Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
When I was a pastor, the confirmation director asked that every student be interviewed by a priest in order to be confirmed. She would want the priests to have the students name the commandments, beatitudes, etc. I told her that for the first time meeting a priest, I wanted it to be a positive experience. So, we asked the students about their life and then asked them to think which gift of the Holy Spirit they needed most, given their particular circumstance, and then we prayed for that gift.
On this Pentecost, I invite you to do the same. As a reminder, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are:
Wisdom: Wisdom is a gift that allows us to understand things from God's point of view.
Understanding: Allows us grasp, at least in a limited way, the very essence of the truths of the Faith--The teachings make more sense to us.
Counsel: This gift allows us to judge how best to act in accordance with God’s will.
Fortitude/Courage: Gives us the capacity to stand up for good against evil and be convicted to take a stand when the occasion arises.
Knowledge: Allows us to understand the meaning and purpose God has for us and to live up to this meaning. It differs from wisdom in that it is an action.
Piety: The willingness to worship and to serve God. Piety takes that willingness beyond a sense of duty, so that we desire to worship God and to serve Him out of love.
Fear of the Lord: Helps us to understand the greatness and awesomeness of the Lord-- everything we are is due to the wonder, love, grace, and perfection of God.
In Christ,
Bishop Tim Freyer
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