The 7 Gifts Of The Holy Spirit – Knowledge

Posted on June 12, 2011 by Gary Zimak

Closely related to the gifts of wisdom and understanding, the gift of knowledge enables?us to?view 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 are all examples of God?s creation.? Even such inventions as the Internet and?television can lead us to God if we use them correctly.? While we?should?enjoy created things, the gift?of knowledge helps us from becoming too?attached to them.??

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.

St. Josemaria Escriva, the founder of Opus Dei, recommends asking Our Lady for help in obtaining an increase in the gift of knowledge:

?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.?

Next: The Gift of Counsel

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The 7 Gifts Of The Holy Spirit – Understanding

Posted on June 11, 2011 by Gary Zimak

When trying to understand God and the teaching of His Church, we are limited by the fact that we’re human.? Without Divine assistance, it’s impossible for us to grasp God’s revealed truths.? Fortunately, the Holy Spirit comes to our assistance with the gift of understanding.? This gift 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.?? In his Summa Theologiae, St. Thomas Aquinas observes that through the gift of understanding, God is “glimpsed here below”.? ?

While the theological virtue of faith allows us to accept?Divine revelation because we trust in God, the gift of?understanding enables us to?better grasp some of the concepts that we accept by faith.? For example, it gives us insight into dogmas such as Purgatory, the Trinity and Mary?s Immaculate Conception.??This gift also allows us to better understand The Bible and the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.??All of a sudden, “the light bulb goes on” and?mysterious?Church teachings start to make sense!??

If you’re having difficulty with some of the more challenging and complex teachings of the Catholic Church, I recommend that you pray for an increase of the gift of understanding.? You could even model your prayer on King David’s words in the Old Testament:

??Give me understanding, that I may keep the law and observe it with my whole heart.? (Psalm 119:34)

Next:?The Gift of Knowledge

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The 7 Gifts Of The Holy Spirit – Wisdom

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Gary Zimak

Today we?ll begin looking at the 7 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 better insight of God and His works.? 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).??Wisdom 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 St. 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.?? This gift will often allow us to trust God, even though all the details of His plan?may not be clear.

The saints teach us that wisdom is closely related to the virtue of charity.? The more we love God, the more capable?we are of receiving this gift.? Furthermore, the more that the gift of wisdom increases in the soul, the more capable of loving God one becomes.

Let’s end with a prayer composed 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?

Next: The Gift of Understanding

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A Beginner’s Guide To The 7 Gifts Of The Holy Spirit

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Gary Zimak

As we approach the Solemnity of Pentecost, I thought it would be a good idea to focus on the 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit.??Referenced in the Bible?by the prophet Isaiah?(Is 11:1-10),?these gifts?remain a mystery to many Catholics.??Those of you who remember the Baltimore Catechism will probably be able to rattle them off instinctively, but for the benefit of anyone who isn’t familiar with them, the 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, piety and fear of the Lord.

Over the course of the next several days, we?ll discuss each gift in detail.? For today, let’s just look at the gifts in general.? The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) teaches that we initially receive the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of Baptism.

The anointing with sacred chrism, perfumed oil consecrated by the bishop, signifies the gift of the Holy Spirit to the newly baptized, who has become a Christian, that is, one ?anointed? by the Holy Spirit, incorporated into Christ who is anointed priest, prophet, and king.
(CCC 1241)

The sacrament of Confirmation then ?completes? the grace received at Baptism.

1. From this fact, Confirmation brings an increase and deepening of baptismal grace.
2. It roots us more deeply in the divine filiation which makes us cry, ?Abba! Father!
3. It unites us more firmly to Christ.
4. It increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us.
5. It renders our bond with the Church more perfect.
6. It gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross.
(CCC 1303)

Those of us who have received the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation possess the Holy Spirit and the?7 gifts, but what does that actually mean?? Tomorrow, I’ll begin to look at the gifts in detail by focusing on the gift of wisdom.?? For now, let’s close with a prayer taken from a novena to the Holy Spirit.?

O Lord Jesus Christ Who, before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of Your Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me that He may perfect in my soul, the work of Your grace and Your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal, the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth, the Spirit on Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven, the Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my cross with You and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation, the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the Saints, the Spirit of Piety that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable, and the Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark me, dear Lord with the sign of Your true disciples, and animate me in all things with Your Spirit. Amen.

Next: The gift of Wisdom.

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Catholicism Rule Of Thumb: The Message Is More Important Than The Messenger!

Posted on June 8, 2011 by Gary Zimak

Whenever someone says, “I belong to Paul,” and another, “I belong to Apollos,” are you not merely human?? What is Apollos, after all, and what is Paul?? Ministers through whom you became believers, just as the Lord assigned each one.? I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth.? Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth.? The one who plants and the one who waters are equal, and each will receive wages in proportion to his labor.? (1 Cor 3:4-8)

Those of us who constantly try to learn more about Catholicism generally have our “favorite” sources.? We have our favorite authors, priests, websites, devotions and even Saints!??Some speakers inspire us while others “bore us to tears”.? What works for one person often doesn’t work for someone else.? While there’s nothing wrong with favoring certain sources, we want to be sure that we’re following the message and not just the messenger.??

