Gifts & Fruits of the Holy Spirit

GIFTS and FRUITS of the Holy Spirit GIFTS are what we are GIVEN by God to participate and grow in the Trinity They make us more attentive to the voice of God and make it easier to follow his plan in our lives FRUITS are the effects of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. They are what we EXPRESS as a result of our faith and love. Through the fruits of the Holy Spirit, our soul begins to experience the peace and freedom that God has planned for us.

Scripture for Gifts & Fruits of the Spirit Isaiah 11:1-3 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord— and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; Galatians 5:19-24 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT …make us attentive to the voice of God, which render us susceptible to the workings of actual grace, which make us love the things of God, and, consequently, render us more obedient and docile to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. In other words, opens our hearts to God’s help and guidance through our choices and actions and opens us to the guidance we need to follow God’s plan.

7 GIFTS of the Holy Spirit Wisdom Understanding Counsel Fortitude Knowledge Piety Fear of the Lord

Counsel (Right Judgment) WISDOM the ability to judge correctly our experiences and those events occurring around us - standards a Christian uses to judge right & wrong based on objective truth given by Jesus & taught by the Church Understanding perfects our perception of the mysteries of the Faith - Allows us to go deeper into the divine truths revealed by God. Counsel (Right Judgment) Helps us make wise decisions, choosing promptly, correctly, and according to the will of God. We can choose the actions that will be for the glory of God Flows from the gifts of wisdom and understanding

Fortitude (Strength/Courage) Enables us to use created things wisely Strength of character that gives us strength and courage to endure long and trying difficulties and to complete the tasks we have undertaken in the service of God Makes us steadfast in the Faith, constant in struggle, and faithful in perseverance Knowledge Enables us to use created things wisely - Permits us to live a life of detachment from possessions, using created things as God intended

Fear of the Lord (Wonder & Awe) Piety (Reverence) teaches us the meaning of divine filiation, the joyful awareness of being children of God Leads us to true love of God and love of all human being as His children. This should radically change the way we treat our neighbor. Fear of the Lord (Wonder & Awe) Refers to our sense of sovereign respect in the presence of an all-powerful and loving God - Helps us to know the evil of sin and to detest it. It impresses upon our hearts a spirit of adoration and humility.

FRUITS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT Address our relationship to God, self, and other. “those supernatural works that are done joyfully and with peace of soul.” St. Thomas Aquinas

12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit Love Faithfulness Joy Gentleness Peace Self-control Patience Modesty Kindness Chastity Generosity Goodness

Helps us to love God and neighbor as we ought As Jesus teaches in the Greatest Commandments Joy An inner spirit of happiness the remains in spite of troubles and tragedy The result of keeping our thoughts on Heaven Peace Comes from the awareness of God’s presence among us & within us - We find peace through prayer and contemplation.

A measure of our response to all that God has given us. Patience Ability to accept delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset This virtue is lacking in modern society where instant gratification is expected. Trusting in God helps us to become more patient. Kindness Comes from recognizing Christ in every person and treating him or her accordingly. Generosity A measure of our response to all that God has given us. - Whatever good we have is meant to be shared, especially with those in need – whether it is our faith, time, or wealth.

The practice of our faith and standing up for it. Faithfulness The practice of our faith and standing up for it. Laziness, luke-warmness, and peer peer pressure can weaken our faith. Gentleness To treat others charitably and with respect. Related to kindness, patience, and love. Self-control To have command over our passions. - Allows us to avoid unjust or disproportionate anger, gluttony, sins against purity, etc. Our thoughts and actions should reflect the divine presence within us.

Means practicing purity within one’s state of life. Modesty Allows us to avoid the sin of pride, vanity, boasting, or seeking praise from others. We take care and respect for appropriate dress, actions, and the ways we treat others. Chastity Means practicing purity within one’s state of life. For priests and religious, as well as for unmarried persons, chastity means avoiding all sexual activity and lustful attractions. For a married couple, every sexual expression is open to new life and a true act of self-giving love is shared with each other. Goodness Means having an essentially good nature in thoughts, words, and deeds.