WEDNESDAY REFLECTION
Mid-week Reflection:
Memorial of St Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs of the church in Uganda
Charles and his friends infuriated King Mwanga. Because of their faith in the Lord they refused to respond to his immoral advances. The evil king had them burned to death. There were many other African martyrs at this time, some of them of secondary school age. They were filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, promised by the Lord! Do you know how many gifts there are? Can you name them? Since we have just celebrated the Solemnity of Pentecost, let me remind you of the seven gifts. They are:
Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety and Fear of the Lord. Would you like to know what they are called in Latin? They are: Sapientia, Intellectus, Consilium, Fortitudo, Cognitio, Pietas, et Timor Domini. When school resumes, I might ask you to name them….in Latin! Saint Thomas Aquinas says that four of these gifts (Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel and Knowledge) direct the intellect, while the other three gifts (Fortitude, Piety, and Fear of the Lord) direct the will toward God. They are similar to virtues but there is a difference. Virtues operate under the impetus of human reason, prompted by grace, whereas the gifts operate under the impetus of the Holy Spirit; the former can be used when one wishes, but the latter, according to Aquinas, operate only when the Holy Spirit wishes. These gifts help us to grasp the things of God and the things of this world in the proper order, they help us to understand what to do in particular situations, they help us to persevere, and have reverence for God and the fear of offending God out of love for him. To put it simply – the gifts of the Holy Spirit help us to raise the eyes of our mind to God.
Let us Pray:
Father, pour into our hearts the consolation, life and light of the Holy Spirit, so that we may remain ever faithful to Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Monsignor Monaghan
