The Gifts of the Spirit

The Epistle for the Daily Prayer of the Church today comes from Paul’s first letter to the Church in Corinth where Paul tells us about the gifts of the Holy Spirit:

 

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, you were enticed and led astray to idols that could not speak. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says ‘Let Jesus be cursed!’ and no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit.

 

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. (1 Cor. 12: 1-11).

 

What is clear is that the gifts we receive from the Holy Spirit are for the good of the Church; they are not for our own individual use. The Spirit is selfless, always building up the Body of Christ.  If you ever encounter someone who boasts that they have a particular gift, be very wary. 

 

Let us pray:  O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were being cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Please remember everyone on our Prayer List.

 

Thank you to Lee Runion and everyone who helped to make the 5^th Annual Art Show a success.

 

CALENDAR REMINDERS

  

The BBQ at Grace is back!  After being interrupted by Ike, the tradition is back again.  Saturday, 12 October 2013 from 11-3.  There will be a silent auction with all sorts of wonderful items including James Avery jewelry and a bird watching cruise.  Come and support our brothers and sisters at Grace Episcopal Church.

 

Karen’s birthday celebration will begin at 5 p.m. in Sutton Hall at St. Augustine’s.

  

Your servant in Christ,

 

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church

Galveston, Texas 77550