A Pentecost Primer

I love the feast of Pentecost and could probably spend all year preparing to celebrate it. As it is, I am just busy enough these days to be happy with a week’s worth of preparation, which is the time I had this time around.

I know the Holy Spirit understands. 😉

This past week, then, found us learning (and relearning) the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, piety, fortitude and fear of the Lord. I always have to refresh my memory on what the different gifts provide. To this end I use Volume II from In Conversation With God, which has an excellent series of meditations throughout the ten days (known as a decenary) leading up to this feast.

I am a wee bit late in sharing what I’ve learned, I know!

And yet while I would have rather posted this primer ten days ago, I will trust in the Spirit to do what good He can (and that’s a lot) with the littlest of instruments that I am. (I’m thinking I’m maybe a pencil stub—semi-used but still quite serviceable, and in need of a good sharpening from time to time.)

Here, then, is the briefest of reviews for all who may need it:

• Wisdom is the gift that helps us to know God and to love Him more and more. This gift is closely united with the virtue of charity because the more we grow in our knowledge of God the more we love, and vice versa. I also like to think that it is wisdom that helps us see the hand of God in all of nature….because it’s there.

• Understanding helps us to comprehend the mysteries of our faith and the deeper meanings of Sacred Scripture. I ask for understanding when I sit down to read my Bible; it’s as simple (ha) as that.

• Knowledge is the gift that helps us discern right from wrong—to choose those things that lead to God and to reject those things that don’t. Our conscience is formed by the gift of knowledge.

• Counsel is the gift we use in advising others, and in making decisions ourselves.

• Piety is the gift by which we see God as our loving Father and ourselves as the apple of his eye. This is a good gift for those of us who suffer from scruples! Through piety, we also grow in filial love for our heavenly mother, Mary, and in respect for all the saints.

• Fortitude is the easy one: strength! Strength to do what’s right in a world where to do what’s wrong can be so tempting.

• Fear of the Lord can be misleading. We are not being asked to fear God but rather, to have a healthy respect for His divinity and power and to run (not walk) from the occasions of sin.

Last but not least, let us not forget the 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit; these are as beautiful as the Gifts and are easier to understand (at least, on the surface). We should spend our lives looking to bear these fruits in abundance: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, self-control, faithfulness, modesty, continence and chastity.

My method of praying for the fruits of the Holy Spirit is a simplistic one—perfect, in my opinion, for the busy mother that I am. I write them down on a piece of paper (fancy handwriting is optional but always a plus) and I post them on the fridge. These words become my bowl of ornamental fruit—luscious to look at and even better to possess.

A blessed Pentecost Sunday to you and yours! And may the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit be yours today and always.