16 May 2011: The Gift of Knowledge

“Creatures are a trace of the passing of God, whereby are revealed His greatness, power, wisdom and other Divine virtues.” (cf St John of the Cross, “The Spiritual Canticle”, 5, 3) Things reflect the splendor, beauty, goodness and power of God.

In the words of the psalmist: “The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.” (Ps 19:1) And yet, because of original sin and ensuing personal sins, men cannot perceive the signs of God in the world, fail to know him as the source of all good.

This gift enables us to understand creatures as signs which lead to God. “Like the gifts of understanding and of wisdom, the gift of knowledge is a contemplative gift enabling us to see into the very mystery of God.” (MM Philipon, “The Gifts of the Holy Spirit”, Madrid)

Through this gift a Christian perceives and understands that “all creation, the movement of earth and other heavenly bodies, the good actions of creatures and all the good that has been achieved in history, in short, everything, comes from God and is directed toward him.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Christ is passing by”, 130)

This gift is a supernatural disposition whereby the soul participates in God’s knowledge, grasps the relationship between creatures and their Creator, and perceives how creation serves man’s last end.

The hymn which many Catholics use for thanksgiving after Holy Communion, clearly expresses this gift. “... all works of the Lord, bless the Lord; praise and bless him forever. Angels of the Lord ... heavens ... sun and moon ... stars of heaven ... rain and dew ... nights and days ... light and darkness ... mountains and hills ... plants ... springs ... seas and rivers ... whales and fish ... birds of the air ... wild beasts and cattle ... priests of the Lord ... spirits and souls of the just ... the holy and humble in heart: praise and thank him because his mercy is everlasting.” (cf Daniel, 3:52-90)

The gift of knowledge enables the Christian who is docile to the Holy Spirit to perfectly discern between what leads to God and what separates from him. Perhaps a disordered desire for material goods; so the heart is not free to serve God.

Christians who must sanctify themselves in the middle of the world especially need this gift so as to direct all temporal activities to God, making them a means of holiness and apostolate. “There is something holy, something hidden in the most ordinary situations, and it is up to each one of you to discover it.” (“Conversations with Monsignor Escrivá”, 114)

In order to receive this gift we must ask the Holy Spirit to help us exercise freedom and detachment from material goods; to be more humble, so we can learn the value of things. Along with these dispositions we need to foster and increase our sense of God’s presence which helps us to see him in our work.

To make us capable of possessing this gift in full, we have recourse to the Blessed Virgin, “Mother of fair love, of fear, of knowledge, and of holy hope” (Sir 24:24).

“Mary is also the Mother of knowledge, for it is with her that we learn the most important lesson of all, that nothing is worthwhile if we are not close to Our Lord. All the wonders of this earth, the fulfilment of our every ambition, is worthless unless the living flame of love burns within us, unless there is the light of holy hope giving us a foretaste of never-ending love in our true homeland in heaven.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Friends of God”, 278)

Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 2:543-8

` ` ` MAY DEVOTIONS ` ` `

Mary at the foot of the Cross

“We find her on Calvary, praying. This is nothing new for Mary. She has always acted like this, as she fulfilled her duties and looked after her home. As she went about the things of this earth she kept her attention on God.” (cf St Josemaria Escrivá, “Christ is passing by”, 241)

Let us offer our Mother: “The ‘Act of contrition’ said many times throughout the day asking her to offer our sorrow for our sins to Jesus crucified.”

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

Act of Contrition -- “Oh my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.” (“The New Missal for Every Day” by Rev FX Lasance, 1925, p3*)

Penance

“Do penance: bury your negligences, offenses and sins in the deep pit dug by your humility. Thus does the farmer bury rotten fruit, dead twigs and fallen leaves at the foot of the tree that bore them. And what was unfruitful, even harmful, makes a real contribution to a new fertility.

“Learn to draw from your falls a new impulse: from death, life.”

Ref: St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Way”, 211

How do you recite the Rosary?

The official way, when the Rosary is used as a devotional practice by a group of people or in Church, is to start with the Sign of the Cross, followed by the ‘Apostles’ Creed’, ‘Our Father’, three ‘Hail, Mary’s’, and ‘Glory be’ for an increase of faith, hope and charity; then the enunciation of the mystery, ‘Our Father’, ten ‘Hail, Mary’s’, and ‘Glory be’.

Let us remember that the Rosary is very pleasing to Mary, is highly efficacious to obtain graces; and is the easiest way to honor God and the Blessed Virgin. The Rosary should be recited with faith, with a determined resolution to reform our lives and with devotion.

Ref: Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, p57

· “The Rosary is an excellent prayer, but the faithful should feel serenely free in its regard. They should be drawn to its calm recitation by its intrinsic appeal.” -- Pope Paul VI, “Marialis Cultus” (In Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, p51)

• Apparition of Our Lady to St Catherine of Alexandria, whose body was discovered on the 13th of this month, on Mount Sinai, in consequence of a revelation which the Queen of heaven gave. — See her Life. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Mary appears to St. Catherine of Alexandria. 4th Century. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Apparition of Our Lady to St. Catherine of Alexandria. (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)
• Apparition of Our Lady to St. Catherine of Alexandria (4th Century). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)