The Gifts of our Heavenly Father

Faith can be a challenge. It doesn’t always come easily and living it, actually putting it into action, takes courage. Years ago, when I started a job with a Catholic diocese here in the U. S., two people offered me some very important insight that would help sustain me through the many trials and challenges I would face not only in that job, but in life.

First, while in the middle of a conversation, a very dear woman put a pen in my hand and said, “Now, this is important, I want you to write this down.” She tapped the blank lines of the legal pad in front of me. I poised my pen and eagerly awaited her wisdom. “The three tools of the devil,” she said, “are doubt, fear and discouragement. First, he sows doubt. Then, he fills you with fear. After that, the discouragement takes hold. Now that you know this, though, you can be on the lookout.” Of course, initially, her words in and of themselves terrified me. I wasn’t brave or courageous, at least I didn’t think I was.

A couple days later my boss walked into my office with a piece of paper in his hand. “Someone printed this out for me when I first started here and I thought you needed a copy for your bulletin board as well,” he said, handing me the paper. I looked down and read:

“There are times when the burden of need and our own limitations might tempt us to become discouraged. But precisely then we are helped by the knowledge that, in the end, we are only instruments in the Lord's hands; and this knowledge frees us from the presumption of thinking that we alone are personally responsible for building a better world. In all humility we will do what we can, and in all humility we will entrust the rest to the Lord. It is God who governs the world, not we. We offer him our service only to the extent that we can, and for as long as he grants us the strength. To do all we can with what strength we have, however, is the task which keeps the good servant of Jesus Christ always at work: 'The love of Christ urges us on,' (2 Cor 5:14).” ~Deus Caritas Est, §35.

Over the years, I would have the opportunity to reflect on the proffered wisdom and reread that piece of paper pinned to my bulletin board many times. Sometimes, many times a day. As I did, and as I struggled to live my faith and do my job to the best of my abilities, I realized that our Heavenly Father offered us a generous antidote for each one of the devil’s “tools.” The Father’s three gifts to undo the handiwork of the devil:

Jesus Christ - We may doubt in the face of the fullness of truth, but it remains the truth, steadfast and secure, a fixed foundation to which we may always return.

The Cross – When death has lost its sting, when the possibility and the promise of an eternity in Heaven is before us, what is left to fear?

The Holy Spirit – The gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety and Fear of the Lord. It is from these gifts that the strength to courageously live a life of faith spring forth.

“The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD. Not by appearance shall he judge, nor by hearsay shall he decide, but he shall judge the poor with justice, and decide fairly for the land’s afflicted," (Isaiah 11: 2-4a).

What grace! What mercy! Yes, living our faith is a challenge, but we have been provided by the Almighty a super-abundance of gifts and grace to do so courageously. Yes, we will stumble. Yes, we will fall. But it is by His grace that we get up and walk on. Yes, it is tempting to become discouraged amidst the great need that stretches out before us, but if we remember that we are but instruments in the Lord’s hands, if we place our trust in Him, we can indeed do all things as according to His will.

“Do not be afraid. Do not be satisfied with mediocrity. Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” ~Pope Saint John Paul II