Looking back at my high school years, I witnessed my father manifesting the Gift of Wisdom on one particular occasion as he showed me the depth of his love. I had made a very bad mistake and my parents found out, but my dad waited a few days before speaking to me about it. I know he must have prayed about it; I still remember his guidance to this day. The hours I spent waiting for this serious conversation were like torture, but allowed me time to think deeply about what I had done. The Gift of Wisdom, present in this situation, profoundly impacted me in many ways.
At the time of our Baptism, we receive sanctifying grace giving us the power to live and act under the prompting of the Holy Spirit through the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. In the Sacrament of Confirmation, the Holy Spirit strengthens the gifts we first received in Baptism. Wisdom inspires us to worship God and to love Him as our Heavenly Father. His love leads us to know and do what is right and good in specific circumstances.
How should the Gift of Wisdom be exercised in our everyday life? Each day we face situations that require making important decisions regarding what we will say or do. Some decisions may be life-changing with permanent consequences; others are less significant. Many times, we just need help to move forward. Always, we need the Gift of Wisdom to guide us on the right path.
How can we be sure that God will give us the Wisdom we need? Jesus knows all truth and will reveal the truth to those who ask Him. Deepening our relationship with Jesus through daily prayer will help us trust Him and realize that He always wants what is best for us. We can ask Him such things as:
• How to resolve a disagreement
• Whether it is best to end a friendship
• What to say to a young person who is headed for trouble
• Where is the best place to send my child to school
• What career to pursue
• How to assist a woman in a difficult pregnancy
It is interesting to note that after receiving guidance from God, we may be fearful to move forward. Thankfully, the Gift of Wisdom also helps us to be docile in readily obeying inspirations from Him.
In order to grow in Wisdom, we need to pray and ask God to increase it in us, and then exercise this vital gift in our lives. Wisdom allows us to do things in our lives that we could not do or say on our own.
Let us be thankful for the Gift of Wisdom. It is an essential gift from God and helps us know the right direction, bringing with it peace and joy.
Miranda Myszka
Viterbo University
Sophomore English Education Major
Hometown: Edgar, WI
“Wisdom is understanding the truths behind our Catholic Faith and applying them to choose what God desires.”
Amanda Latulippe
Viterbo University
Senior Nursing Student
Hometown: St. Paul, MN
“The Gift of Wisdom assists me to see the world as God does, through a lens of love, to recognize the dignity and experience of those around me.”
Katherine Ross
Viterbo University
Senior Nursing Major
Hometown: Stevens Point, WI
“The Wisdom of the Holy Spirit works in my life by allowing me to see all others as children of God, to see situations as God’s will, in God’s eyes, even when I can’t find the positive within them, and to listen to God in my heart. I find the Wisdom of the Holy Spirit when something in my life doesn’t turn out the way I had planned but I trust that it was the will of God and see the situation with God’s eyes.”
Leah Schwartz
University of Wisconsin – La Crosse
Second year Biology Major
Hometown: Appleton, WI
Wisdom is the grace to discern the will of God in every situation through prayer, contemplation, and Faith in Christ and in His Church. Utilizing the Gift of Wisdom entails taking the time to understand the Gospel and the teachings of the Church and applying this knowledge to the situations we are confronted with in our daily lives.
Jacqueline Sporie
University of Wisconsin – La Crosse
Second year Microbiology Major
Hometown: Marinette, WI
Wisdom surpasses intelligence. Wisdom is God’s gift that allows us to see reality from a Gospel perspective. It allows us to use our talents to act justly. At the end of the day, Wisdom keeps us standing upright with our feet planted to the ground, with our eyes looking up.
M
itch Bunting
University of Wisconsin – La Crosse
Second year Biochemistry Major
Hometown: Hanover, MN
As I grow older, the Holy Spirit continues to shape my thoughts, decisions, and my actions. The Gift of Wisdom from the Holy Spirit has given me a desire to learn and grow in the truth of God. I call on the Holy Spirit to offer His Wisdom each morning by simply praying “Come Holy Spirit.” I am asking the Holy Spirit to guide me to God’s will, and to encourage me to glorify God in my everyday actions.
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.
V. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray. O God, Who didst instruct the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant us in the same Spirit to be truly wise, and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Story by: Ann Lankford, Director of the Office for Catechesis and Evangelization