Novena for the Charisms and

Fruit of the Holy Spirit

Day 6

Charismatic Gift: Word of Knowledge

Fruit of the Spirit: Goodness

Scripture:

John 4:16

Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here." The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, 'I have no husband'; for you have had five husbands, and he whom you now have is not your husband; this you said truly." The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet."

Reflection:

Today's scripture is a scene from Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus, returning to Galilee, chose to take a route that Jews of the time fiercely avoided- through Samaria. Perhaps a word of knowledge prompted Jesus to go through Samaria to encounter the Samaritan woman and deliver a gift to her that contained the goodness of God. Jesus said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." (John 4:10). Perplexed by Jesus' words, the woman asked questions to understand His presence until Jesus spoke a Word of knowledge to her about her five husbands. When Jesus revealed this Word of knowledge, it changed the conversation from the practical (The well is deep, you don't have a bucket, etc..) to a more serious spiritual conversation about where the Samaritans worship and the Messiah.

Jesus' word of knowledge dilated her heart, and this allowed her to eventually receive the revelation of Him as the Messiah. This revelation animated her to become an evangelist to the whole town- "I met a man who told me everything about my life."

Psalm 34 says, "Taste and see the goodness of the Lord!" Taste is a powerful sense. Think back to a time you encountered the taste of a food that immediately brought you back to a childhood memory or a moment in time or a particular place.

Experienced wine aficionados will often turn up their noses at inferior vintages because it doesn't have the "taste" that satisfies. When Jesus encountered the Samaritan woman and shared a word of knowledge prompted by the Holy Spirit, it gave her a "taste" of the goodness of God. At that moment, nothing else would ever satisfy her. We can imagine she spent the rest of her life unsatisfied with the taste of her old life, seeking a new life that demonstrated the fruit of that goodness.

A word of knowledge is a gift to others if delivered in humility and maturity, as Jesus demonstrated. The Holy Spirit is seeking believers to bless others with a "taste" of the goodness of God. Whom shall He send?

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, I desire to be an instrument of blessing to others. You are the gracious gift of the Father and the Son to a world that is parched and weary. You are the living water that flows from Heaven. Allow me to taste and see Your goodness. I desire to increase in the gift of the word of knowledge, according to Your will. May the use of this gift bring others to the revelation of Jesus as Lord.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful.
And kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.
And you will renew the face of the earth.

Lord, by the light of the Holy Spirit
you have taught the hearts of your faithful.
In the same Spirit help us to relish what is right
and always rejoice in your consolation.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen. Come Holy Spirit!