Last night I had the privilege of being in the company of some special friends for what I thought was to be the last time. Over the past four years, I have been leading a Catechism study group in my parish. Last night was our final session and we were joined by our pastor Fr. Mike and our close friend Mary, who is the head of parish ministries. As we discussed what was learned over the past four years, something that had been obvious to me suddenly became apparent to everyone else in the room. The Lord had touched the group and everyone had been transformed. Everyone that started the course as a ?student? had become a ?teacher?. They may not teach in the formal sense, but they now realize that they are called to ?instruct? their co-workers, family, friends and anyone that God places in their path. They are prepared to teach not only by their words, but by their actions.

Scott, Michelle, Marilou and Joe ? you have been a bigger inspiration to me than you will ever know. Your willingness to study and accept the teachings of the Catholic Church inspired me personally and is a much needed witness in today?s society. On a more personal level, I now consider you all to be my close friends. It is a friendship built on the common bond of the teachings of Jesus Christ, and it doesn?t get much better than that!

Fr. Mike and Mary?thanks for allowing us to become a group and to meet in the parish. Thanks also for trusting in me to lead the group and for your words of support last night. I assure you that I consider it a sacred duty to be able to instruct people in the Faith and I will always treat it as a great privilege.

As it turns out, this isn?t the end for us. There is much work to be done and we are all up for the task. And if anyone doesn?t believe that the teaching of Jesus Christ through His Catholic Church can change people?s lives, my friends and I would have a serious problem with that! Our lives were all changed by studying the Catechism and yours can be also. If you don?t have a copy you need to get one? it is a masterpiece.

By the way, if you like what we?re doing over at The Catholic Truth website (www.thecatholictruth.info) and feel that it has helped you in any way , say an extra prayer for Scott, Michelle, Marilou and Joe ?they are funding it for the next year!

Thanks, guys? you?re amazing!

Fear of the Lord is easily the most misunderstood out of all the Holy Spirit?s gifts. Simply put, fear of the Lord is the gift of reverence for Him as our creator. It allows us to remember exactly who we are and who He is. This concept is often forgotten in today?s society as many people believe that they, not God, know best.

The gift of fear is the first step toward conversion for many who are far from God. It is also the beginning of love. Many of us were initially called to a deeper conversion because of the fear that we would someday by judged by Almighty God for our actions. Due to our fallen nature as human beings, we are prone to comfort-seeking, laziness and ultimately ? sin. Very few of us set out to sin because we want to be bad. Instead, we fall into sin because it feels good at the time. In his book My Daily Bread, Fr. Anthony Paone comments that when we bring sin into our life, we make ourselves an object of God?s justice. In other words, someday we will be accountable to God for what we have done in this life. Through the gift of fear, the Holy Spirit can prompt us to see forgiveness through the sacrament of confession and to reform our lives.

The Bible states that ?He who finds wisdom is great indeed, but not greater than he who fears the LORD. Fear of the LORD surpasses all else. Its possessor is beyond compare.? (Sir 25:10-11) and ?The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.? (Ps 111:10). St. Teresa of Avila writes, ?Love will make us quicken our steps while fear will make us look where we are setting our feet so that we shall not fall.?

In closing, let?s look at a prayer composed by Fr. Paone in his aforementioned book:

My God, I do not want to presume so much on your love or to forget your justice. You will someday deal with each man according to his works. I desire to make good use of all the gifts which your love daily sends me. May I never forget that I must one day account for my misuse of these gifts. This thought will help me to fight sin and to please you more in my daily life. Amen

Today, we return to our discussion of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit by examining the gift of Fortitude. For this discussion, I?d like to step aside and present the thoughts of three great Catholic theologians: Pope John Paul II, Mother Angelica, and Fr. John Hardon. They do a much better job explaining fortitude than I ever could!

Enjoy?

