Flower of Devotion

Venerable Mary of Jesus writes in her apparitions about the gifts of the Holy Ghost as follows:

“The seven gifts of the Holy Ghost have this property, that they are, as it were, additions to the virtues to which they refer, and are therefore distinct from them. It is true that every benefit of God, even natural ones, can be called a gift of his hand. However, we are not speaking of gifts in this general sense, even if they are infused gifts and virtues. For not everyone who possesses one or more virtues receives the grace of the gifts in the same virtues. Not everyone attains to that degree of virtue in which they deserve to be called perfect gifts, as the holy teachers explain in the exposition of the words of the Prophet Isaiah.
For this prophet says that the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Christ our Redeemer, and enumerates seven graces, which we usually call the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. These are: “the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and godliness, and the spirit of the fear of God (Isa. 11.2.3).” These gifts were the influence of the Divine Being, personally united to the Divinity in the most holy Soul of Christ. Like the water in the spring from which it flows to be used by all. We all draw water from the Savior’s fountains (Isaiah 12:3), grace of graces, (John 1:16) gifts of gifts; in Him are hidden all the treasures of God’s wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3).
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are appropriate to the virtues to which they refer. Their purpose is to impart to the powers of the spirit a peculiar perfection, so that man may be able to perform the most perfect and heroic deeds and deeds in the field of the respective virtues. Hence they are called special gifts, and are more perfect and illustrious than the other gifts, by means of which man exercises himself in virtue in the ordinary way.
This perfection of the gifts must consist in a special and strong influence and movement by the Holy Spirit. These manifestations more effectually overcome obstacles, move the free will, and give it greater power, so that man exercises himself with greater perfection and greater power of action in the virtue to which the gift refers. Man’s free will is incapable of all this by itself, unless it is enlightened and strengthened by the special and powerful action of the Holy Spirit. And gently and sweetly pushed to follow that enlightenment. And that she should voluntarily perform that act which appears to be as if it had been accomplished in the will of man by the power of the Spirit of God (as the holy Apostle says in his Epistle to the Romans).
Hence this movement is called the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, because the will of man, though free and acting without compulsion, is nevertheless like an instrument of free will. For in such situations it is not governed by the rules of common reason (as the virtues do), although recognition and liberty are not impaired.
I’ll try to make it a little clearer by way of example. Two things act upon the powers of the mind to move the will to the performance of a virtuous act. The first of these is the force that resides in the will itself, or the inclination which carries it (the will) and moves it, like the heaviness of a stone or the lightness of fire. It causes both of these objects to move towards their midpoint. The faculties proper to the virtues . . . intensify this inclination dwelling in the will more or less (which they do in their own way, also vices). For by acting on love, they strengthen the will. Love, after all, is the force which freely directs the will.
The second thing which acts to stimulate the will is that of reason, namely, that it is the enlightenment of the virtues which it stimulates and directs the will of man. This enlightenment stands in relation to the faculty proper to the virtues and to the manifestations of the will. For ordinary activities, ordinary reason and reflection are sufficient. For the manifestations of the higher wills, it is useful, and even necessary, to have the higher enlightenment and prompting of the Holy Spirit. And this is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. And since love and grace are supernatural faculties and skill, and depend on the will of God, like a ray that proceeds from the sun; Therefore God also exercises a special influence on love. By this means they will stimulate it, and this will stimulate the other virtues proper to the dexterity of the will, and to a higher degree, if man acts in communion with the gifts of the Holy Ghost.
Thus under the gifts of the Holy Ghost are to be understood, for the sake of man, a special enlightenment in which he behaves quite passively, and the will receives a motive. And her skill in the performance of the virtues reaches a certain degree of perfection which, beyond ordinary force, excites the virtues to extraordinary and heroic acts. If we add momentum to the stone to its natural heaviness, it moves with greater ease. And so it is with man: if the perfection or impulse of the gifts of the Holy Ghost is added, the acts of virtue become more excellent and perfect.
The gift of wisdom imparts to the soul a certain flavor by which it distinguishes, without mistake, the things of God from those of men, and shows their corresponding value. As opposed to taste, which is the consequence of human ignorance and stupidity. This gift belongs to the virtue of charity.
The gift of reason gives light to the study and understanding of the things of God, in spite of the heaviness and laziness of our reason.
The gift of knowledge penetrates into the most secret things and makes men perfect masters; This gift is opposed to human incompetence and inadequacy. The last two gifts belong to the virtue of faith.
The gift of counsel leads the way to the true way and restrains man’s excessive impatience; This gift is contrary to unreason, and belongs to the virtue of the same name.
The gift of fortitude (power) relieves disordered fear and strengthens weakness. It belongs to the same virtue.
The gift of piety makes the heart gentle and meek, takes away its hardness and guards it from insensitivity. It belongs to the virtue of worship of God.
The gift of the fear of God humbles the soul in a charming way, as opposed to pride; It refers to the virtue of humility.