The meaning of the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit

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Catholic, take note!

Since the coming of the Holy Spirit on the apostles, at Pentecost, Christians are aware of the gifts with which the third Person of the Trinity assists the believer.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, in number 1830, explains that “ the moral life of Christians is sustained by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These are permanent dispositions that make man docile to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit .”

The Holy Spirit is, for many, the “great unknown” of the Christian life. However, the life of faith, hope, and charity are not possible without it. It is he who acts in the hearts and who transforms people’s lives.

He is the one who moves us to love and who encourages acts of courage. It is the Spirit who gives wings to evangelization and who gives intelligence to men to come to know God. The Christian life cannot exist without Him sustaining it, not even the Church itself.

Important: We must not confuse the gifts of the Spirit with the fruits that the Spirit produces in people’s lives. The gifts of the Spirit are seven and are the “gifts” that the Spirit gives. While the fruits, as the Church has always taught, are the perfections that these gifts produce in people.

Let’s discover, then, what they are and what is the meaning of the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit:

1 THE GIFT OF WISDOM

It is the gift of understanding what favors and what harms God’s project. He strengthens our charity and prepares us for a full vision of God.

Jesus himself told us: “ But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are going to speak. What you have to talk about will be communicated to you at that time. For it will not be you who will speak, but the Spirit of your Father who will speak in you ” (Mt 10, 19-20).

True wisdom brings the taste of God and his Word.

2 THE GIFT OF UNDERSTANDING

It is the divine gift that enlightens us to accept the truths revealed by God. Through this gift, the Holy Spirit allows us to scrutinize the depths of God, communicating to our hearts a particular participation in divine knowledge, in the secrets of the world and in the intimacy of God himself.

The Lord said: “ I will give you a heart to know Me, for I am Yahweh ” (Jer 24:7).

3 THE ADVICE

It is the gift of knowing how to discern paths and options, knowing how to guide and listen. It is the light that the Spirit gives us to distinguish right and wrong, true and false.

The Holy Spirit rested on Jesus, and gave him that gift in full, as Isaiah had prophesied: “ He will not judge by appearances, nor will he judge by hearsay. He will judge the weak with justice, and will sentence the poor of the earth with righteousness ” (Is 11, 3-4).

4 THE ONE ABOUT SCIENCE

It is the gift of God’s science and not the world’s science. Through this gift the Holy Spirit reveals to us God’s thoughts about us internally , since “no one knows the innermost things of God except the Spirit of God” (1Co 2:11).

5 THE GIFT OF MERCY

It is the gift that the Holy Spirit gives us to always be open to the will of God, always seeking to act as Jesus would act.

If God lives his alliance with man in such an involving way, man, in turn, also feels invited to be pious with everyone.

In the First Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians he wrote: “ Concerning spiritual gifts, I do not want you, brothers, to be in ignorance. You know that when you were Gentiles, you allowed yourself to be blindly drawn towards silent idols. That is why I make you know that no one, speaking with the Spirit of God, can say: “Jesus is accursed!”; and no one can say: “Jesus is Lord!” but with the Holy Spirit ” (1Co 12, 1-3).

6 THE ONE OF STRENGTH

This is the gift that makes us brave to face the daily difficulties of Christian life. Faith returns strong and heroic. Let us remember the value of the martyrs. It gives us perseverance and firmness in decisions.

Those who have this gift are not intimidated by threats and persecutions, because they trust unconditionally in the Father.

The Apocalypse says: “ Do not be afraid of what you are going to suffer: the Devil is going to put some of you in prison so that you will be tempted, and you will suffer a tribulation of ten days. Remain faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life ” (Rev 2:10).

7 THE GIFT OF THE FEAR OF GOD

This gift keeps us in due respect before God and in submission to his will, separating us from everything that may displease him.

For this reason, Jesus always took care to do the will of the Father in everything, as Isaiah had prophesied: “ The spirit of Yahweh will rest on him: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of Yahweh. ” (Is 11,2).

This is what the Bible itself says, referring to the meaning of the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit:

“May your good spirit guide me across a level land” (Ps 143:10).

“All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God […] And, if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs of Christ” (Rom 8, 14.17)

By  Faith Explained

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