Applying the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit to Our Work - Part 5
We're continuing our series about applying the Seven Gifts of the
Holy Spirit to our work by first considering each gift in order, using
the solid foundation of the
oldest of novenas to help us understand each. Then we'll try to
apply our understanding and see how each gift can help guide us each day
as we strive to work for the greater glory of God.
Today we consider Understanding, beginning with how this gift is presented to us in the Novena to the Holy Spirit:
"Understanding, as a gift of the Holy Spirit, helps us to grasp the meaning of the truths of our holy religion. By faith we know them, but by Understanding we learn to appreciate and relish them. It enable us to penetrate the inner meaning of revealed truths and through them to be quickened to newness of life. Our faith ceases to be sterile and inactive, but inspires a mode of life that bears eloquent testimony of the faith that is in us; we begin to 'walk worthy of God in all things pleasing, and increasing in the knowledge of God.'"
This gift of Understanding shapes our knowledge as a potter shapes his clay or a sculptor his stone. No longer a "sterile and inactive" string of mere facts, our knowledge comes alive. For instance, whenever I study a new subject, there's usually an initial period of just taking in and absorbing information. Fact builds upon fact and soon it seems I know something. Finally - sometimes slowly, sometimes suddenly - everything makes sense. I understand.
Last time we saw how the Gift of Knowledge helps us develop our spiritual life. We recommended assisting this process with the practice of what are known as "norms of piety": daily prayer and other devotions, reading Scripture and good spiritual works, studying the doctrines of our Holy Religion, among other practices. Daily persistence in those practices that entail study results in a virtuous circle of knowledge building on knowledge. With this daily and dynamic engagement with the truths of our faith, our knowledge takes shape. We find over time precious moments when it all sinks in: We understand. Our Understanding then informs all our thoughts, words, and actions, including our daily work.
Understanding expands and enlivens our spiritual life in same way that physical exercise energizes our bodies. Improvement doesn't come in a day, but, over time, eventually your body "wakes up." You see and feel the results: a new spring in your step; sounder sleep; going up stairs doesn't leave you breathless, and so on.
And we apply this same process to our work, don't we? In order to both survive and thrive in today's rapidly changing economy, most of us need to continually improve and augment our skill set. We do this by learning. I remember counseling a man in this late 20s a few years back who was looking for employment. He told me he had been a real tech whiz, but his skills had grown stale over time. For some reason, instead of keeping up, he grew lax in his previous job. Strangely, he thought he was getting "too old" to compete in his field. I simply told him to get to work on gaining the knowledge he needed. It didn't strike me as particularly profound or inspiring advice, of course. But fortunately it struck him that way and, within the year, he was back on his feet.
We see this process play out in all aspects of our life: learning to gain new knowledge and understanding. It's essential to apply this to whatever endeavors in which we engage, whether mental, physical, or spiritual. Either that or we grow stale, fall behind, get "old."
In one sense, it's really not all that complicated, is it?
Being physically fit bolsters the body. Learning new skills enhances our job prospects. But what makes the Gift of Understanding so compelling, as our Novena prayer tells us, is that "It enable us to penetrate the inner meaning of revealed truths and through them to be quickened to newness of life."
This newness "inspires a mode of life that bears eloquent testimony of the faith that is in us..." And thus our presence in the work place becomes an ongoing testimony of our faith. If our thoughts, words and deeds conform to our Understanding, we can't help but be a living testament to our Catholic Faith. We don't need to quote Scripture to our boss, or debate the finer points of doctrine with our co-workers. Our mere presence, the way we comport ourselves, will demonstrate that we follow "the Way, the Truth, and the Life."
Pray to the Holy Spirit for this Gift of Understanding. And let's together pray these simple, ancient words to Him daily:
Today we consider Understanding, beginning with how this gift is presented to us in the Novena to the Holy Spirit:
"Understanding, as a gift of the Holy Spirit, helps us to grasp the meaning of the truths of our holy religion. By faith we know them, but by Understanding we learn to appreciate and relish them. It enable us to penetrate the inner meaning of revealed truths and through them to be quickened to newness of life. Our faith ceases to be sterile and inactive, but inspires a mode of life that bears eloquent testimony of the faith that is in us; we begin to 'walk worthy of God in all things pleasing, and increasing in the knowledge of God.'"
This gift of Understanding shapes our knowledge as a potter shapes his clay or a sculptor his stone. No longer a "sterile and inactive" string of mere facts, our knowledge comes alive. For instance, whenever I study a new subject, there's usually an initial period of just taking in and absorbing information. Fact builds upon fact and soon it seems I know something. Finally - sometimes slowly, sometimes suddenly - everything makes sense. I understand.
Last time we saw how the Gift of Knowledge helps us develop our spiritual life. We recommended assisting this process with the practice of what are known as "norms of piety": daily prayer and other devotions, reading Scripture and good spiritual works, studying the doctrines of our Holy Religion, among other practices. Daily persistence in those practices that entail study results in a virtuous circle of knowledge building on knowledge. With this daily and dynamic engagement with the truths of our faith, our knowledge takes shape. We find over time precious moments when it all sinks in: We understand. Our Understanding then informs all our thoughts, words, and actions, including our daily work.
Understanding expands and enlivens our spiritual life in same way that physical exercise energizes our bodies. Improvement doesn't come in a day, but, over time, eventually your body "wakes up." You see and feel the results: a new spring in your step; sounder sleep; going up stairs doesn't leave you breathless, and so on.
And we apply this same process to our work, don't we? In order to both survive and thrive in today's rapidly changing economy, most of us need to continually improve and augment our skill set. We do this by learning. I remember counseling a man in this late 20s a few years back who was looking for employment. He told me he had been a real tech whiz, but his skills had grown stale over time. For some reason, instead of keeping up, he grew lax in his previous job. Strangely, he thought he was getting "too old" to compete in his field. I simply told him to get to work on gaining the knowledge he needed. It didn't strike me as particularly profound or inspiring advice, of course. But fortunately it struck him that way and, within the year, he was back on his feet.
We see this process play out in all aspects of our life: learning to gain new knowledge and understanding. It's essential to apply this to whatever endeavors in which we engage, whether mental, physical, or spiritual. Either that or we grow stale, fall behind, get "old."
In one sense, it's really not all that complicated, is it?
Being physically fit bolsters the body. Learning new skills enhances our job prospects. But what makes the Gift of Understanding so compelling, as our Novena prayer tells us, is that "It enable us to penetrate the inner meaning of revealed truths and through them to be quickened to newness of life."
This newness "inspires a mode of life that bears eloquent testimony of the faith that is in us..." And thus our presence in the work place becomes an ongoing testimony of our faith. If our thoughts, words and deeds conform to our Understanding, we can't help but be a living testament to our Catholic Faith. We don't need to quote Scripture to our boss, or debate the finer points of doctrine with our co-workers. Our mere presence, the way we comport ourselves, will demonstrate that we follow "the Way, the Truth, and the Life."
Pray to the Holy Spirit for this Gift of Understanding. And let's together pray these simple, ancient words to Him daily:
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Thy Love.
Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created.
And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
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