Gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is associated with a number of sets of gifts and fruits. The sacrament of confirmation “increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit within us” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1303). When a confirmed person cooperates with the graces that the Holy Spirit provides, the person makes spiritual headway with regard to each of these qualities or traits, and is progressively more willing to listen to and obey the promptings of the Spirit.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit. There are seven gifts of the Spirit, six with a biblical basis, one without: “wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge and fear of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:2); as well as piety, which was added to bring the list to seven.

The Bible’s fruits of the Holy Spirit. There are nine biblically-based fruits of the Holy Spirit as given by St. Paul in his letter to the Galatians: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).

The traditional fruits of the Holy Spirit. There are 12 traditional fruits of the Holy Spirit, some which overlap the biblical list: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, long-suffering, humility or gentleness, fidelity or faithfulness, modesty, continence or self-control and chastity.

Gifts to be used to bear fruit. All who are confirmed are equipped with the gifts of the Holy Spirit to live a virtuous and holy life, and sent forth to bear much fruit, something that is possible only when one stays firmly attached to Jesus, the vine (see John 15:1-8).  The graces of the Spirit strengthen confirmed Christians to carry out their vocations for the good of others and the benefit of the Church and the world.

Father Michael Van Sloun is pastor of St. Stephen in Anoka.

More from Father Van Sloun is available at his blog, The Pastor’s Page at Catholic Hotdish

 

  • tony

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  • tony

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  • Joeassily

    You are wrong. THERE ARE 9 GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BEGINING 1 Corinthians 12:7! The Catholics are BLIND. You follow the Catholic Faith. Jesus says “Pick up your cross and follow me.” In Mathew Ch. 23:9 he says “Call no man on this earth Father, for you have only one Father in heaven.” Why do they call priests father? Blind fools following each other. What’s the number one commandment? Love GOD NUMBER 1 with all your heart mind and soul. Catholics go to church one hour a week and think that’s all they have to do. They give money to the Church and it stays there. They feed the hungry with food. Feed a man a fish feed him for a day. That’s what they do. Real Christians strive to be born again. Catholics baptize with water. Those who follow Christ and not religion are baptized as Jesus was in the Book of John, with THE SPIRIT. Seek and you shall receive the Spirit. Catholics know nothing of the spirit and its gifts as the blog post so brilliantly proved. We must give 10% of our income to the Lord to Missionaries as the Apostles did Jesus’ work. Feed a man food for a day, or feed his soul for life?

  • Joseph

    Thank you, Father. We need more of this.

  • Randomness Me15

    The bird is the word

  • Carol

    Hey how are you I like cheesepuffs

  • Carol

    Hey how are you I like cheesepuffs

    • Carol

      OMG me too

  • Paul

    very very cool