“To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.” Do you ever wonder what your true gifts are? Those things that are helpful, useful and of some benefit to you or to another? Not your skills or strengths, nor your abilities or capabilities, not has fast you run or successful you become, certainly not your good looks or your exorbitant amount of money but your true gifts that can only come from God. The gracious gifts that God has so graciously poured into your heart in order to give glory and praise to his name. The gifts God has given you from the dawn of time in order to help you to lead others to salvation and in the process of saving others save your own soul.  The gifts God set aside especially for you so that you may be like the Lord in all ways, imitating him in word and deed that you may be the Lord’s gift to those in need. You certainly have those gifts but do you know what they are? When we think about the Church and how God has loved her, we can meditate on God‘s love, which is his most amazing gift, and contemplate all the ways he has gifted us with his love. God has given us the gift of his very self. Imagine poor sinners that we are can actually call on the name of the Lord when we are in need. We can actually call God our Father and he is most happy to acknowledge us as his beloved children. The gift of God stooping down to listen to us. What an amazing gift. God actually listens to us even when we complain all the time. The gift of the Son who has given his life for us. He has brought us forgiveness of sins, restored our innocence, given us eternal life. And the gift of the Holy Spirit that has been poured into our hearts inspiring us, encouraging us, lifting us out of darkness into God’s wonderful light and glory. Certainly, with those gifts we don’t need anything else. Who would want anything more than God? Who would need anything more than God? But God continues to give good gifts in super abundance. Blessed be God in his Holy Family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Blessed be God in all his Angels and Saints. Blessed be God in Holy Scripture, his Holy Sacraments, his Holy Church. And still he gives you more. Your mind, heart, body, soul, spirit, senses, intellect, freedom, prayer and will so that you may love God with your entire being. God is the true gift that dwells inside of you.