XXI — THE GIFT OF COUNSEL

Presence of God. — Come, Spirit of counsel, and make my heart listen to your suggestions.

Meditation

1 — “But the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring all things to your mind, whatsoever I shall have said to you” (Jn. 14:26). This promise of Jesus holds for every Christian; it holds for us too. The Holy Spirit dwells in our souls to counsel us, to remind us of the Lord’s teachings and apply them to concrete cases of our life.

But how can we, poor creatures so coarse and accustomed to noisy language of men, perceive the slight murmur of divine suggestions? God has provided by a special gift, the gift of counsel, through which our soul becomes capable of understanding the intimate and silent voice of the Holy Spirit, distinguishing it from all other voices.

The gift of counsel is powerful helper of virtue of prudence. Guided by this virtue, we seek to understand how we should behave in various circumstances of life to please God. Yet we do not always succeed in seeing clearly; indeed before concrete cases we remain doubtful. Is this or that more conformable to divine will? In this deliberation am I truly moved by supernatural motives, or is nature involved, is my ego involved? The question persists, and even advice of wise persons is not enough to dispel perplexities and give the light by which we can act with certainty.

We need God Himself to enlighten us from within. We need the Holy Spirit, by putting into act the gift of counsel, to make his divine counsels reach our soul. This gift is like an antenna giving us possibility to receive counsels of the Holy Spirit — most precious and very simple counsels that, going beyond labyrinth of our reasonings, show with luminous clarity the way to follow and let us understand in an instant God’s will.

The more this gift develops in us, the more our soul opens to voice of the Holy Spirit and becomes sensitive to his suggestions. By force of this gift, we little creatures can address to the Most High the humble yet bold prayer: “Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth” (1 Sam. 3:9).

2 — Without doubt, by the gift of counsel, the Holy Spirit wants to be our counselor on way of holiness. But why then do we enjoy so little of his divine warnings? First, because we are distracted; our soul is deafened by voices of creatures, filled with noises of the world. Sacred Scripture compares voice of the Holy Spirit to “the whisper of a gentle breeze” (1 Kgs. 19:12). Therefore one must keep silence — exterior silence and still more interior — to perceive this voice so subtle and sweet. Only in silence can one hear Him who manifests Himself “in divine silence” (cf. G.C. AM. 26).

Another cause preventing us from receiving counsels of the Holy Spirit is attachment to our own judgment, to short counsels of our mind. A little of this attachment, a little obstinacy in one’s own ideas, is enough to close soul in itself and make it incapable of grasping divine inspirations. Let us not deceive ourselves: this happens even when obstinacy concerns good things, because attachment to one’s own opinions is never good, never sign of grace’s action, but rather of unconquered self-love.

When a soul is neither sensitive nor pliable to external voice of obedience trying to move it from tenacity, much less can it be to interior and silent voice of the Holy Spirit. As a boat, though equipped with sails, cannot be moved by wind while tied to shore, so a soul attached to its own opinions cannot enjoy precious influence of the gift of counsel. The gift is in it, but remains powerless, almost paralyzed, as sails of boat anchored in harbor remain powerless. Therefore St. John of the Cross warns: “Renounce your desires and you will find what your heart desires. What do you know whether your inclination is according to God?” (Sayings).

By cultivating interior recollection and detachment from our own judgment, we will truly be, as Jesus said, docibiles Dei — taught by God — that is, we will have necessary dispositions to be instructed by God and receive warnings of the Holy Spirit.

Colloquy

“Speak, Lord, for your servant hears. I am your servant: give me understanding that I may know your commandments. Incline my heart to words of your mouth, and let your speech descend upon me like dew. In former times children of Israel said to Moses: ‘Speak thou to us and we will hear; but let not the Lord speak to us, lest we die.’ Not so I, my God. Rather, with the prophet Samuel, humbly and fervently I beg You: ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’ Let not Moses or any prophet speak to me, but speak You to me, Lord God, who inspire and enlighten all prophets, since You alone, without them, can teach me perfectly, while they, without You, can help me nothing.

“Prophets can give sound of words, but not the spirit. They say very beautiful things, but if You are silent, they do not inflame the heart. They teach the letter, but You, Lord, unveil the spirit. They announce mysteries, but You open understanding to what is hidden in them.

“They make known your commandments, but You help us put them into practice. They show the way, but You give strength to walk. They provide externally, but You enlighten and teach hearts. They water from outside, but You grant fruitfulness. They speak words, but You give understanding to hearing.

“Speak then, Lord: your servant hears, for You have words of eternal life. Speak to me, to give some consolation to my soul, to amend all my life, to your glory and your everlasting honor” (Imitation of Christ III, 2, 1-3).