Charisms of the Holy Spirit: Your Tools for the New Evangelization

Charisms of the Holy Spirit: Your Tools for the New Evangelization

By: Renee A. Marazon

To each is given a manifestation of the spirit for some benefit (1 Cor 12:7).  What an incredible reality that each one of us has a way that the Spirit is manifested in us to others in order to bring others to Christ and bring Christ to them.  This does not mean that only some, only the ordained, only religious, only a few have a manifestation of the Spirit.  No, rather, this means that all (each one of us) have a manifestation of the Spirit.  Each of us expresses the presence of Christ through a manifestation of His Holy Spirit.  These are gifts, and they are given without regard to persons, stature, money, fame, education or position in life.  They are given at the pleasure of the Holy Spirit so that we might serve at the pleasure of God in the ways He is calling us into service.

Charisms of the Holy Spirit are truly the Tools for the New Evangelization.  What I mean by this is that each one of us is gifted to evangelize using the gifts we have been given for ministry.

Some will bring others to Christ and to His Church through:

• the Gift of Music by sharing a favorite CD, by playing an instrument, by singing, or by dancing in a worship-filled posture.

• the Gift of Pastoring by sharing a Scripture verse or by listening attentively to another.

• the Gift of Intercession and Prayer by finding out what their needs are and promising to pray for them and for their needs on a regular basis or by praying for their needs in the moment they speak them.

• the Gift of Helps by cleaning someone’s home, babysitting for them, helping to care for an elderly or homebound person.

• the Gifts of Hospitality by inviting those who have never been invited, by welcoming those who feel like outsiders, by baking someone a cake that they prayed over when they put it in the oven and letting them know they did that for them, by setting up chairs and by praying for the persons who will be seated in those chairs.

Each and every charism of the Holy Spirit is a Tool for Evangelization.  It is the way we are called to bring Christ to the world and the world to Christ.  Let us not fail to help others, to discern their charisms, come to them in their charism, call upon them to use their charisms, and thank them for responding to God’s gifts in their lives.