As evidenced by the above Scripture passage, this problem is nothing new.? St. Paul is reminding the Corinthians that, although he and Apollos are preaching the “Good News”,? it is actually God who is doing the work.? He was attempting to prevent the people from becoming?followers?of human messengers and encouraging them to focus on the message of Jesus Christ.

What’s the harm?in having a favorite Catholic preacher, you might ask?? Usually nothing, as long as?we keep things in their proper perspective.? If?we start to focus more on the messenger than the message, however,?there could be?negative consequences.? What happens if our favorite speaker starts to depart from Church teaching and veers too far to the right or too far to the left?? How about if that person is involved in a public scandal?? What do we do when our beloved parish priest gets transferred?? If we’re not careful, becoming too attached to one person could do serious damage to our faith.

What’s the solution?? Simply to remember that God uses many fallible instruments to accomplish his work.? Try to avoid putting any minister, no matter?how holy they seem,?on a pedestal. ?Focusing too much much on the messenger can cause us to miss the Lord’s message.? Some prefer Scott Hahn, others like Father Mitch Pacwa and some are inspired by listening to their parish priest.? The important thing to?remember is?that they’re all presenting the “Good News” of Jesus Christ…

and that’s what REALLY matters!

Posted in Bible, Saint Paul, Scripture | 1 Comment

The Bible Verse That Every Lukewarm Catholic Should Read…

Posted on June 7, 2011 by Gary Zimak

If I had to describe my Catholic faith for most of my life, one word comes to mind…

LUKEWARM!

Even though I’ve always been a “practicing” Catholic, most of my life was spent simply going through the motions.??Although I would go to Mass each week, my mind was on the “important” things that I had to do?when I got out of Church.? After receiving the Lord in Holy Communion, I would?look around, daydream and think about what I should?have for lunch.? I’d grab my?bulletin and?head for my car, happy that I fulfilled?my duty as a Catholic and even happier that I wouldn’t have to go again for another week!?

In 2005, a health scare caused me to abandon my uncaring ways and start caring about my faith in a BIG way!? As someone who finally realizes the treasure we have in the Catholic Church, I have dedicated my life to sharing the “Good News” with as many people as possible.? While I fully believe that the Lord used my illness to get my attention, I wonder how long He was actually calling me before I finally listened??

While I can’t guarantee that it would have brought about my reversion sooner, I believe that the following Bible verse may done the trick.? It should get the attention of?every?lukewarm Catholic.? I don’t know how the Lord could be any more blunt with His message.? It’s a message that is directed to anyone who doesn’t care that they don’t know more about their Catholic faith.? It’s a message that just may have gotten me to “wake up” several?years ago.? It’s a message you should share with any lukewarm Catholics you care about…

“I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot.? I wish you were either cold or hot. ?So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”? (Revelation 3:15-16)

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Now It Makes Sense!

Posted on June 6, 2011 by Gary Zimak

Over the past several days, I’ve been discussing how the Bible can be used to support the argument that the Catholic Church is the one, true Church established by Christ.? We started our journey by looking at the fact that God wants everyone to be saved and come to knowledge of the truth.? In my last post, I examined Jesus’ instruction that we must eat His Body and drink His Blood in order to acheive eternal life.? This command greatly confused His disciples and caused many of them to scatter.? It wasn’t until the Last Supper that it all became clear.

Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ?This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.? And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, ?This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you (Lk 22:19-20).

Now the words about eating His Body make sense and thankfully it has nothing to do with cannibalism!? Our Lord didn?t say that ?this REPRESENTS my Body? or ?this SYMBOLIZES my Body?.? He said, ?This IS my Body?.?? Is there a church that believes that Our Lord?s Body can actually exist under the appearance of bread and that follows His command to ?do this in memory of me??? This sounds like the Catholic Mass?and, come to think of it, the Catholic Church fits all of the other scriptural requirements, but it can?t really be ?the Church?, can it??

Although some folks literally “stand on their head” to explain away all of the Bible passages that support Catholic doctrine, the evidence is clear.? If you are Catholic, you can take comfort in the fact that our beliefs are totally in harmony with the Bible.? If you are not Catholic, I invite you to compare the teachings of your church to God?s Word contained in?Scripture.? Look at the passages we discussed, meditate upon them and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to ?the truth?.? A careful and honest study of Scripture has brought many people into the Catholic Church.? If you would like to learn more about becoming Catholic, please contact your local Catholic parish or?email me.

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Father Benedict Groeschel: “Thank You Mary!”

