Thursday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

THURSDAY, June 9th   Mt 5: 20-26   “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.”

OBEYING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS: OBEDIENCE—THE TRUE LIBERTY OF THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

It is more than probable, that for most of us who take our faith seriously, when we hear of the TEN COMMANDMENTS, it triggers the idea: Which of them did I break, before going to Confession? Actually, this is a sign of a good conscience and a desire to do the will of God and to be in the will of God.

I would surmise that it never occurred to you when reflecting on the Ten Commandments, the ways in which we can strive to obey or to observe the Commandments. (By the way, they are Commandments and not suggestions!!!)

Therefore, just to wet your spiritual appetite and motivate you to work on refining your conscience more thoroughly, we will list the Ten Commandments and highlight at least one way that we can put into practice each commandment, instead of breaking it.

Just as an aside, referring to the Ten Commandments, a rhetorical question: Who was the first person to break all of the Ten Commandments simultaneously? The Response: Moses, when he broke them on seeing the Israelites worshiping the Golden calf!!!

THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

1. I am the Lord your God. You shall not have other gods besides me.

2. You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain.

3. Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.

4. Honor your father and your mother.

5. You shall not kill.

6. You shall not commit adultery.

7. You shall not steal.

8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.

10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.

Let us enter into the adventure and highlight at least one way in which we can implement or put into practice each and every one of the Ten Commandments. This should help in the overall formation of our conscience. It should also serve as a means to upgrade our reception of the Sacrament of Confession, also known as Reconciliation.

First Commandment: I am the Lord your God. You shall not have other gods besides me. One sure-proof way that we can be observing this first and most important of all the Commandments, which is the foundation of all of the Commandments, is the concept of PRAYER. If I am seriously striving to give more time to prayer, reading up on prayer, and seeking spiritual direction to grow in my prayer life, then undoubtedly, I will be growing towards living out the First Commandment. In fact, prayer is a loving relationship of Friendship with the Lord, as expressed by the Doctor of Prayer: Saint Teresa of Avila.

Second Commandment: You shall not take the Lord’s Name in vain. A superb way in which we can avoid this sin is that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven, on earth and under the earth.” (Philippians 2:10) A practice taught and strongly recommended by the Sisters of old was the following: upon hearing the Name of Jesus, reverently bow your head. What a powerful and beautiful example displayed to others.

Third Commandment: Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day. Principally, this Commandment refers to our assistance and participation in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on Sundays and on Holy days of Obligation. Let us upgrade our participation by arriving 20 minutes early to pray before Mass, and why not the recitation of the most Holy Rosary. Saint Pope Paul VI stated in his Apostolic Exhortation Marialis Cultus (Feb 2, 1974) that we should not pray the Rosary during Holy Mass; however, as a means of preparation for Mass or thanksgiving after Mass, the recitation of the Holy Rosary is superb!

Fourth Commandment: Honor your father and mother. Let’s turn the tables in the sense that this Commandment also refers to Mothers and Fathers working on being better parents towards their children. Suggestion: Mom and Dad, beg good Saint Joseph to help you to improve in your parenting skills—to improve in bringing your children closer to the Holy Family: Jesus, Mary, and Good Saint Joseph!

Fifth Commandment: You shall not kill. How? Get involved in the PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT. At least once a month, walk in front of an abortion clinic and pray the most Holy Rosary—a beautiful Pro-Life prayer—to both repair for the sins of abortion, as well as to repair for the millions already perpetrated!

Sixth Commandment: You shall not commit adultery. Avoiding the Capital Sin of Lust and practicing the opposing virtue of Faithfulness in the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony would be that every spouse would strive every day, on a daily basis, to do something to please or make happy their spouse. Start today—even if it is something as simple as a radiant and glimmering smile!

Seventh Commandment: You shall not steal. Pope Francis on the Day of Communications 2022 mentioned that we should strive to exercise the Apostolate of the ear—meaning: the Apostolate of listening attentively to others, especially those in our own families. Shakespeare put it bluntly: “Lend me your ears!”

Eighth Commandment: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. This commandment refers to communication and the gift of speech. What exactly is the fundamental purpose of our mouth opening up in speech? A concise but substantial definition might be the following: The purpose of speech or communication is to communicate or transmit the truth with love. May the Holy Spirit, who taught the Apostles the art of speech and communication that first Pentecost in tongues of fire, come to our assistance in this most noble enterprise!

Ninth Commandment: You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. We live in a world of images—Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, etc. Some images are good; many unfortunately are ugly and degrading. A very helpful means to live out the 9th Commandment is to enthrone the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary in our homes, look at them with love every day, and pray as a family in front of them. Indeed, the family is the Domestic Church.

