Gifts of the Holy Spirit Reflections

Wisdom – Matthew 22:15-22Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius,  and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied.Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.

Summary/Reflection:

In this story, the religious and political authorities try to trap Jesus by asking him a seemingly no-win question. If he says that it is wrong to pay taxes, he would be against the Roman authority. And if he says it is right to pay taxes, he would be going against his own Jewish people who were oppressed by the Romans. Jesus uses the gift of wisdom in both spotting the trap and avoiding it by asking his own question. Whose image and inscription are on the coin?

Jesus very cleverly makes the distinction between what belongs to God and what belongs to the world. The gift of wisdom provides us with the ability to recognize the importance of keeping God central in our lives. It enables us to see life from God’s point of view and to recognize the real value of persons, events, and things.

How do I live my life to show that God is central in my life? Do I give to God what belongs to God?

Worship and adoration belongs to God alone. Do I act like I worship human beings, like rock stars, sports heroes, or celebrities?

Virtues like faith, hope and charity belong to God. How do I show my faith in God? Through the gift of Baptism our bodies become temples of the Holy Spirit. Do I use my body

for God’s greater glory by treating my body as a temple of the Holy Spirit? Am I respectful of the bodies of others?

Do I give God all credit for the good things in my life?

Stream of conscience writing: In what ways has God gifted me with the gift of wisdom to discern what belongs to God and what

belongs to the world? How can I use the Gift of Wisdom in my life right now? What decisions will I be making where I might need to pray for the gift of Wisdom to know what

God might be calling me to do?

Gifts of the Holy Spirit Reflections

Understanding - Luke 7:1-10

 When Jesus had finished all his words to the people, he entered Capernaum. A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die, and he was valuable to him. When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and save the life of his slave. They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying, “He deserves to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us.” And Jesus went with them, but when he was only a short distance from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him and, turning, said to the crowd following him, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” When the messengers returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.

Reflection/Summary-

A centurion is a Roman military leader in charge of 100 soldiers who is also subject to the authority of others like generals, kings, emperors. The centurion in this story understands that Jesus has both the authority and power to heal and perform miracles. The centurion also understands and demonstrates respect for Jesus’ Jewish customs and culture. The Centurion was a Gentile or non-Jew. If a Jew were to go into the house of a Gentile, he would become ritually impure and would have to do certain spiritual exercises to become ritually pure. The Centurion realizes that Jesus does not necessarily need to be present in his house to heal his servant. Jesus’ word alone has power. The gift of Understanding gives us the ability to comprehend the meaning of God’s message. It gives us insight into the truths of faith and being a disciple of Jesus.

“Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” When have you said or heard those words? Do you believe those words? Do I understand the gift that God gives me in the Eucharist? If I struggle with believing that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist, do I ask God for the gift of Understanding to help my unbelief?

Do I understand to that God loves you beyond measure and would do anything to help you spend eternity with Him?

Am I able to show understanding and forgiveness to friends and loved ones when they trespass or do wrong against us? Do you truly believe in Jesus’ power to forgive your sins? Do you understand that God’s mercy is much bigger and wider than any sin that you can commit? Do you seek God’s forgiveness, healing and mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation?

Do I have an understanding of what it means to follow Jesus and be a disciple? What have I done to better my understanding of Jesus – do I read the Bible? Do I participate in food drives or other charitable activities? Am I kind and respectful to those who might not be popular, or important, or cool?

Stream of conscience writing: In what ways has God gifted me with the gift of Understanding to discern what belongs to God

and what belongs to the world? How can I use the Gift of Understanding in my life right now?

What decisions will I be making where I might need to pray for the gift of Understanding to know what God might be calling me to do?

Gifts of the Holy Spirit Reflections

Knowledge - John 8:2-11

Early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area, and all the people started coming to him, and he sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and made her stand in the middle. They said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” They said this to test him, so that they could have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. But when they continued asking him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Again he bent down and wrote on the ground. And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the woman before him. Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

She replied, “No one, sir.” Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, [and] from now on do not sin anymore.”

Reflection –In this story from Scripture, we see Jesus’ knowledge of the law. The Pharisees say “Now in the Law, Moses commanded…” Jesus takes this one step further not quoting the law, but knowing the intention of the law. The law was created to help the Israelites remember their covenant with God, to help them know how to handle situations. Jesus uses the gift of Knowledge to show us a better way - he does not abolish the Law, but fulfills the Law by calling people to repentance, conversion and forgiveness of sins. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He came to save us from our sins and call us to eternal life. The religious authorities try to trap Jesus by using the Law of Moses to put him in a no-win situation and trap him. If Jesus say no don’t stone her, he violates Jewish law. If he says stone her, he contradicts his message of mercy and forgiveness that he is sharing. Jesus put responsibility for stoning the woman back in the hands of the people gathered – Let the one among you who is without sin is the first to throw a stone at him.

