, the pope continued a series of audience talks on the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord. Looking at the gift of counsel, Pope Francis said people know how important it is to go to the right person – to “people who are wise and who love us” – to get the best advice, especially concerning difficult or “thorny” situations. Through the Holy Spirit, God is there to enlighten people’s hearts and “help us understand the right things to say, the right way to act and the right road to take” when it comes to an important decision, the pope said. By opening one’s heart to God, “the Holy Spirit immediately begins to help us perceive his voice and guide our thoughts, our feelings and our intentions” to be in harmony with God’s will. Jesus becomes the reference point for modeling one’s behavior and finding the right way to interact with God and other people, he said. The Holy Spirit helps people to grow in the virtues, to stop being “at the mercy of egoism” and to see the world and its difficulties with “the eyes of Christ,” he said. The Holy Spirit “enables our conscience to be able to make a concrete choice that’s in communion with God, and according to the logic of Jesus and his Gospel.” But how can people make sure God is the one speaking to them and not their own biases, fears, limitations and ambitions? he asked. The right counsel comes through prayer, he said. During his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square May 7, the pope continued a series of audience talks on the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord. Looking at the gift of counsel, Pope Francis said people know how important it is to go to the right person – to “people who are wise and who love us” – to get the best advice, especially concerning difficult or “thorny” situations. Through the Holy Spirit, God is there to enlighten people’s hearts and “help us understand the right things to say, the right way to act and the right road to take” when it comes to an important decision, the pope said. By opening one’s heart to God, “the Holy Spirit immediately begins to help us perceive his voice and guide our thoughts, our feelings and our intentions” to be in harmony with God’s will. Jesus becomes the reference point for modeling one’s behavior and finding the right way to interact with God and other people, he said. The Holy Spirit helps people to grow in the virtues, to stop being “at the mercy of egoism” and to see the world and its difficulties with “the eyes of Christ,” he said. The Holy Spirit “enables our conscience to be able to make a concrete choice that’s in communion with God, and according to the logic of Jesus and his Gospel.” But how can people make sure God is the one speaking to them and not their own biases, fears, limitations and ambitions? he asked. The right counsel comes through prayer, he said.
Posted on: Sat, 10 May 2014 14:12:43 +0000