Sunday 31 May 2009

Pray with Mary for the gits of the Holy Spirit.

We are told in scripture that after the Ascension the disciples went to pray in the upper room with Mary the Mother of Jesus. It seemed important to the disciples that Mary was there. Yet this often gets little mention. Now that Jesus had ascended the disiples would pray , yes, but there were still many things they had not fully understood. But Mary was there to guide them since she already was filled with the Holy Spirit and had the gifts of Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortutude, Knowledge Pietey, and Fear of the Lord. She would have insights
into the teachings and would be able to guide them in their searching until they too were filled with the Holy Spirit. If there is one thing that infuriates me in the Church today it is the total ignorance of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Great preachers are ready to talk about the Fruits of the Spirit but unfortunately you cannot have the fruits unless you first have the gifts. The reason for this is of course that we are not totally committed these days to the Catholic Church. We are not committed to the truths of the Catholic Church. So we are not ready to go out and bring people to Christ and the Truths of the Church, we just hide behind ecumenism to justify our own shallowness. What are these gifts that Mary had and we should have. Wisdom - I remember once visiting a husband and wife and the husband was a non catholic although he often came to Church with her. I had come to ask him to become a catholic. I was only 24 but I am still working out what happened. I showed a wisdom in the situation beyond my years. When my partner afterwards said I was marvellous I honestly replied that was not me. Understanding is being able to read into the human heart in situations like I described and know immedately what the person is feeling and be able to reach them at a spiritual level. Counsel is being able to say the right things in a way that people understand and feel comforted by. Fortitude is persevering whatever the difficulties and staying in love with God and people. Knowledge is being aware in any situation that someone is hurting and helping him or her to express themselves. I remember at a small meeting being aware that someone had a problem and I knew what the problem was and that she wanted to speak about it. I facilitated her. Piety is the gift of hoiness and Fear of the Lord is about the respect we have for God. Mary had all these before Pentecost and she must have been a blessing to the apostles. So Confirmation is not just a Sacrament we should receive whether we want it or not. These gifts to be used in the service of the Church and if a young adult or older peson is not practicing the faith then these gifts are pointless. The more holy the Church is the more these gifts will be in evidence and alas vice versa. Most Confirmation programmes are bult around having fun. But to return to Mary. She can help parents realise the gifts of the Holy Spirit they received. They can help them show wisdom and understanding to their teenager friends. We just have to awaken the gifts marked on our soul.     Mary of England, Pray for us.

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