St. Anthony the Abbot Catholic Church

On Pentecost Sunday in 1544, St. Philip Neri was praying in the catacombs in Rome. He describes how he was praying and a ball of fire entered his mouth and lodged in his chest. When he regained his senses, he found a swelling on his left side, which remained with him the rest of his life. Ever after, when he was deep in prayer or administering the sacraments, his heart would beat so violently that others could hear it. After his death the autopsy revealed that several of his ribs were cracked by an enlarged heart. This is unique in the history of the Church.

 

Why do I tell this story? Most of us probably won’t have a ball of fire enter our hearts and enlarge them. But this is actually what the Holy Spirit does, although usually not in a physical way. He brings us new life, and that means the ability to truly love.

 

The Church teaches us that there are 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit. These gifts prepare us to receive the Holy Spirit’s inspirations in our hearts.

 

Wisdom, which gives us a “taste” for the things of God. We experience delight in what is right.
Understanding is the gift of the Holy Spirit that gives us a deeper sense of the

meaning of the teachings of the Church.

Knowledge enables us to judge everything by the light of heaven.
Counsel helps us to speak the words that will draw others closer to God.
Fortitude gives us the strength to keep trying to love and be faithful to God

and to our calling when things get tough.
Piety gives us reverence toward God and toward each human person.
Fear of the Lord brings us to avoid sin because we love God and don’t want to offend Him.

 

St. John Paul II said that he asked the Holy Spirit every day to give him these gifts in greater abundance. If he needed to do that, perhaps we should try it, too.

 

So my challenge is to learn these gifts of the Holy Spirit (you can find an in depth list on the internet or in the Catechism of the Catholic Church), and to pray for them each day this week. As we do that, we’re opening the door to that new life the Holy Spirit brings.