I love those words from St. Paul in Sunday’s Second Reading: “we also groan within ourselves as we wait for …the redemption of our bodies“…. and a little further on: the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought.”
So much of our prayer comes from the depths of our human weakness and powerlessness. We too often think our prayer is worthless, wasted, because it doesn’t appear to have been answered. But remember what Jesus said in another part of the Gospels: “If you who know not to give your child a scorpion when he asks for bread, how much more will the Father give the Spirit to those who ask.” It may very well be that instead of an answer to your prayer, you will be given one of the Gifts of the Spirit, which may show you yourself how to bring about an answer to your prayer.
You might receive WISDOM, which is a growing sense of what things are and what they are not. Wisdom is a way of holding things in tension. We might want something to be more than it is and it would be so good if it only could be, but we allow it to be just what it is, with God’s fingerprints on everything.
UNDERSTANDING means that the Holy Spirit is enlightening our minds about the consequences of our use of all the other gifts God has given us. The proper use of something is a great praise of the Creator, but we need this gift of Understanding to see better.
KNOWLEDGE assists us to know who we are and what we are to do. It is practical, that is it moves us to a gratitude for action. It is more than “self-knowledge”, but a grace that helps us know who we are in God’s eyes.
COUNSEL strengthens our ability to look fearlessly and honestly at all sides, all the darker areas, all the unfreedoms and self-centeredness in our human struggle for truth.
FORTITUDE is about resolve, perseverance, and patience with our not being strong in our living the other Gifts. This Gift is the encouragement the parent gives to the child beginning to walk, “Come on, get up, try again!”
PIETY encourages a loyalty or fidelity to God and the relationship which God initiates and sustains. Piety results from hearing who God says we are and living accordingly.
FEAR OF THE LORD works against recklessness and disrespect for the Giver and Creator of all. If we have a view of the beauty and goodness of creation, and stand respectfully in front of them, then we stand in a similar fashion before the Creator of all this delicate art-work around and within us.
May God give you a neat surprise today!
Fr. Herb, C.S.C.
Originally published by at www.cscip.org on June 06, 2011.