Tenth Commandment: You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods. This sin is related to avarice, comparing and wanting more and more, and never really being satisfied with what we have. Perhaps the best we have in literature is the classic of Charles Dickens, made into a movie numerous time—A Christmas Carol. The positive living out of the virtue contrary to avarice is the converted Ebenezer Scrooge. Not the bah-humbug, conniving, grasping, materialistic hoarder. Rather, the Scrooge, who after confronting the reality of death, learns that true happiness resides in giving with an open hand and heart, and not accumulating money. May we be the Scrooge after his encounter with the reality of death! May we seek out the poor, disabled and suffering “Tiny-Tim’s” and lift them high on our shoulders by active giving. Saint Paul expresses it clearly: “There is more joy in giving than in receiving.” (Acts 20:35)

As a summary, let us all make a concerted effort to grow in age, wisdom and grace before God and man by imitating Jesus. Let us frequently examine our conscience daily and strive to avoid at all costs breaking the Ten Commandments. However, let us strive even more to put into practice the Ten Commandments. If done, we will truly experience the freedom of the sons and daughters of God.

Wednesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

Tuesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

“For greater things you were born.” (Ven. Mother Luisita)

TUESDAY, June 7th   Mt 5: 13-16   “You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lamp stand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”

For our light to shine before others, we must return to the Ignatian concepts of consolation and desolation. We all experience desolation. The key is moving from the darkness of desolation back to the light of consolation, so we can be a light for others. Today, Fr. Ed gives us tools to do just that.

MOVING FROM THE DARK TUNNEL TO SUNSHINE by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

The damp, misty, drizzling Monday morning, in which I leave home with a slight headache and nose-drip, can most appropriately describe the state of soul called Desolation. Indeed, there are hours, perhaps even days in which we feel as if we were traversing a tunnel that seems to have no outlet! Or if you like, days in which we feel as if we were meandering aimlessly through a dark interior, a humid and foul jungle, entangled in an emotional and spiritual tug of war in which the battle seems all but lost. These images describe the interior state of soul that St. Ignatius calls Desolation.

Fr. Tim Gallagher, OMV frequently asserts that nobody should be ashamed about experiencing this state of desolation or even finding oneself within this state. However, it is incumbent upon us to strive to use all the means at our disposal so as not to succumb to the state of desolation. Because if we do succumb, this can wreak havoc in our lives. Indeed, it could lead to irreparable damage. Sad to say, many make an attempt even against their life when immersed in the dark interior jungle of desolation.

Therefore, given that the reality of desolation is a universal phenomenon that characterizes all times, cultures, and persons, we will offer some concrete remedies so we can exit the dark night, the deep pit, the meandering misty jungle of our interior state of desolation. It must be said that many of our moral and spiritual pitfalls happen due to human fragility, but many also due to ignorance of desolation—our lack of intellectual and spiritual formation.

GAME PLAN/STRATEGY TO CONQUER THE STATE OF DESOLATION

1. HUMBLE RECOGNITION OF THE STATE. Even though this point may appear to be obvious, it may not be when we are immersed in the state of desolation. We should humbly admit to ourselves and to God, who is always ready to help us, that we are in desolation. Our faith is low, as well as our hope and charity. Sadness, discouragement, even depression seem to be knocking and seeking entrance into our heart. There is the overall desire to simply chuck in the towel and abandon the fierce struggle. We must stop even for a moment and admit: “No doubt: I am in the state of desolation!”

2. PRAY IMMEDIATELY. When the devil battles to manipulate us, almost like puppets on a string, plunged as we are in an intense state of desolation, the enemy can launch arrows of deceit with these poisonous words: “Pray? Why? That is a waste of time… it never helps you anyway!” Our reaction to the wily attacks of the enemy of our soul should be agree contra—to react against the temptation and to pray immediately and all the more fervently! “Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.” (Ps. 124:8)

3. THANK GOD! St. Paul states: “Give thanks to the Lord in all circumstances!” (1Thess 5:18) True to himself, the devil will attack and try to persuade you with this idea: “Thank God? That is hypocrisy. You don’t feel like doing that. You are not in the mood. You must be true to yourself!” However, calling to mind one of the many benefits and blessings that God has showered upon you in your life can truly help to dissipate the mist of desolation imbuing your soul!

4. TALK IT OUT: BRING IT TO THE LIGHT! In desolation the devil works overtime. The devil always works, but in desolation he works time and a half. Satan desires that when we find ourselves cast into desolation, we keep it to ourselves, top-secret. The reason being, in talking out desolation with a spiritual guide or friend in the spirit, we humble ourselves, and the devil takes flight in the light of a humble soul!

5. WAY OF THE CROSS / STATIONS OF THE CROSS. One of my past spiritual directors told me that in his personal experience, when he found himself cast into an intense state of desolation, by making the Stations of the Cross, without fail the desolation was conquered. Our suffering compared to the sufferings of Jesus on Calvary are reduced to nothingness! Also, knowing that He willing went through all of this for love of me and you is so consoling.

