Wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord. The Catechism lists these as Gifts of the Holy Spirit. If only they were as freely received as they are offered.
How it seems each year as the Christian faith celebrates the resurrection of Christ from the dead — the conquering of sin and death — that the world seems to enter a period of darkness in the shadow of the light. In Nigeria, 276 schoolgirls, many of them Christian, have been kidnapped while at school. The Christian girls were forced to make a public decry of their conversion to Islam, praying this would aid in their release. Civil unrest continues in many places, including Sudan, Crimea and Syria. Yet, we don’t need to look overseas for dark news. We open our eyes to see struggling in our own homes, schools and streets daily. The daily cry of the poor.
As we wait the 40 days to witness Christ’s ascension, and 10 more days before the descent of the Holy Spirit, we must not forget that the same spirit of Christ already dwells in the hearts of the baptized. We should be energized by the thousands of teenagers receiving the fullness of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation ceremonies around the Diocese of Providence during this season. These are the next battalions of soldiers for Christ, being prepared to take on these challenges. The darkness cannot overcome the light, it will not overshadow the truth. If we are to embrace change, seek joy, work for peace, we must hold tight the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
