Bishop Eric Menees
During this Season after
Pentecost – often referred to as “Ordinary Time” – I am embarking on an
examination of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are freely given to
believers at baptism with the general graces of the Lord, and then boldly given
at confirmation or the “baptism of the Holy Spirit.”
What might be referred to
as “Foundational gifts,” are those that the Prophet Isaiah speaks of: “There
shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots
shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of
wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of
knowledge and the fear of the LORD. And his delight shall be in the fear of the
Lord” (Isaiah 11:1-3a ESV) The seven foundational gifts are:
Wisdom, Understanding, Might (fortitude), Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the
Lord.
These gifts are freely
given by God the Holy Spirit and are provided to the believer so that we may
fulfill the purpose of our lives, which is to Love and Serve the Lord.
The second of these gifts
is Understanding. This gift of the Holy Spirit opens our minds to the
understanding of Divine Truth as revealed in the Word of the Lord and through
the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Take, for example, the way you can be
reading the Word of God and then, all of a sudden, that passage which you’ve
read a hundred times leaps off the page with a whole new meaningfulness to you.
This past Sunday while studying for my sermon, I read from the Gospel of
Mark: “[21] And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for
they were saying, “He is out of his mind.” (Mark 3:21 ESV) In the past,
while reading this scripture, I always understood the second “they” as Jesus’
family. But this week, I believe the Holy Spirit gave me understanding to
recognize the second “they” was the detractors of Jesus. Thus, Jesus’ family
went up to aid Jesus, to check on him and to protect him.
God gives us the gift of
the Understanding so that God may be glorified! This is not understanding
so that we may simply be enriched or somehow made better. This is not the
understanding that God gives where we have a deeper understanding about a math
problem or a problem at work. This is Understanding of, and a deeper
perception of, God’s divine love for us – His love for YOU!
I pray that God may grant
us this Understanding, so that we may better serve Him and better love our
neighbor!
“God the Holy Spirit, we
give you thanks and praise for the gift of wisdom and understanding.
Enlighten our hearts and minds to better love and know you for who you
are as the almighty and glorious Lord and creator of all live and grace.” Amen!
I pray you all a blessed
Lord’s Day!
Catechism Questions 121 - 123
121. What grace
does God give to you in absolution?
In absolution, God conveys to me
his pardon through the cross, thus declaring to me reconciliation and peace
with him, and bestowing upon me the assurance of his grace and salvation.
122. What is
ordination?
Through prayer and the laying on
of the bishop’s hands, ordination consecrates, authorizes, and empowers persons
called to serve Christ and his Church in the ministry of Word and Sacrament. (1
Timothy 1:5; 5:22; Acts 6:6)
123. What grace
does God give in ordination?
In
ordination, God confirms the gifts and calling of the candidates, conveys
the gift of the Holy Spirit for the office and work of bishop, priest or
deacon, and sets them apart to act on behalf of the Church and in the name
of Christ.
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