6. CONTEMPLATE GOD’S BEAUTIFUL BOOK OF CREATION. Still another tool or weapon in the imperious struggle to conquer desolation could be contemplating some aspect of God’s beauty in creation, even for a short interval. The sunset or sunrise, the fluffy white clouds in a blue sky, the raiment of God’s beauty in the rainbow, the meadows decked with a variety of flowers and the redolence of their heavenly fragrance. St. Ignatius was enthralled and captivated by the stars shining in the dark night sky. God’s beauty reflected in His creation can cast out the gloom of a dark and murky soul immersed in desolation.

7. INVOKE THE HOLY SPIRIT. In the classical prayer to the Holy Spirit, we beg for the grace to always rejoice in His consolation. What a marked contrast: the devil insists on chaining us to an inner, somber cave of darkness called desolation. On the contrary, the Holy Spirit yearns to fill our whole being with an overflowing wave of consolation. The Holy Spirit is a God of joy, happiness and consolation! Pray: “Come, Holy Spirit, come through the Heart of Mary.” This short but fervent prayer can melt the icy glacier of desolation encrusted in our soul!

8. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY/EXERCISE. As a child, I remember the wisdom and advice of a good Mother. When she noticed I was in a state of tension, sadness, disorientation that we call desolation, she would tell me to go outside and play. By an intense engagement in some form of physical activity, whatever the source of desolation might have been, it evaporated and vanished. In desolation we cave in on ourselves; physical activity is going out of ourselves, often to others! 

9. HUMBLY BEG FOR THE PRAYERS OF OTHERS. Jesus said: “Where two or more are gathered in my name, I am in their midst” and “Where two agree in my name, my Father will hear their prayer”. (Mt 18: 19-20) In desolation, humbly asking for prayers can be the means that turns the tide from desolation to consolation. If it were not for the prayers of St. Monica, we would never have experienced the conversion of St. Augustine. In the movie Little Boy, this little guy’s prayers, said with fervor and faith, actually moved the majestic mountain. Prayers of other prayer-warriors can move the smaller mountains of our interior state of desolation.

10. MARY: OUR LIFE, OUR SWEETNESS, AND OUR HOPE. It is recorded in the life of St. Frances de Sales that as a youth he traversed an intense period of profound desolation. Having lost sleep and much weight, with almost a total loss of hope, he entered into a Church dedicated to Our Lady of Victory in Paris, knelt in front of a statue of Mary, and prayed the prayer the Memorare to Our Lady. “Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection was left unaided….” Like a dark and dense mist exposed to the sunlight at midday, his desolation evaporated, and peace and joy invaded his soul. Then Frances de Sales went on to become a priest, Bishop, writer, Founder, Doctor of the Church and great saint! Thanks to the intercession of Mary—our life, our sweetness, and our hope! May Our Lady, cause of our joy, lift us from the dark valley of despair to the heights of the summits of holiness and joy!

Copyright 2022 Oblates of the Virgin Mary / St. Peter Chanel Church, Hawaiian Gardens, CA

Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church

“For greater things you were born.” (Ven. Mother Luisita)

MONDAY, June 6th   Jn 19: 25-34   “When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her in to his home.”

We could argue that these are the most important words of Jesus on the cross for us—when His Mother became our Mother!

MARY—THE BEST OF ALL MOTHERS IN THE WORLD! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

There exist in our world the best athletes, the best artists, the best writers, the best musicians; also, it must be said, there is the best of mothers. By far and in a class by herself, the Blessed Virgin Mary was, is and always will be the best of all mothers.

This being said, mothers should recognize the fact that Mary is the best of all mothers and contemplate Mary’s words, actions, gestures, looks, intentions and life to become better and better mothers.

For our great consolation Mary is the Mother of God and she is the Mother of the Church, but also Mary is our dearest Mother too! Let us try to please Mary our Mother and as a consequence, the many mothers in the world will make huge strides in becoming better mothers all the days of their lives!

Below we will present ten different ways that we can show Mary, our Mother, our great love for her and without a doubt, through her most powerful intercession, she will attain for us the most choice graces to help us become the saints that we are called to be, and many of us as mothers!

1. TALK TO HER.  

We have to get into the habit of talking to Mary, our dearest Mother, very often. To confide in her, speak to her from our hearts, love her and entrust all of our lives to her is most pleasing to her, as well as to her Son Jesus, the Son of God and the Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary is our Model, our Guide, our Friend and our dearest of Mothers. She loves us so much and desires to have frequent conversations with us. Let us start today! Good friends think about each other and talk frequently! Mary is our Mother, but she is also our friend and confidant!

2. START YOUR DAY BY CONSECRATING YOURSELF TO MARY. 

Upon waking up every morning our first action should be that of prayer, and what prayer? Why not start your day by giving yourself totally to Jesus, in all you say, do and think, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary? Give to Jesus through Mary your eyes, your ears, your mind, your heart, your body and even your intentions—in a word, give everything to Jesus through Mother Mary. How important it is to start our day well through the Heart of Mary!

