The Gifts and Fruit of the Holy Spirit
Acts 2:1-4 tells the story of Pentecost where the apostles received the seven gift of the Spirit.
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. (Acts 2:1-4)
The gifts of the Spirit are: Wisdom; Understanding; Right Judgment; Courage; Knowledge; Reverence and Wonder And Awe.
In biblical symbolism number 7 stands for fullness, completeness and perfection (O’shea and Gagen, 2001).
The gifts bear fruit. St Paul speaks of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. By contrast, the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. There is no law against such things (Gal 5:22-23). The fruits of the Spirit are evident in how we act in our lives.
We receive these gifts when we are in a state of grace the life of God within us (Ruchert, nd).
Through confirmation we are asking the spirit to bring these gifts to life in each one of us. The call of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation calls us to enter fully into the life of the faith community.
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. (Acts 2:1-4)
The gifts of the Spirit are: Wisdom; Understanding; Right Judgment; Courage; Knowledge; Reverence and Wonder And Awe.
In biblical symbolism number 7 stands for fullness, completeness and perfection (O’shea and Gagen, 2001).
The gifts bear fruit. St Paul speaks of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. By contrast, the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. There is no law against such things (Gal 5:22-23). The fruits of the Spirit are evident in how we act in our lives.
We receive these gifts when we are in a state of grace the life of God within us (Ruchert, nd).
Through confirmation we are asking the spirit to bring these gifts to life in each one of us. The call of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation calls us to enter fully into the life of the faith community.