September 26, 2012 – Catechism 1830 – 1845

The 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit are Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord. 

The 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit are Charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity.

Of those 19, which is the most misunderstood and abused in the world.  As I look at the list, I might say that faithfulness is the most misunderstood.  Based on the whole movement of “not religion” Christianity, what are they faithful to.  You cannot be faithful to something that is relative, something that changes, a moving target.  Faith stems from something that is firm and forever.  It leaks a little into the gift of understanding.  People feel that they can go off on their own and understand God and be faithful to their understanding and that is all they need.  That is nauseatingly arrogant.  I see it as worse if you hold yourself out to others as a person who understands God and build others faith in YOUR understanding of God.  I will never understand how someone could break away from the Church and start their own community based solely on the fact that they think they understand God better.  I can’t believe people follow them down that road. 

I do not write this blog because I understand God better than others.  I will be the first to admit that I do not understand Him or what He wants from me many times.  I would never be so bold as to ask people to follow me and my understandings away from Church.  If there is a part of the Catholic interpretation that I don’t understand, I know enough to understand that it is me that needs correcting and more knowledge, not the Church’s teaching.  And if you are following someone that started their own church based on their own understanding, have you ever asked yourself where you are going if they are wrong.