“There are different kinds of gifts. But it is the same Holy Spirit Who gives them. There are different kinds of work to be done for Him. But the work is for the same Lord. There are different ways of doing His work. But it is the same God who uses all these ways in all people. The Holy Spirit works in each person in one way or another for the good of all.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-7
Over the past years, I’ve looked to the Holy Spirit to make known His gifts in me. He has shown me many blessings and gifts.
As I sit here this morning ask His graces to pour over me and open my soul to receive all His countless gifts to be shared for the greatness of His Kingdom on earth, I think of the ‘seed gift’ of the Spirit.
Love.
“I may be able to speak the languages of men and even of angels, but if I do not have love, it will sound like noisy brass. If I have the gift of speaking God’s Word and if I understand all secrets, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I know all things and if I have the gift of faith so I can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give everything I have to feed poor people and if I give my body to be burned, but do not have love, it will not help me.” 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Without love, everything we do even with purest intent is empty and void of meaning. What good is the gift of prophecy or tongues or healing without the seed foundation of love? I’ve seen doctors and nurses who were almost heartless – seeing a patient to cure and not a person suffering. And, I’ve seen doctors and nurses who see the person in pain over even the illness. Who is better served? The one who is loved and loves.
A soul strives for great virtues – desiring heroic virtues. But, this soul striving to live saintly virtues falls short for overreaching. The soul needs to start where he is and live virtuously. What may seem minimal virtue to a mature soul is heroic to a newborn Christian. When the soul seeking sanctity first decides to practice virtue, small things seem huge and the desire to do those saint level acts seems out of reach. But, even the saintly soul sees higher virtue and strives toward more heroic virtue. Both souls strive heroically for virtue – just from different vantages. Each vantage point when attained changes the view of the virtues and goals – each step upwards to God raises the soul to new clarity.
Even the seed virtue of Love changed. A new soul may see heroism in simply hugging his wife, or being kind to a soul who irks him. While loving thy enemy and caring for the sick and destitute as a Mother Theresa may seem unreachable.
Strive to love where you are and stretch always to love more. Before long that simply hug or smile will have grown into many other roots of love. Never losing the heroic nature of its simplest form but feeding on and growing from this.
So, start today asking the Holy Spirit for the greatest of all virtues and gifts – that of Love. Then, share the gift and grown the gift. Learn to see through Love’s eyes.
Even the Blessed Mother in a sense started with the simple heroic virtue of love in her fiat.