One of the beliefs of the Catholic Church is that the coming of the Holy Spirit also brought with it seven gifts. The Catechism of the Church Church explains, “The moral life of Christians is sustained by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These are permanent dispositions which make man docile in following the promptings of the Holy Spirit” (CCC 1830).
These gifts are imparted to the soul at baptism, but then sealed and strengthened through the sacrament of confirmation.
Whether we are preparing for the sacrament of confirmation, or want to renew in ourselves these gifts, here is a prayer from the Golden Manual that asks God for the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
O almighty and eternal God, you have adopted me as your child in the holy sacrament of Baptism; granted to me the remission of my sins at the tribunal of penance; and has fed me with the bread of angels; perfect in me, I beseech you, all these benefits. Grant unto me the spirit of Wisdom, that I may despise the perishable things of this world, and love the things that are eternal; the spirit of Understanding, to enlighten me and to give me the knowledge of religion; the spirit of Counsel, that I may diligently seek the surest ways of pleasing God and obtaining heaven; the spirit of Fortitude, that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation; the spirit of Knowledge, that I may be enlightened in the ways of God; the spirit of Piety, that I may find the service of God both sweet and amiable; the spirit of Fear, that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God, and may dread in any way to displease him. Seal me, in your mercy, with the seal of a disciple of Jesus Christ, unto everlasting life; and grant that, carrying the cross upon my forehead, I may carry it also in my heart, and confessing you boldly before men, may merit to be one day reckoned in the number of your elect. Amen.
Read more:
What are the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit?
Read more:
The 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit, illustrated
And today we celebrate...