3. LOVE HER. 

A Mother never gets tired of hearing her child say: “Mom, I really love you; you are the greatest!” The temptation might be to say the following: “Well she already knows it, why tell her something that she already knows.” True, a good Mother most likely already knows it. However, it should be expressed in words. By saying: “Mom, I really love you”, the heart of the mother will leap with joy. The same must be said about Mary our Mother. In the simplest of words when we say: “Mother Mary, I love you”, then Mary the Mother of God experiences great joy in her most pure and Immaculate Heart. Therefore, during the course of the day we should simply say: “Mother Mary, I love you!”

4. WALK AND TALK WITH MARY!  

There is a well-known song in both Spanish and Italian dedicated to Mary related to this topic with the title: Santa Maria del Camino—meaning, “Our Lady of the Way”. Therefore, when we travel, and it can be a short trip or a very long one, we should invite Mother Mary to come along with us. She is a good travelling companion and can protect us from many dangers in our travels, perils both physical and moral. How many accidents, both physical and moral, have surely been prevented by travelling with Mary—Santa Maria del Camino!

5. IMITATE MARY. 

If we know somebody in a very deep way, that often leads to imitation, and imitation to following, and following to a deep love for that person. Saint Louis de Montfort highlights the ten principal virtues of Mary that we should strive to imitate: her deep humility, lively faith, blind obedience, unceasing prayer, constant self-denial, surpassing purity, ardent love, heroic patience, angelic kindness, and heavenly wisdom. (True Devotion to Mary, St. Louis de Montfort # 108)

6. TRUST AND ENTRUST TO MARY.  

If we truly have confidence in a person then we can entrust our cares to that person, knowing that this special person will care for us and protect us. God the Father entrusted His only begotten Son to the care of Mary. Therefore, we can entrust our lives totally to the care of Mary, our dearest and most loving Mother. “Never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection was left unaided.”  (The Memorare, St. Bernard)

7. SORROWS AND FAILURES. 

We could be tempted by the enemy, the devil, who truly hates Mary, to feel inhibited in telling Mother Mary our sorrows and deep sufferings. The contrary should be the case! The best of mothers, Mary knows very clearly that when a child is most hurt and wounded, that is when the child needs the most tender love and care. So it should be with us! When the days seem to be the most cloudy, bleak, gloomy and downright depressing in the depths of our souls, it is then that we really need to open up and talk to Mary our Mother! Mary is both refuge of sinners and health of the sick—two titles for Mary in her famous Litanies!

8. TEMPTATIONS TO SIN: CALL UPON MARY! 

Our life is a constant battle; we are soldiers of both Jesus and Mother Mary. That means that we are on a constant battle-ground. Our enemies are three: the devil, the flesh, and the world. Aware of this intense reality of spiritual combat, we should call upon the Holy Name of Mary in the midst of the battle and the victory will be ours! The famous Battle of Lepanto proved a striking victory through invoking Mary and the recitation of the most Holy Rosary, at the insistence of Saint Pope Pius V. May we entrust our battles to Mary, who is more powerful than a whole army in battle array! The mere name of Mary causes terror and fear in all of hell!

9. PROMOTE LOVE FOR MARY AS MOTHER. 

If indeed we have truly experienced the love, care, and tenderness of Mary in our daily lives, then undoubtedly we will want to make Mother Mary known far and wide.  Mary is not loved and honored due to one principal reason: she is not known! How can she be made known? In many ways! Encourage the reading of good books on Mary like The Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus Liguori, True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis de Montfort, and Mater Redemptoris and The Blessed Virgin Mary and the Rosary both by Saint Pope John Paul II. Encourage recitation of the Holy Rosary and praying it daily, give out Rosaries with pamphlets on how to pray the Rosary, and finally, encourage the wearing of the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

10. DIE IN THE ARMS OF MARY. 

The most important moment in our life is the very moment that we die. This moment will determine for all eternity our eternal destiny—either heaven or hell.  Why not prepare to die in grace, to die a holy death, at least 50 times a day? How, you might ask? Simply by praying the most Holy Rosary. Every time we pray the Hail Mary, we are preparing ourselves for a holy and happy death with these words: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Therefore, let us rejoice with the keen awareness that we all have a heavenly Mother, Mary the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church, and our dear Mother. She knows us, cares for us, protects us, but especially, she loves us! Indeed, in the midst of the trials, struggles, intense battles of life let us find our refuge in the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus!

Pentecost Sunday 
Mass during the Day

“For greater things you were born.” (Ven. Mother Luisita)

SUNDAY, June 5th   Jn 20: 19-23   Alleluia: “Come, Holy spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.”

Ignatian Repetition: Let us relish again this excellent and thorough exposition of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit that can help us soar high in the spiritual life! Which gifts do you desire most?

GOD’S SEVEN GIFTS TO THE SOUL By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

One of the best analogies given in years past describing the Presence, Power and Perfection of the Holy Spirit is a SAILBOAT. This was before electricity, motor-driven vehicles, or the electronic world. The sailboat is an analogy used in the Middle Ages or earlier.

