Joseph Hollcraft MA
Theological Foundations CCP 210
Week 8: October 25, 2007

XIII. Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Rooted in the great prophecy of Is.11 where Isaiah speaks to the kinds of gifts that will rest upon the Messiah--“the stump from the tree of Jesse”. They are as follows: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge; piety; and fear of the Lord. These gifts are possessed in their fullness of Christ and are given to us when we are baptized. According to St. Augustine, the first seven Beatitudes correspond to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.

1. The Beatitudes are paradoxical promises that when we see things in light of their proper perspective they are turned upside down. These eschatological (pointing toward the end) promises have in them the exponential value of eternity. They also are seen as the law of the new covenant; the new order in which God makes saints out of those followers who wish to be “set apart”. Now let us consider St. Augustine’s study of the relationship between the Beatitudes and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit (De Serm. Dom. 1, 4, 11…search Catholic encyclopedia)…Also taken from the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible.

A. Poor in Spirit/ Fear of God: Reverence for God awakens the soul to their child-like spirit and helps realize their own poverty of heart. It is recognizing our moral weakness and dependence upon God.

1. Poverty steers all virtue (Benedict XVI, 76).

B. Mourning/Knowledge: Knowledge offers a correct estimation of created goods and their appropriate value before God.

1. Mourning is the beatitude that grieves man’s earthly plight.

C. Meek/ Filial love: Filial love moves the soul to adoration and worship and protects the soul against the hardened heart.

1. Meekness is not weakness, rather the calming presence in a difficult situation. Meekness is the voice of humility!

D. Hunger for righteousness/Fortitude: Fortitude is that gift of firm resolution to pursue holiness at all costs.

1. Righteousness and faith (Benedict, pg.89)…to walk in righteousness is to walk in holiness.

E. Merciful/Counsel: Counsel assists prudent decision-making and helps guard against the “folly: wisdom of the world; it acts as an interior guide. Counsel also is the “glove-ball” to mercy in that it steers proper compassion.

1. Consult Word of the Week on Mercy.

F. Pure of Heart/Understanding: Understanding offers insight into the mysteries of our faith, not just a mere intellectual understanding, but also a perception of the heart.

1. Pure of heart: recall that the heart in antiquity was the center of the person…the locus of love and obedience.

G. Peacemakers/Wisdom: Wisdom is the contemplative reflection into those things that are divine. Establishes the proper sense of spiritual welfare.

1. Consult the Word of the Week on Peace

H. The eighth beatitude is the summation of the previous seven. When you live out these beatitudes, you will be persecuted for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven!

Homework Assignment: Reflecting upon Mary in the CCC 144, 148-149, 721-726, 963-972…How does Mary teach us about theology, defined as “faith seeking understanding”?