Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit

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This article is about the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit in Christian tradition. For specific spiritual or charismatic gifts in the Christian tradition, see Spiritual gift.

In this Tree of Jesse the seven gifts, represented as doves, encircle a bust of Christ. Capuchin Bible, c. 1180, BnF, Paris

The Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are gifts which Anglicans, Catholics, and Lutherans believe the Holy Spirit gives to people to further their sanctification and help "complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them."^[1]

[edit] Enumeration of the seven gifts

These gifts are enumerated (approximately) in Isaiah 11:2-3.

Here are the names of the the seven gifts, as given^[1] in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, along with a description of each gift, as defined^[2] by St. Thomas Aquinas in the Summa Theologica:

Wisdom - The gift of wisdom perfects a person's speculative reason in matters of judgment about the truth, Aquinas writes.

Knowledge - The gift of knowledge perfects a person's practical reason in matters of judgment about the truth, Aquinas writes
Counsel - " The gift of counsel perfects a person's practical reason in the apprehension of truth and allows the person to respond prudently, "moved through the research of reason," Aquinas writes.

Fortitude - Also called "courage." The gift of Courage allows people the "firmness of mind [that] is required both in doing good and in enduring evil, especially with regard to goods or evils that are difficult," Aquinas writes.

Understanding - Also called "Common Sense." The gift of understanding perfects a person's speculative reason in the apprehension of truth. It is the gift "whereby self-evident principles are known," Aquinas writes[1].

Piety - Also called "reverence." Piety is the gift "whereby, at the Holy Spirit's instigation, we pay worship and duty to God as our Father," Aquinas writes.

Fear of the Lord - Also called "wonder and awe." This gift is described by Aquinas as a fear of separating oneself from God. He describes the gift as a "filial fear," like a child's fear of offending his father, rather than a "servile fear," that is, a fear of punishment. Also known as knowing God is all powerful.

Aquinas says the first four of these gifts (wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and counsel) direct the intellect, while the other three gifts (fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord) direct the will toward God.

In some respects, the gifts are similar to the virtues but a key distinction is that the virtues operate under the impetus of human reason (prompted by grace), whereas the gifts operate under the impetus of the Holy Spirit; the former can be used when one wishes, but the latter operate only when the Holy Spirit wishes. The former are like the oars of a boat; the latter, the sails.^{[citation needed]}

Another related but distinct notion are the spiritual gifts that St. Paul describes in, for example, 1 Cor 12-14, which are, by contrast, given for the upbuilding of others. These are also part of the Catholic tradition but more commonly known as charisms or charismata.^[3]

In Summa Theologica II.2, Thomas Aquinas asserts the following correspondences between the seven Capital Virtues and the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit:^[4]

The gift of wisdom corresponds to the virtue of charity.
The gift of understanding corresponds to the virtue of faith.
The gift of knowledge corresponds to the virtue of faith.
The gift of counsel corresponds to the virtue of prudence.
The gift of fortitude corresponds to the virtue of fortitude.
The gift of piety corresponds to the virtue of justice.
The gift of fear of the Lord corresponds to the virtue of hope.

[edit] Representations in art

The seven gifts were often represented as doves in Medieval art, and especially figure in depictions of the Tree of Jesse which shows the Genealogy of Jesus. In many such depictions the doves encircle a bust of Christ.

In The Annunciation, an oil painting by Early Netherlandish master Jan van Eyck, from around 1434-1436, the Annunciation by the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that she will bear the son of God (Luke 1:26-38) depicts the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit descending to her on seven rays of light from the upper window to the left, with the dove symbolising the Holy Spirit following the same path.^[5]