Posted on June 5, 2011 by Gary Zimak

Do you believe in the power of Mary’s intercession?? A few weeks ago, I was blessed to be able to visit the Miraculous Medal Shrine in Philadelphia.? Despite having worn a miraculous medal for many years,? I’ve been forgetting to turn to Our Lady as much as in the past.? In what could hardly be called a coincidence, I was contacted by Lizanne Magarity Pando (the Shrine’s Director of Communications) who offered me a guided tour of the shrine.? While I was there, a special?feeling came over me and I?felt an increased devotion and love for my Mother.?

I’ve already seen some miraculous intervention in my life, due to Our Lady’s intercession. If it’s been a while since you’ve done so, “call” your Mom…she misses you!

Listen to Father Benedict Groeschel speak about his love for Mary and the Miraculous Medal.

Posted in Marian, Mary, miraculous medal | 4 Comments

The Most Important Words Jesus NEVER Said

Posted on June 4, 2011 by Gary Zimak

Ordinarily, when we look at the public ministry of Jesus, we focus on His words.? His parables, commands and sayings provide us with the guidelines needed to live good Christian lives.? In one case, however, what Jesus didn’t say is of equal or greater importance than what He did say.? Over the past few days, I’ve been looking at some Scripture passages supporting the Catholic Church as the one, true Church.? Today, let’s look at the Lord’s Bread of Life discourse, where He gave an astonishing teaching, using a combination of words and silence.

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 (Jn 6:53-66).

Jesus said that eating His flesh and drinking His blood is necessary in order to have eternal life.? This created quite a stir among His disciples, as evidenced by their comment about it being a “hard saying”.? Throughout the ages, many who don’t believe in the Catholic?teaching of the?Real Presence, have argued that Jesus wasn’t speaking literally.? They feel that He was just speaking figuratively.? If that’s the case, why are His words difficult to accept?? They are difficult to accept because everyone standing there that day knew that Jesus was speaking literally and really meant what He said.? It didn’t make sense to them.? How could they eat His Body and drink His Blood?? As further proof that Jesus really meant what He said, Scripture tells us that many of His disciples walked away, returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied Him!?

If Jesus was only speaking figuratively, wouldn’t it make sense for Him to call them back and clear up the misunderstanding?? Instead, He said…

NOTHING!?

Why?? Because He meant exactly what He said previously.

Next:? The “difficult” words of Jesus suddenly make sense as He celebrates the Last Supper (Luke 22:19-20).

Posted in apologetics, Bible, Eucharist | 1 Comment

Why Bother Praying For Kevorkian?

Posted on June 3, 2011 by Gary Zimak

When I heard that Dr. Jack Kevorkian died, my first thought was to pray for his soul.? Did I want to?? Not especially, but it was the same thought that occurred to me when Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein passed away.? While we often find it difficult to pray for people who did “bad things”, it’s something that we must?do. ?Here are 5 reasons why we should pray for Kevorkian, bin Laden, Hitler and all of the other people who we “don’t like”:

1. Some People Need More Help – By all accounts, Dr. Kevorkian assisted many people in committing suicide.? Osama bin Laden, Hussein and Hitler’s transgressions are well documented…they all did some “bad” things.? They have a lot to account for.? They need our prayers BADLY!

2.? It’s A Spiritual?Work Of Mercy – Praying for the living and the dead is a spiritual?work of mercy, as taught by the Church.? We are commanded to pray for all of the dead, not just the “good ones”.

3.? Show Mercy =? Receive Mercy – If we refuse to forgive or show mercy to Kevorkian, bin Laden, and other “bad men”, then we can’t expect the Lord to be merciful to us.? In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Mt 5:7).? When it’s my time to be judged, I want all the mercy I can get!

4. They Can’t Help Themselves – We are given a finite period of time to merit the reward of eternal life.? Once we die, the time for proving ourselves is over.? The souls of the deceased can no longer help themselves and must depend on our intercession.? In an excerpt from her diary, St. Faustina?documents the powerful message given to her by Jesus:

” Pray as much as you can for the dying. By your entreaties, obtain for them trust in My mercy, because they have most need of trust, and have it the least. Be assured that the grace of eternal salvation for certain souls in their final moment depends on your prayer. You know the whole abyss of My mercy, so draw upon it for yourself and especially for poor sinners. Sooner would heaven and earth turn into nothingness than would My mercy not embrace a trusting soul. (1777)

5. The Bible Tells Us To – In 2 Maccabees 12:46, Judas Maccabeus made atonement for the dead, in order that they may be delivered from their sin.? The fact that he prayed for them to be “freed from their sin” implies that it’s acceptable to pray for sinners!? Praying for the dead has been a constant practice of the Church as evidenced by the following statement from a bishop and doctor of the Church:

“Let us help and commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.” (St. John Chrysostom)

Even though it’s difficult, the Church teaches that we?should always remember our deceased brothers and sisters.? The fact that they committed evil acts doesn’t make one bit of difference.? Furthermore, when you are facing your own judgment day, some of these same “bad guys” may be praying for you!

Posted in death, mercy, prayer | 21 Comments