The Powerful Gift Of The Holy Spirit

By TOM DENNEHY

We continue to journey through the Easter season which ends on Pentecost Sunday. On this day, the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles and Mother Mary as they were gathered in the Upper Room in Jerusalem. They were waiting and praying for the coming of the Holy Spirit, and when The Holy Spirit came upon them in tongues of fire, they were changed forever. They were no longer afraid, and they went out and preached the gospel and were prepared to be martyred for their faith.

We read in the Acts of the Apostles the great deeds they performed in the name of Jesus just as He promised them they would. We read of the many miracles they performed in His name and how they lived and shared everything and their numbers grew daily.

We ourselves received the Holy Spirit at our baptism and these gifts are confirmed at our confirmation. This is the same Holy Spirit that the Apostles received.

Our baptism is the most important day of our lives. We become children of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ. We become citizens of Heaven and there is an indelible mark put on our souls which says Destination: Heaven. All the spiritual blessings of Heaven are poured in to our souls. We are anointed Priests, Prophets and Kings. We receive the full measure of the Holy Spirit. All the gifts which are supernatural gifts are given to us to help us on our faith journey and help us to carry out the plan God has ordained for us.

Confirmation confirms the gifts we have received in Baptism as we become adult members of the Church. It is important and essential for us to use the gifts we have been given and nurture our faith on a daily basis. We do this by reading Scripture, praying regularly, attending Holy Mass, doing good works and putting God in the first place in our lives.

The seven Gifts Of the Holy Spirit

Wisdom

Is the grace of being able to see everything through God’s eyes. It teaches us to see with God’s eyes, to feel with God’s Heart and to speak with God’s words.

Counsel

Helps us discern between right and wrong. It helps us to choose the right path to God.

Piety

Helps us to love God and pray with true devotion. This moves us to enter into a loving relationship with Jesus.

Fear of the Lord

With the gift of wonder and awe in God’s presence, we recognise the grandeur of God and how He is above all things. We depend on Him for everything.

Understanding

We come to understand our faith in a deeper way. It helps us understand the word of God and know the presence of Christ in the sacraments.

Knowledge

The gift of knowledge enables us to discover God’s will in all things and see the beauty of God reflected in Creation.

Fortitude

Gives us the strength and the courage to do the right thing even in the face of persecution. This is a very important gift in today’s world.

As we grow in the power of the Holy Spirit, we receive the fruits which grow in us. They are Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, Faithfulness and Self-Control.

There are also Charisms of the Holy Spirit which are given to us for the building up of the Church such as the gifts of Healing, Prophesy, Teaching, Discernment of Spirits, Miracles, Discernment, Tongues, Service, Administration and so many more. We need to experience an awakening or an infilling of the Holy Spirit by attending a Life in the Spirit seminar or similar encounter for these Charisms to be awakened in us. This is much needed in our Church today and our Church is all those who have been baptised.

As we look forward to Pentecost, let us be aware of the power of the Holy Spirit living in us and working through us.

It was the Holy Spirit that hovered over the deep and brought everything into being at the beginning of Creation. It was the Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. It is the Holy Spirit that transforms the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ at Holy Mass. The Holy Spirit lifts the lid on human limitations and lifts us up to the divine realm.

The Holy Spirit is our helper and guide and is there with us to help us pray and understand God’s word. “Behold I am with you always even to the end of time.”

Make sure you continuously invoke the Holy Spirit and you will see changes in your lives.