Pope John Paul II (from a homily on Sunday, May 14, 1989)
The gift of Fortitude is a supernatural impulse which gives strength to the soul, not only on exceptional occasions such as that of martyrdom, but also in normal difficulties: in the struggle to remain consistent with one’s principles: in putting up with insults and unjust attacks: in courageous perseverance on the path of truth and uprightness, in spite of lack of understanding and hostility. When, like Jesus in Gethsemane, we experience “the weakness of the flesh” (cf. Mt 26:41; Mk 14:38), or rather, of human nature subject to physical and psychological infirmities, we should ask the Holy Spirit for the gift of Fortitude to remain firm and decisive on the path of goodness. Then we will be able to repeat with St Paul: “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong” (1 Cor 12:10).

There are many of Christ’s followers – pastors and faithful, priests, religious, and laity, engaged in every area of apostolic and social work who in all times, including our own, have experienced and experience martyrdom of body and spirit, in intimate union with the Mother of Sorrows beside the Cross. All have been victorious thanks to this gift of the Spirit.

Let us ask Mary, whom we now greet as Queen of Heaven, to obtain for us the gift of Fortitude in all the vicissitudes of life and at the hour of death.

Mother Angelica (various reflections on fortitude)
He strengthens me with Fortitude when I feel too weak to accomplish the tasks He has given me.

It is one thing to accept the cross; but when there is no end in view and the cross gets heavier, the Spirit of Fortitude gives me the power to endure the things I can neither change nor eliminate.

I can accept a headache with comfortable ease knowing it will be better tomorrow, but if it were a painful cancer, I would have to ask for the Spirit of Fortitude.

I can accept a difficult personality for an hour or so, but if it is for a lifetime, I need the Gift of Fortitude.

I can accept misunderstanding for a little while, but when it turns into hatred and I am helpless to correct it, I need the Gift of Fortitude.

“My Power is at its best in weakness,” said Jesus to Paul?and this is Fortitude. (2 Cor. 12:9)

This brings me to another aspect of Fortitude?the ability to wait. It takes an inner power to wait and maintain any semblance of serenity. When I must wait for:
the conversion of a friend
the return of health, mine or others
the recognition of a job well done
the arrival of a loved one
the settlement of a dispute
the forgiveness of a friend
the reconciliation with an enemy
the cessation of pain
the control of my own weaknesses
the time when all men will be brothers
and the journey’s end
Then
I need the Gift of Fortitude

Fr John Hardon, S.J. (from a retreat for the Missionaries of Charity)
So the Gift of Fortitude, first of all, implies, that doing the will of God is not easy. We need help from the God who tells us what His will is, to do His will. Again, the Gift of Fortitude implies that there are obstacles to doing God?s will. I?ve got six obstacles, this is my way of preparation.

First, the obstacle from the very nature of things. Any things that we have to do are simply not easy.

Secondly, the difficulties that we have in doing God?s will, secondly, arise from our fallen human nature. WE just are not inclined to do what is God?s will. We want to do what we want. May not be very hard to do, but you?re not telling me what to do!

Thirdly, the difficulties arise from the world in which we live. The world makes doing God?s will difficult. And in fact, very difficult. It tries to make it impossible.

Number 4, what makes doing God?s will difficult? The devil. And he knows us. As I?ve said over the years to so many people, the more sincerely you want to serve God, the more the devil will tempt you, especially through discouragement, worry, anxiety.

Number 5, what can make doing God?s will difficult? It can be God?s plan for us. God has His own plan. He may have ours. God planned that I would become a religious, and go on for the Priesthood. You can?t imagine the obstacles that He put in the way.

Number 6, God designs of what He wants done. In other words, God has His own ideas. Once our minds are clear on what is God?s will, then we need fortitude. In other words, no matter what anybody else is doing, we know what God wants us to do, and we do it!

The Gift of Fortitude is a supernatural, inclination which enables the will to do great things for God with joy, without fear, and in spite of all obstacles.

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This dogma of the Catholic Faith was formally declared on December 8, 1854 by Pope Pius IX, although it was believed for many years prior to the official declaration. The teaching of the Church is that Mary was conceived without any traces of original sin. In other words, she was immaculately conceived.

Many times Catholics are unfairly criticized for “worshipping” Mary. The official Catholic teaching is that we venerate or honor her, but worship God alone. Certain non-Catholic Christian even attempt to refute the dogma of the Immaculate Conception by using Scripture. As evidence that the early Christians did believe in the Immaculate Conception and the veneration of Mary as the Mother of God, let?s look at a few quotes from several centuries ago:

“The veneration of Mary is inscribed in the very depths of the human heart.”

