Knowledge

5 Minute Meditations. Between now and Pentecost (May 23rd), we’re going to talk about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and the Fruits of the Spirit. The blog entries will be much shorter, but you can spend as much time in meditation, contemplation and prayer as you like.

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him:  a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be the fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:1-3) These seven gifts (piety is described, not labeled, in the verses that follow) are part of the blessings given the Messiah, Jesus, and therefore, given to Christians. We receive these gifts at baptism. They are strengthened in us in the sacrament of Confirmation when we affirm our identities as soldiers of Christ, that is, Christians who will battle sin in ourselves and in the world to bring about the Kingdom of Heaven.

Ponder: Knowledge is seeing our life as God sees it. Our life is like a flying carpet sailing across the sky. From earth, we look up and see a jumble of knots, stray threads, and colors with no pattern. But God looks down at the exact same carpet and sees the top side, the masterpiece our troubles are only one part of.

Knowledge is sometimes called “the science of the saints,” because it helps us tell the difference between inspiration from God and sinful suggestions from the devil. (Paraphrased from Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J., who wrote Modern Catholic Dictionary.) Knowledge gives us the ability to judge all things by the truths of our faith. Knowledge is knowing what God is asking of us. Knowledge of evil comes from doing evil, or from listening to what God says is evil.

Reflect: If you explained a troubling situation to God, would He see it the way you do? (Or reflect on the word or phrase that stood out to you.) Talk to Him about it … then listen.

Pray (and add your own words): An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. (Proverbs 18:15)

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