THE SAILBOAT AND OTHER MEANS OF WATER-TRANSPORTATION.  Imagine that you wanted to cross a lake and the distance was five miles. Ruminating upon the various options, these surfaced in your mind. Swimming? You would have to be in top shape, with great stamina, knowing how to swim against the current. A canoe? Maybe more likely than swimming! A rowboat with two rowing? More manpower and direction.  Finally, the following occurs to you. A massive Sailboat with an excellent captain and crew, but most important: seven strong, robust sails. Bingo! Of all the options, the sailboat wins the prize. However, the key to maneuvering the massive ship to shore would be detecting and discerning where and when the wind was blowing. Then the Captain would have to raise the sails to catch the wind, of course with the strength and ability of the crew men.

SPIRITUAL INTERPRETATION OF THE ANALOGY OF THE SAILBOAT. 

The Fathers of the Church offer us a symbolic interpretation of the Sailboat and Sails related to the working of the Holy Spirit and His Seven Gifts. Here we go! The Sailboat is our soul. The shore is eternal life to which we all aspire and yearn! The uncertain and sometimes rough waters symbolize our struggles with the world, the flesh, and the devil that we must conquer with the help of God’s grace.

Now the Seven Sails are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Piety, and Fear of the Lord. Unless these sails are raised in the right time and place, they are practically useless. The wind is the Breath of God, a term to define the Holy Spirit. The Captain of the Sailboat might be considered our will that must be directed toward the Will of the Heavenly Father. The other crew men are our spiritual friends on earth, as well as our friends in Heaven—we call them the saints. 

The analogy explained, now let us strive to the best of our ability and the help of God’s grace, and the workings of the Holy Spirit, to understand the seven sails—the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The nature of God is goodness and generous giving to all of His creatures, especially man and woman. Among the many Gifts bestowed upon us from God are the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. These Gifts God generously gives to those who want to receive them as a powerful means to arrive at the goal and purpose of our existence—Our Heavenly Home. God gives generously of Himself, but He respects our freedom. We must willingly and with docility open our hearts to these wonderful Gifts.

WHERE AND WHEN?  Many have believed and maintain that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit enter the soul upon receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation. Not so! How easy it is for us to underestimate the important and abundant Gifts God bestows upon us at our Baptism. Not only does Baptism transform us into sons/daughters of God, brothers/sisters of Jesus, intimate friends of the Holy Spirit, and temples of the Blessed Trinity, there is still more. At the moment of Baptism God gives us with utmost generosity the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Of course this does not diminish the importance and efficacy of the Sacrament of Confirmation that fortifies and enlivens the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

SPIRITUAL EXERCISES: STRENGTHEN YOUR SPIRITUAL MUSCLES.  As in the physical realm where the body and its muscles must be exercised to be strong and not become flabby; so it is in the spiritual realm. The spiritual muscles—which include the Gifts of the Holy Spirit—must be exercised to maintain spiritual fitness. How true the saying of the young generation: “If you don’t use it, you lose it!”

GETTING TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Having explained the origin and reception of these Seven Gifts, we will now proceed to explain succinctly these seven heavenly Gifts that originate from the loving goodness of God the Father, the Giver of all good gifts. Once again, let us give the list: Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Piety, and Fear of the Lord. The first three —Wisdom, Knowledge, and Understanding perfect the intellect; Counsel serves as a bridge between the intellect and will; the last three—Fortitude, Piety and Fear of the Lord work on elevating and purifying the will. Let us start with the most important or the greatest, according to Saint Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic Doctor—the Gift of Wisdom.

1. GIFT OF WISDOM.  A concise and pithy definition of Wisdom follows as such:  “Wisdom is the Gift of the Holy Spirit by which we interiorly relish all the things that pertain to God.” Saint Thomas Aquinas specifies this Gift as perfecting the theological virtue of Charity. The opposite vice opposing Wisdom would be that of folly or foolishness. One of the best Parables exemplifying folly is the Parable of the Rich Fool. He places a premium on gathering, collecting and hoarding possessions for his future ease, pleasure and comfort. The “live it up”… “It’s Miller time” mentality. Jesus calls this man a fool because that very night his life will be brought to a screeching halt. Where will all his possessions go? To the birds or to the Government in today’s world!

What then are manifestations of the Gift of Wisdom operative in a docile and open person?  They might be seen as the following.

1) Word of God.  They relish reading and listening to the Bible, the true Word of God.

2) Mass.  They long and hunger for the Eucharist: the Bread of life.

3) Retreats.  If they have a free weekend, or even a week, they long to spend time on retreat so as to recharge their spiritual batteries.

4) Prayer.  Following the injunction of Jesus: “It is necessary to pray always without giving up hope” (Lk 18:1), they never grow weary of prayer. The more frequent the prayer, the better!

5) Spiritual Reading.  Keenly aware of their ignorance of many theological truths, they long for time in the day to apply themselves to spiritual reading so as to fill in the many gaps in their knowledge of the Faith and even go deeper.

