The Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost, is often depicted as a Dove. It was in that form that the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity made Himself visible to Saint John the Baptist when he baptized Jesus at the River Jordan. The dove symbolizes gentleness and peace.

    The Holy Spirit dispenses the graces of God. However, the Holy Advocate produces nothing beyond what Jesus Christ merited. The merits of Our Lord are infinite, for He is God. The Holy Spirit merely perfects the works of Christ. In a somewhat similar way, the sun shining on a field does not sow new seed; it merely develops what has been sown, making it bloom and bear fruit.

    The way to this fruit is through the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. These seven gifts are:

• Wisdom
• Understanding
• Counsel
• Fortitude
• Knowledge
• Piety, and
• Fear of the Lord

    The gifts are infused in our souls with sanctifying grace. With God the Holy Spirit comes sanctifying grace, and inseparably, His gifts.

   

WISDOM

    Wisdom is that gift by which we recognize the emptiness of earthly things. By it we come to regard God and spiritual things as of the highest good. Without the gift of wisdom we are indifferent to spiritual matters, avoiding all mortification.

    The best example of the effects of the gifts of the Holy Spirit are the Apostles, who after receiving the Holy Ghost, became penetrated with His graces.

UNDERSTANDING

    Understanding is that gift by which we are enabled to recognize the true Catholic teaching, and to detect false doctrines. Before the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, they did not understand the divine mysteries. Christ revealed to them, often interpreting His words materially.

    Saint Clement Hofbauer began his studies late in life, and had just enough instruction in theology to be ordained. But he was often consulted by high officials of the Church on matters of doctrine, because he had the gift of understanding to an extraordinary degree.

COUNSEL

    The gift of Counsel helps us to discover the will of God under difficult circumstances. Before they received the Holy Spirit, the Apostles were inconstant in their thoughts, desires, and actions, at one time full of high zeal, at other times despairing and weak. But Christ promised them the gift of counsel, saying: "Do not be anxious how or wherewith you shall defend yourselves, or what you shall say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you" (Luke 12:11).

FORTITUDE

    Fortitude is the gift by which we are strengthened under trials to do God's Will. Before the descent of the Holy Spirit, the Apostles were of good will, but they were weak and fearful. For instance, when Jesus was taken prisoner, they all fled. Saint John Nepomucene chose to be tortured and finally cast into the river, rather than break the seal of the confessional.

KNOWLEDGE

    The gift of Knowledge enables us to grasp the teaching of the Church, to know God and Jesus Christ Whom He sent. Before the advent of the Holy Ghost, the Apostles were ignorant men who did not care for intellectual pursuits; neither were they expert in holiness or the things of God. The saintly Cure d'Ars Saint John Vianney had made but little study, yet his sermons were so remarkable that even Bishops were eager to listen.

PIETY

    Piety is that gift by which we love God as our Father, ever striving to do His will. Before Pentecost Sunday, the Apostles loved Jesus, but more for their own sakes rather than His, more for the reward He promised than for the love of Him. But after Pentecost, what a change! They were ready to suffer death just because they loved Jesus and wished to declare Him everywhere.

FEAR OF THE LORD

    The Fear of the Lord makes us dread sin as the greatest of all evils, and enables us to quell fear of man and human respect. Eleazer, the old Jewish scribe, chose death rather than offend God by eating, or even pretending to eat, forbidden means (cf. 2 Mach. 6).

    Besides these seven gifts, the Holy Spirit also grants certain extraordinary gifts, which are given only on rare occasions and to selected persons. Such extraordinary graces are granted principally not for the benefit of the recipient, but of others. They were common during the early days of the Church, and helped in its rapid spread. Among them are the gift of tongues, of miracles, of visions, and of prophecy. The Apostles received the gift of tongues on Pentecost, so that although they spoke to a crowd of different nationalities and languages, everybody understood what was said.

Monday: part two The Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit