Pentecost signals the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, the unleashing of a new age, and the very beginning of the church. The work of the Spirit continues in our own time and is manifested in the gifts of the Holy Spirit which come to us, especially in the Sacrament of Confirmation. These gifts are wisdom, understanding, courage, right judgment, knowledge, reverence and awe. Given the times we live in, the tensions and divisions in our country and in our church, the violence that we witness in our streets and even in our schools, the affects of the pandemic both in terms of deaths and its continuing spread—all these forces and others can overwhelm us and lead to sadness and even despair.
That is why the gifts of the spirit seem so much needed at our moment in history.
Wisdom- to make careful decisions, rely on others for insight, look deeply into issues, move beyond the superficial and take time to reflect
Understanding– to strive for the deeper meaning of things, to see from a different perspective, to listen to what others say
Courage- to act from the heart, to overcome fear, to work through obstacles, to take the risk
Right judgment– to consider all sides, to see where the truth lies and pursue it, to root out falsehood
Knowledge- to determine what is true, to keep learning, to study the issues in depth
Reverence- to respect others and their opinions, to safeguard the dignity and wellbeing of every person, to honor oneself as well as others
Awe- to be struck by the beauty of creation, the presence of the holy, the wonder of oneself and others
Are the gifts of the Spirit in short supply or are we as Vincentians willing to make good on the spiritual gifts we have received and put them into practice? The church began with a tiny nucleus of ordinary people who were fired by the Spirit. So we too can be fired by the Spirit and use the gifts we have received to do our small part to “renew the face of the earth.”
