FUNDAMENTAL TRUTHS ON THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

(Adapted from ‘A retreat with St Therese’ by Pere Liagre, C.S.Sp)

• First, that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are given to every soul at Baptism with sanctifying grace (and the supernatural virtues)

• These gifts are not given to Christian souls to remain barren and inactive. Instead, they are meant to produce in the soul the full flowering of the life of grace.

• God, the Holy Spirit, never inspires the soul with desires that cannot be gratified. He only awakens desires in order to satisfy them, and more completely than we can imagine or ask for…

• The gifts differ from the virtues in this, that they dispose the Christian, not to put himself in action, to “activate” himself, but to receive the impulse to act from God, from the Holy Spirit. The gifts suppose the supernatural virtues and perfect their mode of action. It is through them that the Christian becomes fully Christian, that is, acts and lives divinely.

• It follows that the gifts of the Holy Spirit and, therefore, the special actual graces which sets these gifts in motion – “activate them”- are not in any way exceptional favours, extraordinary graces, given to privileged souls, but graces offered and granted to every Christian soul of genuine goodwill.

• So what the soul obviously must not do is “activate” itself, put itself in motion, act on its own initiative, but, on the contrary, rather aim at becoming passive, so that it can be moved to action, be “activated” by the Holy Spirit. In the problem we are considering, this is obvious. In order to be moved, “activated” by another, we must clearly become passive.

• It is our inveterate habit, our natural tendency, always to want to act for ourselves. If we do not do so, we think that nothing is being done towards perfection, towards sanctity; we think that our sanctification depends chiefly and primarily on our personal activity. Our small minds love any notion which gives them importance. Hence our busyness, our restlessness, our natural activity. This is so true that when it is a question of submitting ourselves, of obedience to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we immediately, instinctively, begin to wonder what we ought to do; this is our first thought. It is obvious that be doing so we turn our backs on the true solution.

• In order to let the Holy Spirit put us in action – “activate” us – what is necessary is to be still, to be quiet, to keep ourselves in interior rest and peace. The soul is humble and calm, without disturbance or impatience, without haste or anxiety. Only then can the Holy Spirit activate us.

• So humility yes, but not humility alone, humility with a strong confidence in the compassionate love of God are two dispositions necessary for the Holy Spirit to act. Put these two dispositions in a soul of goodwill, and we can be absolutely certain that the Holy Spirit will act in it, will guide and enlighten it, support and strengthen it, and lead it rapidly to the degree to sanctity destined for it by God, a degree which certainly be a very high one.

• Such a soul must not desire or expect extraordinary lights from the Holy Spirit, words distinctly heard, revelations ….. or sensible, impetuous impulses towards unusual and striking actions…The normal action of the Holy Spirit on souls (save in exceptional cases) is gentle, sweet, silent ……He is the spirit of Love.

• Let such a soul, interiorly calm and recollected, do in simplicity each moment, what it thinks to be God’s will, putting self on one side, not worrying about itself, about its own wishes or desires. That is sufficient. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Love, will then be free to act; He will move that soul; the gifts of the Holy Spirit will enter into action, ceaselessly and with ever-growing perfection…

• We must no longer expect or desire to understand what is being done in us, not the end to which the Holy Spirit is leading us, the purpose of His moving; no longer want to scrutinize the way be which He is guiding us; no longer wish to guide ourselves. That is no longer our business; Let us trust ourselves, little, weak, ignorant as we are, to this Guide who knows all things, who can do all things, and who loves us.