The Holy Spirit

Giver of Gifts

The Holy Spirit is the Father’s best gift – a ‘Person-Gift’ (Dominum et Vivificantem). The Holy Spirit is the Author of all the charisms given for the upbuilding of the Church, including those given to religious founders like St Teresa. 

The Gifts mentioned in Isaiah 11:1-3 (fear of the Lord, fortitude, piety, counsel, knowledge, understanding and wisdom) are like the satellite dish that enables us to tune into data signals (inspirations of the Holy Spirit). It is helpful to learn about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and to pray for them. 

Inspirations of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit can give us inspirations about literally anything. We need only read the Gospels (which He inspired) to get a sense of His guidance on any subject, especially in the words of Jesus, since the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ. He will ‘remind you of everything I have told you’ (Jn 14.26).

His action is to give tailored guidance to the individual in the unique circumstances now at hand. He is the one who makes you turn your life around; He is the one who convinces you that Jesus is the Lord; He is the one who convinces you of Church teaching. He especially guides one to exercise the virtues, to pray, and interests Himself in the minute details of our most ordinary acts and choices.

He tells one

• what to say, and what not to say;

• where to go;

• what company to keep or avoid;

• what to read or decline to read, write or not write;

• where to go or not go;

• how to witness to Christ. 

• It might be that He directed you to particular studies, or talks, or a Church, or a person, a place or job. 

His inspirations will always guide one to obey, to serve, to do one’s duty faithfully and with care. His action will generally be towards temperance and self-control, rather than self-indulgence. ‘Just a little’, He says. ‘Be generous,’ He urges, ‘Give’. ‘Bear with situations patiently, with meekness’. ‘Forgive. Seek unity’, ‘Don’t say anything’ or ‘be bold, speak up’. 

He reveals to us that Jesus is Lord, and through Him, He guides us to the Father, and makes us realise we are His children: ‘you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”’ (Rom. 8.15).

He prompts us to pray, and teaches us how to pray:

‘We don’t know we ought to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words’ (Rom. 8.26).

He tends to in inspire contemplatives in the direction of solitude and silence, to simplifying their lives, to ‘stay in’ rather than ‘go out’, to ‘less’ rather than ‘more’, to stability and quietness, to pray and to serve. His inspirations tend to go against our inclination for ease, rest and pleasure. However He does not always ask us to do the less palatable thing. Sometimes our attraction, e.g. to read a holy book, or make a retreat, is His inspiration.

He inspired Jesus to offer His life for us on the Cross, and He will inspire us to make this same gift of self. Some He inspires to give their whole live to God in religious life.

How can we become more receptive to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit?

• We can become more receptive to His inspirations if we make more space for silence in order to listen to Him.

• If He finds us alone, He will come to be our guide and Companion.

• If we do not clutter our airwaves with too many stimuli from the Internet, from social encounters and work projects we will be more mentally still and able to hear Him

• If we are detached, we will be more open to recognising His voice and more able to follow it. 

• If we love Jesus, we will attract the Holy Spirit to ourselves.

• If we invite Our Lady to be our Mother and guide, she will ask Him to come, and will attract Him to us. ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ (Luke 1.34). If we say our fiat, He will bring to birth Christ in us, as He did in her.

• Humility is the magnet that attracted the Holy Spirit to Mary, and will draw Him to us.

• Surrender: If we give ourselves to God, Bl. Marie-Eugene OCD believed we almost force God to come to us.

• If we are faithful in following one inspiration, He will send others.

• Share inspirations with a spiritual director/ confessor to test they are of God.

• Preserve inner peace in order to hear clearly.

• Thank God for every grace, and He will send more.

• Desire and ask for inspirations and for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Desire the Spirit Himself.

• Realise that you can’t achieve holiness by your own efforts, then He will come and, if you ask Him, take over the main initiative and governance of your life, giving you the strength to fulfil what He prompts you to do.

• Act on the advice given to you by those with authority whose advice you seek.

• To discern what is uncertain, obey in what is certain (Church teaching, duties, commands of superiors).

• Pray and then do what comes to you after prayer.

Signs of the Holy Spirit

These include the fruits - Love, joy, peace, tranquillity, joy, strength, self-control, justice, generosity, faithfulness, kindness, gentleness (Gal. 5.22). We might add purity, humility, light, constancy and stability over time, and turbulence if we resist. When He convicts us or reproaches us, He always follows up with peaceable assurance that we can trust in God’s mercy. If we are left overwhelmed, distressed, fearful, ashamed, confused, it was not the Holy Spirit. If we are not sure if an inspiration is from Him, we can wait as He tends to persist, whereas temptations tend to evaporate over time.

His voice is gentle, powerful, insistent, pure, clear, a whisper, respectful, not pushing, never driving. It comes when needed. He doesn’t swamp us with more inspirations than we can handle. It is following inspirations that made the Saints saints. Dare we invite Him to take the driving seat in our lives?

Further Reading on Inspirations of the Holy Spirit

Père Jacques-Philippe, In the School of the Holy Spirit

Père Gardeil OP, The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Christian (on the Gifts)

St Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life and Treatise on the Love of God

Fr Augustine Baker, Holy Wisdom

St John of Avila, Sermons on the Holy Spirit, Third Sermon for Pentecost