Earlier today, we discussed the gift of piety. We now move on to the fourth of seven gifts, counsel.
Before proceeding further, you may notice that I am not discussing these gifts in the same order I listed them in before when I summarized them all. The order I had them in in my initial summary is the traditional one (wisdom being the highest, and fear of the Lord being the last.) However, the order I am going in in this series of posts is the order used by a priest I respect who gave a detailed talk on these gifts. I like it because fear of the Lord (the first one he discussed) is the foundation of being able to receive all the other gifts, and therefore, it made sense for me to start with that one. The order I am using here goes from that foundational gift all the way to the highest (wisdom). I think it makes sense to go that way.
This was the definition of counsel that I gave in my summary of the gifts several posts back:
Counsel is the gift that allows us to judge what we should do in a particular instance, almost by instinct. It is like, as it implies, that we have a "counselor" inside us, giving us very good advice.
This gift is God, who knows everything, directing us in what to do so that our action leads us to him in the way of salvation and sanctification (which is being made holy, more and more in the image and likeness of God.)
This gift has these affects:
1) It prevents us from the danger of a false conscience.
2) It provides solutions to unexpected situations and problems.
3) It gives superiors guidance how to direct people under them.
4) It increases docility to legitimate superiors.
Here is how you can cultivate this gift:
1) Pray and practice mortification, as with all the other gifts we have discussed.
2) Practice humility so you can more readily accept the promptings of the Lord.
3) Foster patience; God will let us know what to do at the right time
4) Listen to God, rather than be influenced by human considerations.
5) Act upon his promptings, and he will be inclined to give us more promptings in the future.
6) Practice silence so you can hear better the promptings of God.
The gift of counsel is closely connected with the Beatitude "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." (Matthew 5:7). The gift of counsel, Aquinas notes, directs the distribution of mercy. Two of the spiritual works of mercy; instructing the ignorant, and counseling the doubtful, link to this gift the most as they imply giving direction to someone. Every time this gift is operative in our life, it is an act of mercy, since we are given direction which will lead us to a place(s) we could not have gone ourselves, and on our own, our actions would have led us to a place(s) that most likely would have been bad for us.
It is extremely important for all of us, but especially for Church leaders, to have this gift operative. This gift will give the leaders of the Church insight into how to stir up, coordinate and distribute the many gifts that exist in the Body of Christ. This gift ensures they will function together appropriately, and build unity, and not divide.
Finally, the gift of counsel perfects the virtue of prudence. Exactly one year ago today actually, on a post on the four cardinal virtues, I quoted from paragraph 1806 in the Catechism , "prudence is the virtue that disposes practical reason to discern our true good in every circumstance and to choose the right means of achieving it". However, this gift of counsel is different from this virtue of prudence in that in this gift, it is God that operates with a grace, whereas in the virtue, it is we who operate with reason. Practicing prudence disposes us to the workings of God, especially this gift, but it is distinct, as are all the gifts, from all the virtues. The gifts perfect the virtues.
This gift is a wonderful treasure. Its existence shows that we never have to worry if we have what we need to make the right decisions in life, and/or that we will indeed make them. As long as we are in a state of grace (free from mortal sin), and practice at least a few of the suggestions above to make us more disposed to receive this gift, we can be assured that we will be given what is necessary to make the right decisions, even if they be difficult ones.
Joseph, most obedient, pray for us.
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