Jesus mysteriously bends down and writes on the ground. This is the only time in the Bible where Jesus is depicted as writing. What is he writing? Is he writing the sins of the people who were present? The 10 commandments of Moses were written by God’s finger. Is Jesus writing his new commandments of loving God and loving neighbor? Is he writing about his plan of mercy, forgiveness, salvation?

One by one, the men drop their stones and walk away starting with the elders or oldest ones since they have lived the longest and committed the most sins. Jesus is left alone with the woman and asks her a question – Has no one condemned you? No. Jesus, the sinless one, could have held her accountable to the Law of Moses, but he does not condemn her.

Jesus tells her to go and sin no more. Jesus saves her life. Jesus saved her from a horrible stoning death from capital punishment. Jesus saved her. How do you think she felt? Do you think she followed Jesus and became a disciple? How did her life change as a result of her encounter with Jesus?

The gift of Knowledge provides us with the ability to see the best way to follow God’s plan when we have choices that relate to him. It helps us know what God asks of us and how we should respond.

Describe a time when you felt that you were saved by God? How has your life changed as a result of your encounter with Jesus, his Word, or his Church? Have you ever had an opportunity to save someone from harm, injury or death? Do I think I am better than others? Do I judge people based on their sins or offenses against me

or others? Do I regularly repent of my sins? Do I try to sin no more? Am I an agent of forgiveness? Do I call

others to turn away from their sins and turn to God for healing?

Stream of conscience writing: In what ways has God gifted me with the gift of Knowledge to now his plan for my life? How can I use the Gift of Knowledge in my life right now? What decisions will I be making where I might need to pray for the gift of Knowledge to know

what God might be calling me to do?

Gifts of the Holy Spirit Reflections

Counsel (right judgment) – John 6:53-69

Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.” These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.Then many of his disciples who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, “Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him. And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father.”As a result of this, many [of] his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him.Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”

Summary/Reflection -  Jesus speaks words of truth that lead to eternal life.   Jesus spoke words of truth when he spoke of himself as the bread of life.  He proclaimed that unless people eat his body and drink his blood that they would not have life in them.  Those words of truth lead to controversy - the people quarreled among themselves - how can he give us his body to eat?  There's an Ashleigh Brilliant cartoon - "Speak nothing but the truth, and soon you will be considered dangerous." We have become accustomed to hearing these words that they have lost their truly shocking effect that they had on Jesus' original audience.  This is/was a difficult teaching.  So difficult to understand, that people who had hung out with Jesus and was his friend, no longer followed him and returned to their former ways of life.   Many people have left the Church that Jesus founded because of the belief in the Eucharist being the body and blood of Jesus. It is and continues to be a mystery and a difficult teaching.    John 6:66 - As a result of this, many [of] his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. He must have been sad to see people walk away after he spoke the truth for their own good.  He must have been broken hearted about this rejection, desertion, abandonment, after he announced his greatest gift - offering his body and blood to save us from our sins - what we now know as the Eucharist.    

Jesus approached the 12 - "Will you also leave me?"  What will Peter do -- will he stand faithfully by Jesus or will he follow the crowd who abandons him?    Peter exercises right judgment and counsel -- the important ability to judge between good and evil, and see the best way to follow God’s plan when we have choices that relate to him.-- when he responds on behalf of the 12.  He trusts Jesus and will continue to follow him even though he doesn't totally "get" this very difficult teaching.   "Master, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.  We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God."    

Do we believe that Jesus speaks the truth and that he is the way that leads to eternal life?   Do I read Scripture to learn more about Jesus and his life and his mission of salvation?  Do I really believe that I receive the body and blood of Jesus in the Sacrament of the

Eucharist?   Do I have an attitude of gratitude when I go to Mass or do I complain because it is boring?  Do I really believe that heaven comes to earth in this Sacrament?  

Do we pick and choose what "truths" to believe to help us justify or excuse our personal beliefs, behavior or our conduct?

Is Jesus and his Church my source for truth or do we make up our own truth by listening to the voices of the world, politicians and the news media who follow the winds of change and popular opinion? 

