Have you ever anxiously awaited a special occasion in which you knew you would be given gifts? Perhaps you have seen the packages, wrapped with bows, ready for you to receive them. Imagine opening your gifts on that special day, and then simply setting the gifts aside.
For many, this is what has happened to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which were poured out upon us at Confirmation. We have received the gifts, yet they remain unused and under-appreciated. Some of us may not even remember what the gifts are, and yet, they are with us always. We could say these are gifts that really do “keep on giving.”
Wisdom. Understanding. Right Judgment. Courage. Knowledge. Reverence. Wonder and Awe. Who doesn’t need these gifts in our lives? Think of the impact the gifts could have in relationships with family and friends, in sticky situations at work, the difference these gifts could make in our world! We may not always be aware of it, but the Holy Spirit is with and within us. You’re invited to open and use your gifts.