?Is Christ only to be adored? Or is the holy Mother of God rather not to be honored? This is the woman who crushed the Serpent’s head. Hear us. For your Son denies you nothing.”

?It is a sweet and pious belief that the infusion of Mary?s soul was effected without original sin; so that in the very infusion of her soul she was also purified from original sin and adorned with God?s gifts, receiving a pure soul infused by God; thus from the first moment she began to live she was free from all sin?

?She is full of grace, proclaimed to be entirely without sin?something exceedingly great. For God?s grace fills her with everything good and makes her devoid of all evil.?

?One should honor Mary as she herself wished and as she expressed it in the Magnificat. She praised God for his deeds. How then can we praise her? The true honor of Mary is the honor of God, the praise of God?s grace?Mary is nothing for the sake of herself, but for the sake of Christ?Mary does not wish that we come to her, but through her to God.?

Those statements were made in the 15th and wonderfully express the Catholic veneration of The Blessed Mother and her Immaculate Conception. I will tell you further that they were all stated by the same person. It is obvious that this individual had a deep devotion to Mary and realized that when we honor her, we give praise to The Lord. Were these comments made by one of the popes or a canonized saint? No.

All of those quotes come from Martin Luther, the father of the protestant reformation. But he got it right when it came to Mary! Don?t forget to go to Mass today, as it is a holy day of obligation. While you?re there, say a prayer for the soul of Martin Luther.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

The gift of Piety allows us to relate to God as our Father and the rest of mankind as our brothers and sisters. It helps us to see everyone as a child of God. Through this gift, the Holy Spirit teaches us to have a childlike relationship with God the Father. It also helps us to understand that God always wants what is best for His children.

According to St. Thomas Aquinas, piety also helps us to have a childlike love for our Blessed Mother, the angels, saints and the souls in purgatory. In an earthly sense, it also helps us love the Pope, our parents and those who are in positions of lawful authority over us. Overall, the gift of piety gives us a desire to please God in all things and helps our prayer to become more affectionate. If your prayer life ever becomes dry and cold, it would be wise to pray for an increase in this gift.

Tomorrow is the solemnity of The Immaculate Conception of Mary and we?ll take a break from discussing the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Please make it a point to attend Mass, not only because it is a holy day of obligation, but also because it makes Jesus very happy when you honor His mother!

Today we?ll look at the gift of Counsel. This gift helps us to have a good conscience and keep on the path that leads to God. In Psalm 32, God reassures us of this gift, ?I will instruct you and show you the way you should walk, give you counsel and watch over you.? (Ps 32:8) It is comforting to know that this guidance is available to us whenever we need to make a decision. Unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult to break from the attachment to our own human judgment and trust in the counsel provided by the Holy Spirit. In his book The Way, St. Josemaria Escriva writes, ?Never make a decision without first stopping to consider the matter in the presence of God.? How many times do we follow that advice?

If we doubt that God truly provides that kind of guidance to us, we should listen to the words of Jesus. ?When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.? (Mt 10:19-20) and ?The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name–he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.? (Jn 14:26)

We?ll close with a prayer for an increase in the gift of counsel written by St. Alphonsus Liguori:

Holy Spirit, divine Consoler, I adore You as my true God, with God the Father and God the Son. I adore You and unite myself to the adoration You receive from the angels and saints. I give You my heart and I offer my ardent thanksgiving for all the grace which You never cease to bestow on me. Grant me the gift of counsel, so that I may choose what is more conducive to my spiritual advancement and may discover the wiles and snares of the tempter.

The gift of knowledge enables man to understand created things as signs which lead to God. Sometimes we forget that God can be seen in all of His creation. A beautiful sunrise, a snowy winter day, the members of our family, our co-workers…These are all examples of God’s creation. Even such inventions as the Internet and high definition television can lead us to God if we use them correctly. The gift of knowlege helps us to do this.

