The Gift of Wisdom
Attentive to the spirit
Attentive to the spirit
This year, as we focus on the Holy Spirit, we will begin to look at each of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The first of the gifts is wisdom. Saint Thomas says that gifts and virtues both perfect us, but when we speak of gift we are told something about the cause, or where it comes from – a reminder that it comes from the Holy Spirit! (Summa Theological I-II Q. 68 article 1, newadvent.org) While we may often speak of a wise person, when we speak of the gift of wisdom we are speaking, not just about ordering our earthly life aright, but our ability to order our earthly life according to the things of heaven.
This year, as we focus on the Holy Spirit, we will begin to look at each of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The first of the gifts is wisdom. Saint Thomas says that gifts and virtues both perfect us, but when we speak of gift we are told something about the cause, or where it comes from – a reminder that it comes from the Holy Spirit! (Summa Theological I-II Q. 68 article 1, newadvent.org) While we may often speak of a wise person, when we speak of the gift of wisdom we are speaking, not just about ordering our earthly life aright, but our ability to order our earthly life according to the things of heaven.
Wisdom helps our intellect to be open and attentive to the divine promptings from within, it is not a matter of knowing many things, but of being attentive to the ways of the Spirit and not the ways of the world. What might this look like in our daily life? Saint Carlo Acutis is a great example of this, he is a Saint of our own day, who died as a teenager. One of the things he is known for is limiting his use of technology, and using technology for the glory of God. This is surely a result of the gift of Wisdom, that helped him to seek the things related to God and to use the things of this earth for the glory of God. What could this look like in our own lives? It might look like prioritizing going to Holy Mass over participating or watching sports. It might look like not participating in an event that our friends are going to because it is not in accordance with our faith. It might look like doing something loving for one’s spouse or child even though he or she has hurt you. It might look like going to Holy Mass or praying more in order the cultivate a deeper relationship with the Lord. Let us pray to cooperate more and develop more the Gift of Wisdom that was given us at Baptism and deepened in Confirmation, that we may act in a way that leads us to our heavenly home!
Whole & Holy is written by a member of the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Michigan. The Sisters were founded in 1973 in the Diocese of Saginaw and are committed to providing comprehensive healthcare. The Sisters contributing to this column are trained in fields such as social work, psychiatry and social work. They strive to provide excellent healthcare through the professional training they receive and are sustained in their work through their common life of prayer.
