15 May 2011: The Gift of Understanding

By this gift, which is essential for living a fully Christian life, we acquire a deeper knowledge of the mysteries of faith. Jesus promises us the Spirit of truth whose mission is to illumine the whole Church. (cf Jn 16:13)

Jesus “completed and perfected Revelation, and confirmed it with divine guarantees. ... the total fact of his presence and self-manifestation, by words and works, signs and miracles and by sending the Spirit of truth.” (Second Vatican Council, “Dei Verbum”, 4)

The Apostles only understood later the full meaning of Jesus’ words. As Pope Paul VI said: “The Holy Spirit is the soul of the Church. ... who explains to the faithful the deep meaning of the teaching of Jesus and of his mystery” (“Evangelii nuntiandi”, 75).

The Holy Spirit brings us to an initial understanding of the truths of faith and then “constantly perfects faith by his gifts, so that Revelation may be more and more profoundly understood”. (Second Vatican Council, “Dei Verbum”, 5) The Holy Spirit illumines the mind with a most powerful light and enables us to see more clearly what until then was only dimly seen.

Usually, “we know some mystery for quite a while; we have heard something and thought about it; but all of a sudden we see it in a new light. It is as if we had not understood it at all until then.” (A Riaud, “The Action of the Holy Spirit in souls”, Madrid) Under the influence of the Holy Spirit supernatural truths give an indescribable joy, a foretaste of heaven.

Thanks to this gift, “God is glimpsed here below”. (St Thomas, “Summa Theologiae”, I-II, 69, 2) This happens to whoever are pure and docile to the Paraclete’s inspirations. Nevertheless, the mysteries of faith remain enveloped in a certain obscurity.

To reach this knowledge the ordinary light of faith is insufficient. We will need a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit, in the measure in which we respond to grace, our purity of heart and desire of becoming holy.

We see all things supernaturally. It brings us to reverence the greatness of God, to pay him filial affection, and to judge created things rightly. “Little by little, in the measure in which love grows in the soul, a person’s mind reflects more and more the splendour of God”, (M M Philipon, “The Gifts of the Holy Spirit”, Madrid) and becomes more familiar with His hidden mysteries.

“It is like one who, without having learned anything, or having taken the slightest trouble in order to learn to read, finds himself in possession of all existing knowledge; he has no idea how or whence it has come, since he has never done any work, even so much as was necessary for learning the alphabet.” (cf St Theresa, “Life”, 27, 8-9)

The gift of understanding enables us to grasp the deeper meaning of the Scriptures, the life of grace, the presence of Christ in each sacrament and in a real substantial way in the Blessed Eucharist. It gives us an instinct for what is supernatural in the world.

For the eyes of one of Christ’s faithful, illumined by the Holy Spirit, there is a whole new universe to be discovered. The mysteries of the Most Blessed Trinity, the Incarnation, the Redemption, and the Church become living realities affecting the day-to-day life of the Christian. Prayer becomes deeper and easier.

This gift allows us to contemplate God amidst ordinary events, pleasant or sorrowful. It is not something extraordinary given only to exceptional persons, but to whoever want to be faithful to God wherever they may be, sanctifying their joys and sorrows, toils and rest.

Let us turn to Mary, who had the fulness of grace and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and ask her to teach us to get close to, and love, the Paraclete always. We ask her to help us move on to the holiness we are called to.

Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 2:536-42

• Atonement: “The path that leads to life.” (cf St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Way”, 210)

` ` ` MAY DEVOTIONS ` ` `

Mary in Cana

“In the Gospel St John has recorded how our Lady at the wedding of Cana turned to the waiters and said: ‘Do whatever he tells you’. That’s it! Getting people to face Jesus and ask him: ‘Lord, what do you want me to do?’” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Christ is passing by”, 149)

Let us offer our Mother: ‘Prompt obedience when we are asked to do some errand or act of service.’

Ref: Fr Charles Belmonte and Fr James Socias (Eds), “Handbook of Prayers”, 1988, p309

The Rosary, a family prayer

Each day, every member of the family should get together for recitation of the Rosary. The best time is early in the evening, preferably soonest after supper.

The parents or one of the children (alternating daily) should lead the recitation. It can be recited kneeling or seated before a statue or picture of Our Lady. The Rosary could be a means of spiritually tying together all family members.

Fr Patrick Peyton, CSC, founder of the 'Family Rosary Crusade' said: “When Mary is invited into the home and beseeched repeatedly with the words, ‘Pray for us now and at the hour of our death’, she will defend its members and protect them against the overwhelming evils of today at the two most important moments in their lives. ... The family that prays together, stays together.”

· “We wish to invite you to live a Marian life ... May the family Rosary be a balm of peace for your homes ... May the Rosary be ever in your hands; may the Marian prayer continue to sanctify your family reunion every night, and may it give the spiritual tone to your whole life.” -- Pope John XXIII

· “The Rosary ... is a form of union with God and has a most uplifting effect on the soul.” -- Pope John XXIII

Ref: Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, 1984, pp53, 54

• Descent of the Holy Ghost upon Our Lady and the apostles, in the year thirty-four of our Lord and the forty-eighth of the age of the Virgin. — Christopher a Castro, Historia Virginis. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Descent `of the Holy Ghost on the Apostles and Our Lady. Our Lady was forty-eight years old. (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)
• Descent of the Holy Ghost on the Apostles and O Lady. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Our Lady of France (1860). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• “Notre-Dame de France”. 1860. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)