on our journey.  We know what to say and how to act so as to do our part to build up one another. Above all these things, we pray to the Most High, that He may direct our ways in truth.

WISDOM

Embodying all the other gifts, as charity embraces all the other virtues, Wisdom is the most perfect of the gifts. Of wisdom it is written all good things came to me with her, and innumerable riches through her hands. It is the gift of Wisdom that strengthens our faith, fortifies hope, perfects charity, and promotes the practice of virtue in the highest degree. Wisdom enlightens the mind to discern and relish things divine, in the appreciation of which earthly joys lose their savor as the Cross of Christ yields a divine sweetness according to the words of the Saviour: Take up thy cross and follow me, for my yoke is sweet and my burden light. It is wisdom that is always inviting to take her in our inner selves so that we will live here on earth well; her yoke is very easy to carry. With this gift the Christian is given a special grace to “ponder divine realities” in his/her speculative reason.  We are able to see the big picture and know how best to be an instrument of peace and harmony in our world.

THE FRUITS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (Galatians 5: 16-21)

The gifts of the Holy Spirit perfect the supernatural virtues by enabling us to practice them with greater docility to divine inspiration. As we grow in the knowledge and love of God under the direction of the Holy Spirit, our service becomes more sincere and generous, the practice of virtue more perfect. Such acts of virtue leave the heart filled with joy and consolation and are known as Fruits of the Holy Spirit. These Fruits in turn render the practice of virtue more attractive and become a powerful incentive for still greater efforts in the service of God, and attract others too to serve him. These fruits include: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, mildness, faith, modesty, self control, chastity and others. We pray that the Divine Spirit may fill our hearts with his heavenly fruits that we may never weary in the service of God, but by continued faithful submission to His inspiration may merit to be united eternally with Him in the love of the Father and the Son.

Let us Pray

O Lord Jesus Christ sent to you disciples the Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of Your Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me that He may perfect in my soul, the work of Your grace and Your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal, the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth, the Spirit on Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven, the Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my cross with You and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation, the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the Saints, the Spirit of Piety that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable, and the Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark me, dear Lord with the sign of Your true disciples, and animate me in all things with Your Spirit. Amen.

Be blessed.

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