The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. The first gift is wisdom. By this gift we are able to keep before our minds our last end, which is to be with God in heaven for ever, and to live in such a way while we are in this world as to secure that happiness.

According to St. Thomas Aquinas, the gift of wisdom enables a person to judge rightly about divine things, and to make judgments about other things according to the divine law of charity which is in him.

Charity and peace

The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit help a person to practise virtues, and the results of practising virtues are the Beatitudes. Therefore St. Augustine and St. Thomas linked each of the seven gifts with a virtue and beatitude.

St. Thomas teaches that the gift of wisdom presupposes charity. Since charity is expelled by mortal sin, so also is wisdom. There is a special correspondence of wisdom with the Beatitude, “blessed are the peacemakers.”

St. Augustine wrote, “Wisdom is becoming to peacemakers, in whom there is no movement of rebellion, but only obedience to reason.” St. Thomas pointed out that peace is the tranquility of order, and it belongs to wisdom to set things in order.

Wisdom of St. Pambo

In the Lives of the Fathers of the Desert, there is a story that helps to illustrate the gift of wisdom.

A young hermit one day came from a distant desert to visit the great Abbot Pambo, who was renowned throughout the whole country for his wisdom and knowledge.

The abbot received him with great kindness, and told him to sit down by his side.

The young man then began to ask him many questions on the most difficult points of the holy Scriptures, and asked him to explain to him certain mysteries which even the most learned theologians could not explain without difficulty.

To all his questions the holy man answered nothing, so that the hermit was disappointed. He at last rose and left the cell in disgust.

When he went out he met a disciple of St. Pambo, to whom he said: “I might have spared myself the trouble of this long journey, for your abbot seems to know nothing. He could not give me an answer even to one of the questions I put to him.”

“My dear brother,” answered the other, “our holy abbot does not spend his time in searching into the hidden things of God which our poor limited understandings cannot comprehend. What he does know is how to lead a holy life on earth, that we may one day be worthy of seeing God in heaven.”

These words made the young man reflect a little. He at once went back to the cell of the abbot, and said to him: “My Father, perhaps you will tell me what I have to do to lead a holy and pious life, and so one day get to heaven.”

St. Pambo, hearing this question, looked up; there was a smile on his countenance. “Now,” he said, “your questions begin to please me, and now I shall be able to answer you.”

The holy man then spoke to him of the great love of God in sending His only-begotten Son from heaven that we poor sinners might one day be able to reach it, of our eternal home there, and of the sufferings of our blessed Redeemer. The young man returned home knowing now that true wisdom was only to be found in the love of God and the study of the saints.

「聖神七恩」是：上智、明達、超見、剛毅、聰敏、孝愛、敬畏。「上智」之恩使我們緊記生命的終極—-與天主在天堂永享福樂，並使我們為確保永福而渡現世生活。聖師多瑪斯教導：「上智」使我們善於辨別有關神性的事情，在判斷事情上，均以愛德聖誡為先。

愛心與平安

「聖神七恩」幫助我們實踐德行；而實踐德行的成果就是「真福」。聖奧斯定和聖多瑪斯，都從每項「聖神七恩」中，連接上一種德行和一種真福。

聖多瑪斯教導: 上智之恩需要愛德；大罪使人失去愛德，也失去上智。「上智之恩」與「締造和平」的真福是相連的。

聖奧斯定寫道：「上智適於締造和平的人，因為在他們內沒有叛逆，只有理性的服從。」聖多瑪斯補充說：「平安是有序的恬靜，上智能把事情安排得有秩有序、井井有條。」上智確實與耶穌所指的真福，息息相關。

聖龐巴的智慧

「荒漠中先賢的行實」一書，記載了一個故事，教我們看到上智之福：

修院院長聖龐巴的智慧和知識，遠近皆聞。一天，一位年輕的隱修士慕名拜訪，聖人善情款待，并肩而坐。隱修士問了聖龐巴連串有關聖經的深奧難題，資深的神學家也可能不易作答。果然，聖人對所有問題完全緘默，令年輕的隱修士大為失望。他離開修院時，遇上一名聖龐巴的弟子，遂向他埋怨：「我不惜長途跋涉向你們的院長求教，他居然讓我空手而回！」對方回答說：「我親愛的兄弟，院長不會費時以人有限的智慧，去探索無限天主的奧秘。他專注於如何在世成聖，來日堪當在天堂兒到天主。」

這番話讓年輕的隱修士反覆思攷；他立即折返聖人房間，對聖人說：「我父，請你告訴我怎樣渡聖善和熱心的生活，以得享天堂。」聖龐巴抬頭，微笑地答道：「現在，我對你的問題很感興趣，就讓我一一作答罷。」

聖人遂向他講述天主偉大的愛，派遣祂唯一聖子從天降下，藉苦難賞給我們重返永恆天鄉的機會。年輕的隱修士茅塞頓開，明白真正的智慧，隱藏在天主的愛和祂的聖者之內！