6) These two Biblical verses can put the frosting on the cake for Wisdom. “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord” (Ps 34:8). “As the deer yearns for the running streams, so my soul yearns for you my God” (Psalm 42:1).

2. GIFT OF UNDERSTANDING.  This Gift also works on purifying and perfecting the intellect. This Gift endows the intellect with Divine Light to penetrate the Truth as revealed in Sacred Scripture. Two Biblical passages come to mind: The Disciples on the Road to Emmaus encountering Jesus; and Jesus appearing to the Apostles afterwards in the Upper Room. Both times He opened up their minds to an understanding of the Scriptures. Back-tracking to Emmaus, it was the pilgrim, the wayfarer, the friendly Companion, Jesus Himself who opened up their minds to understand many Biblical references in the Old Testament that pointed to Jesus, His suffering, death and Resurrection. Consequently, their hearts were burning within them as Jesus explained the Word to them and gave them understanding of the Word that referred to Him.

How then does the GIFT OF UNDERSTANDING operate in our lives? Let’s see!

1) DESIRE TO READ THE BIBLE. Understanding linked with Wisdom motivates us to find time to read and meditate with hunger on the Word of God.

2) LIGHT TO PENETRATE ITS MEANING. Not only is there a real longing to break open the bread of God’s Word, but also the Word will jump out of the page to grab us, to help us grasp its real meaning and significance in our lives.

3) THE WORD MOVES US TO ACTION. The young Saint Anthony of the Desert heard the Word of God read two times. As a result, different than the rich young man in the Bible who was motivated by folly, Anthony gave all his money and possessions to the poor and went on to become one of the greatest saints in the Church. He is actually considered the Father of Eastern monasticism.

4) THE WORD IS A LANTERN FOR OUR STEPS AND A LIGHT FOR OUR PATH. 

(Ps 34:8) The Psalmist accentuates the fact that the Word of God, through the Gift of Understanding, becomes a Light to guide us in all our steps and decisions.

5) IN OPPOSITION TO THE WORLD AND ITS VALUES. The person imbued and guided by the Gift of Understanding opposes the spirit of worldliness and all the lies that spew forth from wordily values. Jesus stated it clearly: “Seek first the Kingdom God and His righteousness and everything else will be given to you as well.” (Mt 6:33)

3. GIFT OF KNOWLEDGE. This Gift penetrates the intellect with the ability to perceive God’s handiwork both in Creation, as well as in the ordinary circumstances of life.

1) The quotation of Saint Paul in Athens, taken from the poet, expresses the truth best: “In Him we live and move and have our being.” In other words, through the Gift of Knowledge, we are given the spiritual insight to live constantly in the Presence of God. (Read the book of Brother Lawrence: Living in the Presence of God.)

2) The beauty of nature points to the Author of all beauty—God, the greatest of all artists. Saint Frances of Assisi penned an Italian poem in which he perceived the beauty of God in all natural creation. His inspired writing is known as “Canticle of Brother Sun and Sister Moon.” Look it up and relish it!

3) In addition, the Gift of Knowledge enlightens us to a keen awareness of God’s Hand present in what is called DIVINE PROVIDENCE—nothing happens by chance! Rather, all circumstances in life are both allowed, permitted and directed by the loving and wise hand of God’s Providence. Even sufferings, apparent failures, contradictions, persecutions are allowed by God so that good may be derived from them. As Augustine and the saints emphasize: “God allows apparent evil so that He can bring greater good from it.” The persons imbued with and motivated by Knowledge live in trust and peace because they allow God to take the steering wheel and direct the circumstances of their lives. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31)

4. GIFT OF COUNSEL. This Gift serves as bridge between the Intellect and the Will. This Gift actually perfects the Moral/Cardinal Virtue of Prudence which is the art of decision-making. If you like, Counsel is right decision-making in action. How important this Gift is for parents, teachers, educators, politicians, priests, Superiors, Bishops and all those who must make weighty decisions. Saint Thomas Aquinas points out the three steps of making a prudential decision that must lead to action. It is precisely the Gift of Counsel that enlightens the intellect and perfects the Virtue of Prudence to make good and right decisions. These are the three steps explained by Saint Thomas Aquinas, the brilliant “Angelic Doctor”:

1) DELIBERATION. By this is meant the intellect must apply itself to serious reflection, pondering, ruminating—that is to say, a very serious thought process. Of course, and this is logical, the more important the decision and action to be taken, the more time should be given to deliberation.

2) DECISION. After allowing sufficient time for deliberation, the decision must be made. At times, in serious matters, it is highly prudent and advisable to seek advice from a qualified spiritual director. This is both humble and wise. We all have blind spots and should have recourse to experts in spiritual direction to shed light upon our darkness.

3) EXECUTION. This is the technical terminology of Aquinas; in layman’s terms it means to carry out the decision, to put it into action. One of the major dangers or obstacles with respect to execution is the individual who is prone to procrastination—putting off carrying out the decision without sufficient reason. In a word, once the decision has been made, the execution of the decision should be swift and decisive without turning back.

