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Pentecost Sunday Year A - 8/6/2014 - Gospel: Jn 20: 19-23
Seven gifts - twelve fruits
The universal baptismal formula of the Catholic Church has its foundation on the teaching of the Risen Lord Jesus. Before departure and returning to God the Father Jesus entrusted the mission into the hands of the Apostles with the message:

Go therefore, make disciples of the nations, baptise them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Mat 28,19.

The universal baptismal formula makes us confess to God the Father who creates us and gives us eternal life. God the Son, Jesus Christ saves us from damnation by shedding His own blood to purify us through the cross. God the Holy Spirit sanctifies us and makes us holy and the ultimate holiness is when we are admitted into God's kingdom to see God face to face. These free gifts we receive make us children of God on earth and heir of the kingdom. The baptismal makes us a member of Christ and part of the Mystical Body whose head is the Risen Christ. God the Father names us and brings us into infinity. Jesus Christ tames us by making us reconcile to God the Father and the Spirit of God maims our lives through God's love and mercy. Becoming followers of Jesus we are maimed by the Holy Spirit not once but throughout our lives. As we become a mature Christian we are sealed and strengthened by the Spirit when we receive the sacrament of Confirmation. The seven gifts of the Spirit help us to be a responsible Christian, making good choices to serve God and others and to be stewards of God's creation.

The virtuous life of Christians is sustained by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. They help us to submit ourselves in following the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Traditionally the Church believes that there are seven gifts of the Holy Spirit but twelve fruits. The seven gifts are: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord and the twelve fruits are: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control and chastity.

The fruit of the Holy Spirit is the result of the Spirit's presence in the life of a Christian and its final goal is to change our lives by moulding our lives after the image of the Risen Christ, helping us to be more like Jesus. The Spirit of God makes us to become the children of God and heirs of the kingdom. When we submit ourselves under the guidance of the Spirit our lives are conforming according to the life of Christ and live a life of love and charity. Whenever we deny that Christ is our Lord we refuse to listen to the voice of the Spirit and therefore are under the rebellious manners of the flesh and its end results cause harm for ourselves and for humanity. When we cooperate with the Holy Spirit, we grow in wisdom and knowledge of God and become the true children of God. When we see the purpose of life and strive hard to live a life of love and charity we know that the Spirit of God is active in our lives. The willingness to live a life of service in love and the sanctification of life are sure signs that the Spirit is alive within us and helps us live the of faith in our daily lives.

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