THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him a spirit of wisdom and of understanding. A spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord, and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord.
According to John Berkman and Craig Steven Titus, Christians believe that they receive these gifts after receiving the Life of God, that is, especially after receiving the holy sacrament. What this means is that the moment an individual is born into this world, that person is automatically qualified to receive the Holy Spirit upon the moment of baptism as this sacramental rite introduces one into the Christian (Catholic) world. The Catholic Church believes that the Holy Spirit completes and perfects the virtues of those who receive them. If there is any proof for this, one has to look at the Acts and see what the Holy Spirit has done to the disciples of Christ the moment they received it, Tongues as of fire appeared, which parted and came to rest on each of them. All were filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to express themselves in foreign tongues and make bold proclamations as the Spirit prompted them. Below is a description of each of the gifts.
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit and their Roles. The first gift is Wisdom. This is considered the most important and highest gift the Holy Spirit can endow. Through it, we are able to value what God created thereby strengthening our Faith. We get a better meaning of the earthly things, the nature of life and also any historical events that ever happened. Our minds are opened and we can therefore discern what is wrong and right despite being endowed with free will by God. Understanding is the second gift. It helps us live as followers of Jesus. It gives people power to understand what life is all about and not be confused by the different cultural practices on the way people should live. To live life according to Gods will is always the best course of action a true believer must always take and it really takes a great deal of understanding, not just wisdom and knowledge to know what Gods design is for us and if we truly believe in God, we know that whatever He puts before us is what is best for us even if our own minds, or that of others, say otherwise. Gods will is higher than everyone elses and understanding dictates we follow His will above everything else and stick to it no matter what the circumstance.
The third gift, known as Counsel is also called the gift of right judgment and related to Wisdom. As the name suggests, it enables one to choose between the right and wrong. It is believed to be supernatural. It helps people make the right decisions and avoid sinful behaviors. Fortitude is the fourth gift of the Holy Spirit. It is akin to perseverance and resolve, the ability to endure and withstand adversity though sometimes people call it the gift of Courage. Christians are given this gift by the Holy Spirit to enable them overcome fear and adversity. They can therefore stand strong with the word of God despite the many challenges they might meet. Through this gift, they get the firmness of mind and can proclaim the name of Christ without any fear of the evil. The history of Christianity is replete with stories of martyrs, from Saints Stephen in the ancient times to Maximilian Kolbe in the 20th century, who welcomed death in the face of persecution as they preferred to give up their lives to renouncing their faith. The Holy Spirit endowed them with the courage to stare death in the eye and although they lost their lives, they died knowing they have triumphed and their deaths served as an inspiration to those who were living instead of being discouraged and frightened during those trying times.
The last three gifts are Knowledge, Piety and Fear of God. Through Knowledge, which is related to Wisdom, Counsel and Understanding, we are able to understand God s revelation and its meaning if we are willing to give it our full attention. We are able to determine what God design is for us by looking at the example set by His son Jesus Christ. We are able to lead our lives according to God s purpose of creating us and living this path is the sure way to eternal life. Piety is also known as the gift of Reverence. This gift mainly deals with respect of God by keeping with His commandments If we can do this, we are able to respect God as our Creator and also have respect for the Church as the Temple of God, the earthly source of His authority. Through this gift, we are able to trust in God and pray to Him to answer our needs which He grants when He feels the time is right. The fear of the Lord makes us fear and respect God. We are able to know the majesty and glory of the Lord, who can give life and very well take it. Everything emanates from the Lord and nothing happens without Him. Through our trials, we are constantly reminded about this. Using this gift, we do not offend God but instead we have the filial fear.
The role of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit in our Moral Spiritual Life. Through Wisdom, we are able to see Gods work in everything and also experience His presence through other people. It is helps us perfect the faith we have and continue believing in God. Understanding provides us with the principles on how to live as followers of Christ. It also helps people understand the practices of the Catholic Church which is the source of authority and guidance of every Catholic believer. Counsel makes a Christian stand strong on hisher faith and along with Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding, enable one to stay on the right path and will never be led astray. Fortitude makes a Christian willing to accept rejection from others or from any harm and even face death all for the love of God.
The gift of knowledge gives a Christian the desire to be more familiar with the tradition and be well-versed in the Scriptures. Having this gift is considered more valuable than having a collection of many worldly facts. As everything is provided by God and since this is the case, there is nothing one can ever desire in this world. Through piety, we are able to love our parents and honor them and live according to their wish. This should be similar to the way we relate with God. The last gift makes us fear the Lord and have respect for Him. This is clearly shown in the the Book of Proverbs, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. It enables us to respect God as he is the source of everything and very powerful.
Relationship between spiritual virtues and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. The gifts of the Holy Spirit help in perfecting the human virtues. The gift of Wisdom is usually related to the virtue of charity. This virtue helps to promote wisdom in the community through sharing hence also uplifting its mutual prosperity. The gift of understanding is related to the virtue of faith. This virtue helps one to believe in the right thing. The gift of counsel is related to the virtue of prudence. This virtue gives someone ability to budget hisher time wisely. it enables you to take good care of your money and also make your decisions wisely. It enables you to work hard and not be lazy in the sense of using the talents God has endowed us with and to use them productively the way it is meant to be used.
The gift of fortitude relates to the virtue of courage. The virtue gifts someone the ability to undertake difficult tasks and not to fear anything. It enables one become selflessness and always willing to do Godly things despite the challenges heshe might go through. The gift of knowledge relates to the virtue of temperament. This makes a person abstain from the sinful earthly things and have self control. It enables one to be mindful of the other people and also have a good balance between hisher interest for oneself and to other people.
The sixth gift of the Holy Spirit corresponds to the virtue of justice. This is the virtue that enables one to be fair and mindful of other people. People will count on you when you come to their aid and render assistance within reason. It enables one not to be biased but judgmental and to treat others the way one expects to be treated. The last gift of the Holy Spirit corresponds to the virtue of hope. This virtue makes a Christian always believe that something good will happen. It gives Christians hope for tomorrow and helps them to continuously believe in the second coming of Christ and life after death.
Conclusion
The Holy Spirit is the greatest gift one can probably receive from God. These gifts that come with it make us live and become what God wants us to be so as long as we use it judiciously and in accordance to His divine will. They enable us proclaim and live the word of God on earth. Once the spirit manifests in us, it gives us these gifts and all it takes is faith to activate them. This manifestation is the salvation we need as Christians and therefore if you do not possess these gifts, the Holy Spirit does not dwell in you completely. As Reverend Lagrange would put it, It is therefore clear that every Christian should have these gifts as they direct and guide us on how to live sinless lives.
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