Choose a topic from Part 2A:
1. The gifts of the Holy Ghost are distinguished from thetheological virtues. The gifts dispose us to obey divine influenceand inspiration, whereas the virtues enable us to carry out theworks of this obedience.
2. The gifts render a man amenable to the promptings ofgrace. Where there is need of such prompting, there is need of agift. Man, working to attain his supernatural end, often needs theprompting of grace as well as the actual use of grace; hence thegifts are necessary to man.
3. The gifts are not merely acts, nor are they passions;they are habits that abide in a man and make him tend to obeyGod.
4. The gifts of the Holy Ghost are: wisdom andunderstanding, which perfect the speculative reason; counsel andknowledge, which perfect the practical reason; piety, whichperfects the appetitive powers with reference to other persons;fortitude, which perfects the appetitive powers with reference todanger threatening oneself; fear of the Lord, which perfects theappetitive powers by keeping them from inordinateness in theirtendency to pleasures.
5. Just as moral virtues are united and focused inprudence, so the gifts are focused in charity. Without charity-thelove and friendship of God in the soul-no one can enjoy the activepresence of the gifts.
6. In the soul in heaven the gifts will remain asperfections, but theywill not render the service which theyrendered on earth. For the soul which has the beatific vision andis confirmed in grace has no longer any need of habits to disposeit to obey God. When the end is attained, helps to attain the endhave completed their service.
7. The gifts of the Holy Ghost are adequately listed byIsaias in their order of dignity (11:2-3): wisdom, understanding,counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety (or godliness), and fear ofthe Lord.
8. When we compare the theological virtues and the gifts(and both come directly to the soul from God), it seems that thetheological virtues are in themselves more excellent than thegifts, for they regulate the gifts. But the gifts are moreexcellent than all virtues other than the theological virtues.
"Before a man chooses his confessor, he ought to think well about it, and pray about it also; but when he has once chosen, he ought not to change, except for most urgent reasons, but put the utmost confidence in his director."
St Philip Neri
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"Though the path is plain and smooth for people of good will, those who walk it will not travel far, and will do so only with difficulty if they do not have good feet, courage, and tenacity of spirit.
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St John of the Cross, OCD - Doctor of the Church
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"Obedience is a short cut to perfection."
St Philip Neri
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