Do we pray to the Holy Spirit to enlighten us to the truth that God wants to share with us to live out our vocations as followers of Jesus?

Do we abandon our search for the truth, because we are afraid of conflict or controversy, because it is easier to think like the crowd?

Stream of conscience writing: How can I use the Gift of Counsel in my life right now? What decisions will I be making where I might need to pray for the gift of Counsel to know

what God might be calling me to do?

Gifts of the Holy Spirit Reflection - Fortitude (courage) – Luke 5:17-26

One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, and the power of the Lord was with him for healing. And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they were trying to bring him in and set [him] in his presence. But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus. When he saw their faith, he said, “As for you, your sins are forgiven.”

Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?”

Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, “What are you thinking in your hearts?

Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, “We have seen incredible things today.”

Summary/Reflection – The friends of this man had great hope to bring their friend to see Jesus. But their courage - the inner strength to do what we know is right. It enables us to stand up for our beliefs, to do what is right in the face of difficulties, and to endure suffering with faith - shows when they found the room or the house they were in was full and they could not get their friend in. So they didn’t turn around and go home, they make a hole in the roof and lowered him down for him to be in front of Jesus. They overcame the fear that someone might tell them to stop, or laugh at them, but they did what they knew their friend needed. And in this Jesus recognized their faith – “When he saw their faith, he said, ‘As for you, your sins are forgiven.’”

Have you ever stood up for a friend or a family member when they were being picked upon or bullied on?

Have you made the choice to not go to a party or to leave a part when you knew drugs or alcohol was going to be present?

Have you stood up for a cause (right to life, child hood cancer, bullying in schools) that you believed in?

Stream of conscience writing: In what ways has God gifted me with the gift of Courage to discern what belongs to God and what

belongs to the world? How can I use the Gift of Courage in my life right now? What decisions will I be making where I might need to pray for the gift of Courage to know what

God might be calling me to do?

Gifts of the Holy Spirit Reflections

Fear of the Lord (wonder and awe) – Luke 5:1-11While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.3Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.

Summary/Reflection –

Out of respect and because of Jesus encouragement, Peter and the disciples lowered their nets one more time, after not being successful all night. But this time they were greatly rewarded! The nets were filled so full, but the author Luke notes, “and their nets were tearing.” They filled both boats to the point of nearly sinking. Peter’s response was one of wonder and awe in God’s presence - an attitude of amazement before God, who is all-present, and whose friendship we do not want to lose - he fell to his knees and recognized that he was not worthy to be in Jesus’ presence. This was early in the relationship with Jesus and these men, so they did not really know who they were dealing with yet.

How do you respond when God does something in your life? Do you act like it was a coincidence or as if it were a miracle?

Do you recognize there is a creator of our world? Do you operate with great faith or with a seed of doubt?

Stream of conscience writing: In what ways has God gifted me with the gift of Wonder and Awe to discern what belongs to God

and what belongs to the world? How can I use the Gift of Wonder and Awe in my life right now? What decisions will I be making where I might need to pray for the gift of Wonder and Awe to

know what God might be calling me to do?

Gifts of the Holy Spirit Reflections

Piety (reverence) – Matthew 21:12-13Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money-changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” His disciples recalled the words of scripture, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

Summary/Reflection –

At the feast of Passover, Pilgrims would travel from all over the “world” to celebrate, offer a sacrifice of some of their crop, heard, product from the year, as their law required and custom had become. There were times that the pilgrims were traveling so far that they were not always able to bring an animal to sacrifice so they were able to bring with them something to barter, trade or sell for an animal to become their sacrifice. At this time in the temple, these money changers were hiking up the price or the “fee” for the animal was extravagant, and the pilgrims were being ripped off. This made Jesus mad! That is not how God intended the sacrifice to be carried out. And no longer was the prayerful atmosphere of the temple maintained as a place for others to learn about and worship God. Jesus helped to restore order and reverence to the temple.

The gift of piety helps us with the practice of praying to God in true devotion. Is a gift that helps us love and worship God.

Do you make time to recognize God in your daily life and thank Him for his presence? Do you dress modestly for church? Are you in your best clothes, like dressed for a wedding

celebration or for the beach or pool party? Do you honor your elders?

Stream of conscience writing: In what ways has God gifted me with the gift of Piety to discern what belongs to God and what

belongs to the world? How can I use the Gift of Piety in my life right now? What decisions will I be making where I might need to pray for the gift of Piety to know what God

might be calling me to do?