In His farewell speech to the Apostles, Jesus tells them that He will return to the Father, but will not leave them orphaned (John 14:18). The Father will give them another advocate – the Holy Spirit. We receive the Holy Spirit, through our Baptism and our Confirmation. At Mass it is the Holy Spirit that transforms the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, forms us in prayer and guides the Church so it can teach without error. And it’s the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, who continually empowers the faithful to boldly share the Gospel message. More than 2,000 years ago the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles in the Upper Room and has been guiding the Church ever since. The Spirit the Apostles received then is the same Spirit that will fortify those making their confirmation today at the Cathedral.
Confirmation is an unleashing of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Prior to the Apostles receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, they are timid and confused. And yet as soon as they receive, they are bold, great preachers that are ready to face the world. The sacraments of baptism, confirmation and Eucharist are interrelated and all three are required for full Christian initiation. Christians are born anew by baptism, strengthened by confirmation and receive food for eternal life in the Eucharist.
The Church teaches that through the sacrament of confirmation, there is a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the faithful and they are given strength to share the Good News. Receptivity of the Holy Spirit is probably the most critical. Hearts need to be open to the gifts because oftentimes people open a gift and put it back up on the shelf in the closet. They don’t realize it’s for every day. The seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit are:
Wisdom – is both the knowledge of and judgment about “divine things” and the ability to judge and direct human affairs according to divine truth
Understanding – is penetrating insight into the very heart of things, especially those higher truths that are necessary for our eternal salvation—in effect, the ability to “see” God
Counsel – allows a man to be directed by God in matters necessary for his salvation
Fortitude – denotes a firmness of mind in doing good and in avoiding evil, particularly when it is difficult or dangerous to do so, and the confidence to overcome all obstacles, even deadly ones, by virtue of the assurance of everlasting life
Knowledge – is the ability to judge correctly about matters of faith and right action, so as to never wander from the straight path of justice
Piety – is, principally, revering God with filial affection, paying worship and duty to God, paying due duty to all men on account of their relationship to God, and honoring the saints and not contradicting Scripture. The Latin word pietas denotes the reverence that we give to our father and to our country; since God is the Father of all, the worship of God is also called piety
Fear of the Lord – is, in this context, “filial” or chaste fear whereby we revere God and avoid separating ourselves from him—as opposed to “servile” fear, whereby we fear punishment
The seven gifts are indispensable resources in the struggle to establish the kingdom and are, in a sense, a byproduct of actively engaging in spiritual warfare. If a person does not bother to equip himself properly for battle, he should not be surprised to find himself defenseless when the battle is brought to his doorstep. They are properly termed “gifts of the Holy Spirit” because the Holy Spirit bestows them. Therefore, they are supernatural gifts operating in a supernatural mode or manner. These are not gifts one simply invokes in times of emergency; rather, these gifts are present to the person as long as he remains in a state of sanctifying grace. As such, these gifts help a person attain sanctification and bring to perfection virtues, both the theological virtues (faith, hope, and charity) and the infused virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance). The idea here is that these gifts help a person to share in the very life and nature of God, now in this life and for eternal life.
Dear God, we pray for the gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. May we always feel the presence of the Holy Spirit directing us and guiding us. May we use the gifts that the Spirit offers to help others who struggle with decisions in their own lives. May we do all this in love and service to you, O Lord. Amen.