One of the things very neglected these days, is the Holy Spirit. How many people even know what the gifts of the Spirit are I wonder?
- Wisdom
- Understanding
- Counsel
- Fortitude
- Knowledge
- Piety
- Fear of the Lord.
What do all of the things on the above list actually mean? If we believe them just to be of the normal everyday meaning, then they aren’t the gifts of the spirit are they? They are just words we connect to everyday behaviour. The one many today have no thought or wish for is ‘fear of the Lord’.
Everyone concentrates on Jesus and loves to think and tell others how Jesus is all about love and forgiveness. What they forget is how He has also taught us why we need to fear His Father in Heaven. What do we mean by fear and in what way or ways do we need to fear Him?
I could sit and write a whole epistle on that and on each gift. I could explain about all of it, but if I did that, it wouldn’t be helping you as individuals to understand the true meanings.
To understand anything fully, we have to do it ourselves. It’s like learning to write, type, dance or anything else we need to learn in life. We can be told and shown over and over, but until we do it ourselves, much of what we’ve been told or shown often goes straight over our heads.
The only way anything sinks in properly, is by us applying ourselves to the task and doing it ourselves and by doing our own research. By doing this, we show not only our wish to learn – remember, we are told “…Seek and thou shalt find…” – but also our commitment.
Research in this respect can also mean praying about the gifts, asking God that our eyes and hearts be opened. That He will allow us to recognise at last those things we had for so long ignored. Meditating by sitting in the quiet and listening and waiting, allowing God’s answers to come into our heads if we let them and at a time He feels we are ready to be told them.
Everyone today concentrates so much on the here and now, that so many forget to focus their minds also onto life beyond this one. We should be stretching our minds to the heavenly realms where heavenly beings are there waiting to guide and teach us if only we’ll let them.
God is with us, around us and in us – if we allow Him to be and invite Him in. We have to stop focusing just on just Jesus and remember He is nothing without God the Father and the Holy Spirit. The three are ONE and should never be divided and separated like the other two don’t exist as so many do today.
The most ignored and neglected of all three is the Holy Spirit. Today, for the first time in many years, I have actually heard this talked of in the Church at last. First by the pope, but also, the Passionists.
Maybe you will think about what you’ve just read and take time to ponder on the words. Maybe you will try researching, meditating or just recognising how neglected the Holy Spirit actually is in today’s world. How neglected He is in the modern Church.
Once we all start searching, meditating on and recognising the Holy Spirit and these seven wonderful gifts, then we can start to make them part of our everyday lives. Not only will that nourish and enrich our own souls, but it will help make a difference in the world. The more those gifts are put into daily practice, the more the world will start to improve gradually.
Nothing happens overnight and nothing worth having or done well is ever undertaken or done lightly. Everything worth having takes time, effort and practice and only by practicing every day for the rest of our lives here can we hope to make a difference to the world we live in and all that lives alongside us.
(Written January 3rd)