18 May 2011: The Gift of Counsel

We could stray from the path which leads to God many times. But God has reassured us: “I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” (Ps 32:8) The Holy Spirit is our best Adviser, our best Teacher, our best Guide.

Our Lord’s promise to his Apostles is truly heartening: “When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” (Mt 10:19-20)

This promise of Jesus has been fulfilled in the behaviour of many Christian martyrs. It is inspiring to read about the serenity and wisdom of people with little learning, also children in these events. The Holy Spirit, who assists us in even the smallest adversities, will do so in a special way when we must confess our faith.

Through the gift of wisdom, the Holy Spirit perfects the acts of the virtue of prudence which in turn tells us the means to use in any given situation. Often, we must make a decision; but always, our holiness is somehow involved. God grants the gift of wisdom to whoever are docile to the action of the Holy Spirit, so that they decide quickly and correctly.

This gift is like a supernatural instinct to know what gives most glory to God. Just as prudence guides us in all our actions, the Holy Spirit is our Light and permanent guiding Principle. The Paraclete inspires us to do God’s will along the ways of charity, peace, joy, sacrifice, fulfilment of duty and fidelity in small things.

This gift must first be lived in our interior life. The Paraclete acts in our soul in grace silently and gently, but forcefully. “This most wise Teacher has such skilful ways of teaching us ... They are all sweetness, all affection, all goodness, all prudence, all discretion.” (F J del Valle, “About the Holy Spirit”)

From those teachings and the light of grace come those impulses to respond ever better to God such as the firm resolutions in our prayers and in all the day’s activities; allowing ourselves to be advised and guided by the Paraclete, make us yearn belonging entirely to God, without limitations on the action of grace.

The gift of counsel is indispensable in keeping a true conscience. If we are docile, the Holy Spirit will illumine our conscience with advice. Our soul will not make excuses for faults and sins; but will react with contrition, a greater sorrow, at having offended God.

This gift illumines the soul faithful to God such that moral laws are correctly applied, not yielding to human respect nor swayed by fashionable trends; but always ruled by God’s will. The Paraclete counsels us, directly or through others, about the right path which may differ from what ‘the spirit of the world’ suggests.

The gift of counsel corresponds to the beatitude about the merciful (St Thomas, “Summa Theologiae”, II-II, 52, 4); “one has to be merciful to know how to give helpful advice discreetly; such advice, far from disheartening will encourage them gently and forcefully.” (cf R Garrigou-Lagrange, “The Three Ages of the Interior Life”, II)

The greatest obstacle to the gift of counsel is attachment to our own judgment, lack of humility and haste in acting. “Never make a decision without first stopping to consider the matter in the presence of God.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Way”, 266) “He who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (Jn 8:12)

If we try to follow Jesus daily, the Holy Spirit will enlighten us always. He will keep us from error if our intention is upright. Mary, ‘Mother of Good Counsel’, will win for us the necessary graces if we humbly call on her aware that alone we will often lose our way.

Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 2:555-60

` ` ` MAY DEVOTIONS ` ` `
Mary is the Co-Redemptrix

“It is with good reason that the popes have called Mary Co-Redemptrix. “So fully, in union with her suffering and dying Son, did she suffer and nearly die; so fully, for the sake of the salvation of men, did she abdicate her mother’s rights over her Son, and immolate him, insofar as it was in her power, to satisfy the justice of God, that it can rightly be said she redeemed mankind together with Christ.” (Benedict XV, Letter “Inter sodalicia”, 22-III-1918) This gives us a deeper understanding of that moment in the passion of our Lord, we shall never tire of meditating: “... there, standing by the cross of Jesus, was his Mother.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Friends of God”, 287)

Let us offer our Mother: ‘Five small hidden sacrifices in honor of the five major wounds of Our Lord.’

Ref: Fr Charles Belmonte and Fr James Socias (Eds), “Handbook of Prayers”, 1988, p310

The Rosary, yesterday and today

The Devotion of the Rosary grew tremendously through the centuries, and became, excepting the liturgical eucharistic Mass, the most popular in the Church. Saints, Popes, kings, theologians and scientists, educated and common people made it their favorite.

During the third quarter of the 20th Century there occurred an unexplainable and tragic decline in this devotion due, maybe, to a new Christian mentality about the form of praying. Some people see in the Rosary only a mechanical and repetitious prayer!

Thanks God there is a sincere and concrete sense of revival toward the Rosary Devotion which is strongly supported by the last Popes, through their continuous public ‘Exhortations’ and ‘Encyclical Letters’.

Ref: Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, 1984, p56

· “Your Heart, O Mary, is of spotless purity ... the fount of all benefits and blessings.” -- St John Damascene (In Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, 1984, p26)

• Dedication of Our Lady of “Bonport”, of the Cistercian order near the “Pont de l’Arche”, in the diocese of Evreux. This abbey was founded by Richard “Coeur de Lion” on the eleventh of March, in the year 1190. — Gallia Christiana, t. iv. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Dedication of Our Lady of “Bonport” Abbey, Diocese of Evreux (1190). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html)
• Our Lady of “Bonport” (France). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)
• “Notre-Dame de Bonport”. Evreux, France. 1190. Mary saves Richard the Lionheart while he is crossing the Seine. ... (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)