In his book My Daily Bread, Fr. Anthony Paone writes, “Your daily life is a journey toward eternity. The knowledge which helps you to gain Heaven is the first and most important knowledge for you.” We should never lose sight of the fact that our main goal in this life is to reach Heaven. If any created thing is holding us back from that goal, it really has no place on our life. Sometimes this can be difficult, especially if it involves a relationship. However, we can utilize this gift of the Holy Spirit to guide us to the right decision.

We can also ask the Blessed Mother to intercede for an increase in a gift of knowledge. In the the words of St. Josemaria Escriva, “Mary is also the mother of knowledge, for it is with her that we learn the most important lesson of all, that nothing is worth while if we are not close to Our Lord. All the wonders of this earth, the fulfilment of our every ambition, all this is worthless unless the living flame of love burns within us, unless there is the light of holy hope giving us a foretaste of never-ending love in our true homeland in Heaven.”

Here is a reality check for those of us who are attempting to protect the rights of the unborn. Planned Parenthood in Indiana is now offering gift certificates that can be used for abortion, birth control and other services. According to their announcement, customers are encouraged to ?give the gift of health this holiday season?.

Despite the spin that Planned Parenthood is putting on this, it serves as a reminder that we need to continue praying and standing up for life whenever possible. It sickens me to think that the birth of Our Lord can be commemorated by giving the gift of murder!

Read the article below:
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=14494

The gift of understanding provides us with a deeper knowledge of the mysteries of Faith. In the words of Saint Teresa of Avila, ?It is like one who, without having learned anything, or having taken the slightest trouble in order to learn to read, finds himself in possession of all existing knowledge.?

Understanding allows us to have a better grasp on the truths of Faith such as Purgatory, the Trinity, Mary?s Immaculate Conception and Assumption. This gift also allows us to better understand The Bible and the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. If you are having difficulty comprehending any of these things, consider praying for an increase of the gift of understanding. You could join your prayer with that of King David in the Old Testament, where he asked The Lord, ?Give me understanding, that I may keep the law and observe it with my whole heart.? (Ps 119:34)

As with all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we receive them as ?seeds? and they must be ?watered? in order for them to grow. The ?water? that we need is found in the Sacraments and prayer. Advent is a great time to focus on how we could better allow the gifts to grow in us. Maybe we could attend daily Mass one extra time during the week or read the Bible for 10 minutes a day. Possibly we?re overdue for the sacrament of Confession and we could vow to go soon. How about a visit to pray before the Blessed Sacrament? All of these things will help to increase the gift of understanding (as well as the other gifts) and bring us closer to The Lord.

Today we?ll begin looking at the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit by examining the gift of wisdom. Wisdom is God-given knowledge, not learned from books, that provides us with a more intimate and joyful insight into God and His mysteries. This gift enables us to better know God and divine things. It can be illustrated by the words of Jesus when He states, “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.? (Mt 11:25) In other words, there is a type of revelation that no amount of studying can produce as it is directly infused into our soul by God. It allows simple souls to ?see with the eyes of God?.

The concept of a heavenly wisdom can further be seen in scripture where James contrasts it with earthly wisdom,? Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show his works by a good life in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. Wisdom of this kind does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity. (James 3:13-17)

St. Augustine tells us, ?Wisdom is the knowledge of Divine things.” It allows us to ?see things from God?s perspective?. In his book, The Three Ages of the Interior Life, R. Garrigou-Lagrange writes, ?The gift of wisdom, the principle of a living contemplation that directs action, enables the soul to taste the goodness of God, to see it manifested in all events, even in the most painful, since God permits evil only for a higher good, which we shall see later and which it is sometimes given us to glimpse on earth.? The gift of wisdom enables us to better understand how God will often allow crosses to enter our lives in order to bring about a greater good. We may not comprehend exactly what the greater good is, but we will be more inclined to trust God’s judgment.

The saints teach us that wisdom is closely related to the virtue of charity. Therefore, the more one loves God, the more capable they are of receiving this gift. And the more that the gift of wisdom increases in the soul, the more capable of loving God one becomes.

We?ll end with a prayer by St. Thomas Aquinas, asking God for an increase in the gift of wisdom: Lord, give me wisdom, the companion of Your throne, that it may ever be with me and labor with me, so that I may know what is acceptable to You, Lord God. Who is there that can know Your meaning unless You give wisdom and send Your Holy Spirit from on high.