7 Gifts Of The Holy Spirit Flashcards
Wisdom
The gift of wisdom allows someone to order all things in accordance with God’s will. This gift has an element of contemplation—or a deep thought process of the divine. Even “uneducated souls” like St. Therese of Lisieux can be wise in the ways of the Lord. St. Therese had no
formal education but is a Doctor of the Church. The gift of wisdom includes practicality in human acts. Wisdom sees all things with a supernatural value—good, joyful, sorrowful, successful and even painful things.
Understanding
The gift of understanding is a gift that gives deeper insight to a revealed truth. This gift allows someone to go beyond the surface of a revealed truth and penetrate into the heart of the truth. For example, many theologians have the gift
of understanding and help give us the meaning to symbols and igures in Scripture. The gift of understanding can
also help reveal the ways in which God is moving in
someone’s life. St. Thomas Aquinas said, “In this very
life, when the eye of the Spirit is puriied by the gift of
understanding, one can in a certain way see God.”
Fortitude
The gift of fortitude allows a person to overcome
dificulties and endure pain and suffering with the strength infused by God. In other words, the gift of fortitude helps someone grow stronger in hardship, stand against evil and persevere to everlasting life. Fortitude also carries with it a conidence in the success of suffering. It gives someone
the ability to live heroically, suffer with patience and joy
and overcome lukewarmness. A modern day example of someone with the gift of fortitude is St. Maximilian Kolbe. He gave his life as an exchange for another, endured the
suffering of the concentration camps and a horrible death with the strength infused by God. He had conidence that he would overcome the power of evil and gain everlasting life.
Counsel
The gift of counsel helps a person discern what acts are good and should be done and what acts are evil and should be avoided. The discernment of the actions leads a person to ask “will this lead me into holiness or away from holiness?” The gift of counsel helps preserve a good conscience and gives others counsel in matters of personal holiness.
Knowledge
The gift of knowledge isn’t a gift that will make you
smarter. The gift of knowledge allows our intellect make
the right judgment on how earthly things are related to
eternal life and Christian perfection. Knowledge helps
show us that the worth and value of earthly things so that they cannot block our union with God. Although earthly
materials hold very minimal value, the gift of knowledge
helps us use earthy goods in a holy way as instruments
for union with God. Knowledge produces three effects:
introspection, detachment and repentance. Introspection helps us see the state of our soul by taking time to
examine our lives and our choices. Through the gift of
knowledge, we detach our lives from material goods to
seek God. Knowledge leads us to repent for the times we have misused material things and put them before God,
blocking our relationship with him.
Fear of the Lord
The gift of Fear of the Lord is the foundation for all the
other gifts of the Spirit. From this gift, all the other gifts
arise. Fear of the Lord (also called wonder and awe) allows
a person be detached from sin and material goods out
of love and reverence for God. Fear of the Lord is not
the type of fear where a person loves and serves God
because he or she is afraid of punishment or judgment.
This fear is motivated by love of God because we are his
children. For example, a child should not obey his or her
parents out of fear of their punishment but out of love and
respect. This gift brings about a sense of adoration and
honor for God’s majesty and a sense of horror and hatred
for sin and all things that separate us from God’s love.
Piety
The gift of piety allows a person to give worship to God
as Father. Through this gift of worship a person is able
to see and love people as God’s children. This gift helps
us fulill the commandments: love God above all else and
love your neighbor as yourself. Describing someone as
“pious” means he or she is devoted to God in a daily life of reverence and prayer. He or she treats others with respect and dignity.