All of the above comes into the realm of the Cardinal or Moral virtue of Prudence perfected and motivated by the Gift of the Holy Spirit of Counsel. Examples of greatest importance in decision-making would be the following: 1) Choice and place of Higher Education—college or University, 2) Choice of one’s profession, 3) Choice of one’s vocation, be it marriage, the priesthood, or Religious life. These are momentous decisions that should be considered under the guidance of Prudence perfected by the Gift of the Holy Spirit—that of Counsel.

Again, it is highly prudent and advisable to seek advice from a qualified spiritual director on these important matters. May Our Lady of Good Counsel pray for us!

5. GIFT OF PIETY. The virtue of piety must be distinguished from the Gift of the Holy Spirit—Piety. The virtue of piety might be defined as a reverential attitude before the Sacred. Whereas the GIFT OF PIETY is much deeper and richer and might be defined as such: “The filial and confident love we have for Our Heavenly Father who truly loves and cares for each one of us as His son/daughter. Which leads us to a universal love for humanity, as well as all persons individually, because we are all brothers and sisters brought into existence and loved by the same loving Father.” Somewhat of a long definition but quite substantial and necessary! What then does this entail? How does this Gift of Piety influence our way of living, our view of God the Father, other people and life in general? Enormously! But especially in two realms or dimensions: our view of who God the Father is and how He acts; followed by the way or manner in which we see and treat other people with their own stories and sufferings. Let us delve into these two specific areas and PIETY.

1) PIETY AND OUR RELATIONSHIP TO GOD THE FATHER—THE OUR FATHER PRAYER. Being permeated and influenced by the Gift of Piety in our relationship to God, we arrive at a deep and penetrating understanding of God the Father, most specifically in the prayer, The Our Father. In concrete, we come to recognize God the Father not as an abstract, abstruse, ethereal myth of the past, quite the contrary: He is alive and present in our life! As Father, He gave us life; He sustains us in existence; He loves us tenderly; He cares for us and always desires what is best for us in all times and places. If you like, magnify the love of the best of fathers on a human level, then know that God the Father loves us a million times more and always. His love and care for us is as permanent and solid as a rock. Even when suffering comes knocking at our door—and this is inevitable—still we have TRUST in God the Father as our Father! We know and firmly believe that, “God the Father knows best.” We live in the present moment; God lives in the eternal-now. He takes into account what is best for us in all times—past, present and future.

2) PIETY AND OUR RELATIONSHIP TO OTHERS.  As a logical consequence of the Gift of Piety and our relationship to God as loving Father, there necessarily follows our relationship to our brothers and sisters. If God indeed is our loving Father, then all of us belong to the same human family and we should have love for each other. Saint Thomas Aquinas defines love/charity as that of willing the good of the other. Therefore, what is inimical and diametrically opposed to the Gift of Piety is any form of prejudice. If we look down on, despise, marginalize or reject any person due to race, culture, economic or educational status, age, sickness this frustrates and blocks the flow of grace in our souls that operates with the Gift of Piety. In sum, let us trust and love our Heavenly Father, and as a consequence, let us strive to live out the last and greatest of Jesus’ commandments: “Love one another as I have loved you.” (Jn 13:34)

6. THE GIFT OF FORTITUDE.  This Gift of the Holy Spirit perfects the moral virtue of Fortitude. Of utmost importance in our life, the Gift of Fortitude gives us interior strength to follow Christ, especially in the realm of the cross. Jesus says, “Whoever wishes to follow me must renounce Himself, take up his cross and follow me.” (Mt 16:24)

1) FORTITUDE AND THE REALITY OF SUFFERING.  To be human is to enter into a world with many moments of joy, but also many circumstances of suffering. The Gift of the Holy Spirit of Fortitude imbues and invigorates our entire being with the courage not simply to suffer, but to sanctify our sufferings. The adage is true: “Suffering can make us either better or bitter.” Bitter? Yes, when we suffer with no meaning or purpose to our suffering. Angry, bitter, caustic and sarcastic people, and often gossipers, are very frequently those who suffer but with no apparent meaning or purpose. 

2) THE GIFT OF FORTITUDE unites us in mind and heart to the sufferings of Jesus. Keenly aware of the immensity and all-embracing power of the Passion, suffering, cross and death of Jesus, Fortitude lifts us up to Jesus on the cross. We actually become one with Jesus on the cross. We learn how to live out those short three words we learned at our mother’s knee: OFFER IT UP! For the salvation of a multitude of souls!!! (See Number 3.)

3) THE ALTAR AND MASS.  Once these sufferings are deposited on the altar in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass then these sufferings have Infinite Value.

4) PATIENCE AND FORTITUDE.  Closely connected with the Gift of Fortitude is the practice of the virtue of patience. We are coming to the awareness that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit work on perfecting many virtues. We all need patience and a lot of this virtue. The Gift of the Holy Spirit of Fortitude imbues our spirit with patience in dealing with others; it invigorates us to be patient with ourselves and our many limitations; finally, it helps us to be patient with God and learn to wait on God’s timing and not our timing.

