Gifts of the Journey: Unwrapping the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

The days after Easter are filled with a kind of holy momentum and joy. We’ve just walked with Jesus through the Cross and into Resurrection together as a prayer family, and if you’re anything like me, your heart is still echoing with the “Alleluias.” And now? Pentecost. The moment when the Holy Spirit breathes new fire into the Church.

Let’s be honest though, sometimes the Holy Spirit can feel like the most mysterious Person of the Trinity. I used to think of the Holy Spirit as the “quiet one,” or the less concrete, showing up mostly in dramatic biblical moments: wind, fire, and speaking in tongues. I’ve realized something vital though over the past few years: the Holy Spirit is deeply present in the ordinary. I see the Holy Spirit working in the conversations over coffee, in the patient moments with my children, in the courage to show up for someone who feels forgotten. The Spirit is always showing up, and He brings gifts.

The Holy Spirit Comes Bearing Gifts

The Church teaches us that there are seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, and these are traditionally named in Isaiah 11:2-3. These gifts aren’t wrapped in pretty paper, but they are meant to be unwrapped in our daily lives. Here’s what I mean:

1. Wisdom

This isn’t about being the smartest person in the room at all. Wisdom is seeing with God’s eyes. For me, that looks like remembering the dignity of the person in front of me, especially when I’m frustrated or tired. It’s knowing that the slow grocery line or the hard conversation I need to have might be a holy moment if I let it be.

2. Understanding

This is the gift that helps us know what God is saying, even when it’s subtle. Vincent de Paul used to say we should “leave God for God”, that is, when duty or service calls, even in the middle of prayer, we respond. Understanding gives us the clarity to do just that and prioritize our own personal vocation of serving others, in Him, even in a world that provides so many distractions.

3. Counsel (Right Judgment)

How many decisions do we make in a day? Counsel is the gift that helps us align our choices with love, mercy, and truth. It’s the quiet nudge in your spirit that says, “Call her,” or “Forgive him.” God still speaks and counsel helps us hear. 

4. Fortitude (Courage)

This gift has shown up for me in doctor’s offices, hard conversations, and quiet acts of advocacy. It’s the courage to speak when it’s easier to be silent. To stand when it’s easier to sit back. Fortitude, I think, is how the Spirit turns everyday people into saints-in-the-making.

5. Knowledge

Knowledge, in the spiritual sense, is about seeing the world through and continually seeking God’s truth. It’s showing up each day seeking to deepen our understanding of the Lord, His commandments, and how doctrine influences how we move in the world. Knowledge is a gift that challenges us to keep learning and growing in the faith, even when we think we’ve got it “figured out.”

6. Piety (Reverence)

This gift is so Vincentian. It’s not about being overly pious or distant, it’s about intimacy. Piety helps us see God in the people around us and in the rhythms of daily life. When I’m doing dishes and whisper a prayer, or when I look someone in the eyes and truly see them as a child of God, that’s piety in motion.

7. Fear of the Lord (Wonder and Awe)

This isn’t about being afraid but it’s about being amazed. It’s the realization that God is so big and yet chooses to dwell in our hearts. It’s what moves us to fall in love with Him again and again even after we stumble. For me, this distinct feeling of awe often shows up in nature, a sunrise, the sound of wind in the trees, the Lord’s whisper throughout creation.

Living the Gifts, One Step at a Time

These gifts aren’t meant to sit on a theological shelf and are, in essence, deeply practical. They are the compass for our journey: helping us to walk in love, to serve with joy, and to become more like Christ.

St. Louise de Marillac, co-founder of the Daughters of Charity, once said, “Go then courageously, advancing moment by moment along the path on which God has placed you.” That’s what the Spirit’s gifts are for, to help us walk that path with courage, faith, and compassion.

As Pentecost approaches, let’s take time to ask for these gifts. Not in a lofty or abstract way, but right in the middle of our busy lives. Maybe it’s during a morning coffee, an afternoon walk, or a few quiet minutes before bed. Join us in inviting the Holy Spirit to show us which gift we need most right now. And then, pay attention. Because the Holy Spirit loves to show up, and He does not show up in our lives empty handed.

Come, Holy Spirit. Fill the hearts of Your faithful. Enkindle in us the fire of Your love. Send forth Your Spirit so we can be made new, and You shall renew the face of the earth. Amen.