5) APEX OF FORTITUDE: MARTYRDOM!  The very apex, summit, zenith of Fortitude is the call to Martyrdom and the acceptance of this extraordinary Gift from God. Saint Ignatius states that we do not have the grace for martyrdom except in the time, manner and moment that God in His Divine Providence call us to it. This being said, if God offers this supreme and sublime manner to honor Him, by the suffering and sacrifice of one’s life, God will give us the sufficient and abundant graces to suffer it. It is a supreme and sublime gift most especially because it is the imitation of Christ who suffered and sacrificed His life for us on the cross.

6) FORTITUDE IN DAILY LIFE.  However, the Gift of the Holy Spirit of Fortitude is necessary in our daily walk with the Lord, the daily small but trying crosses. Fortitude enlightens our mind to understand our sufferings—even though they be small—as a means to be united with the cross of Christ. When accepted and carried out, we sanctify ourselves, the Church, our family, as well as the whole world.

7. THE GIFT OF FEAR OF THE LORD.  The Bible teaches us, “Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Prov 9:10) Saint Thomas Aquinas points out that Wisdom is the greatest of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. However, Piety should be the first in operation.   The Gift of the Holy Spirit of Fear of the Lord is closely linked to the virtue of humility.

1) The Gift of Fear of the Lord enlightens us to a keen awareness of the fact that we are all very weak. We are all prone to fall and moral failure. We realize that without God’s prevenient grace, His all-abiding grace, His preventive and all-sustaining grace—we are capable of not only sinning, but sinning quickly, as well as seriously! In a word, following the teaching of Saint Augustine, the “Doctor of Grace”, we recognize that all the good we have done is due to God’s grace; and all the evil we have done is due to our failure to correspond to God’s grace.

2) Jesus warned the Apostles in the Garden of Gethsemane: “Stay awake and pray; for the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” (Mt 26:41) Saint Paul understood this clearly when he asserted that the good he wanted to do, he did the exact opposite due to weakness of the flesh.

3) Saint Philip Neri saw a man in the gutter in the streets of Rome and exclaimed: “There go I save the grace of God.”

4) Saint Therese reaffirmed Saint Neri’s statement by saying that she would be capable of all of the most heinous crimes and sins of humanity, save the grace of God. She went on to say that the primary reason why she did not fall into many sins was simply because “God cleared the way.” In a word, God intervened and cleared the moral pitfalls that all of us can be plunged into at any time, in any place. The worst of sinners can become the greatest of saints; but also the greatest of saints can be transformed into the greatest of sinners!

5) SAFEGUARD FROM ETERNAL CONDEMNATION.  The Gift of Fear of the Lord can serve as a most efficacious remedy to avoid losing our soul in Hell. “Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom.” And: “If the love of God does not move us, then at least Fear of the Lord and God’s just punishment can move us to change and give up sin.”

6) MEDITATION ON THE REALITY AND POSSIBILITY OF HELL.  We all want an ever-growing love for God—that must be our aim! However, if we have not yet arrived at a true and sincere love for God, than Fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom can help us avoid falling into mortal sin, or at least help us get out of it as quickly as possible by a good Confession. Many saints have been motivated by Fear of the Lord sparked by the contemplation of Hell! In fact, Our Lady of Fatima portrayed the reality of Hell to the three little children—Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco, and it motivated them to do great things for God by sacrificing themselves for sinners, with Francisco and Jacinta becoming two of the youngest saints in the Catholic Church. All related to Fear of the Lord.

In conclusion, friends in Jesus and Mary, let us get into the Ship (our soul). The rough waters represent the tempestuous world in which we live amidst so many dangers and temptations. Let us lift on high the Seven Sails (the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit)! As Captain (our free will) let us open up those sails as wide as possible to catch the wind (the Breath of God, the Holy Spirit)! Then the ship (our immortal soul, worth more than the whole created world) will sail smoothly and on course to the shore (Our Heavenly Home). Yes, the shore is our eternal destiny—Heaven! 

All of us are called to become saints—to be authentic followers of Jesus Christ who truly is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Why not take the short-cut? Allow the gust of wind, the Holy Spirit, to inspire and invigorate those Gifts to be active and operative in our lives on a constant basis. Also, may we never forget to call upon Mary! Indeed, Mary is the Daughter of God the Father, the Mother of God the Son, and the Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit. Saint Louis de Montfort asserts vigorously that Mary is the shortcut to God, to holiness, and to Heaven.

Let us beg Mary for the grace of being open and docile to the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.   Mary, Seat of Wisdom, pray for us. Mary, Our Lady of Good Counsel, help us to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Our Lady of Sorrows, grant us strength and Fortitude in our trials. Our Lady of Charity, teach us to love God as our tender Father and all as our brothers and sisters. Mary, Most Holy, help us to grow in holiness and sanctity through and intimate union with the Holy Spirit. Amen.