Pentecost Novena: Day Eight

The Pentecost Novena, itself, can be found here. 
 
"On the faithful, who adore and confess you, evermore in your sevenfold gift descend." - From the Veni Sancte Spiritus, Sequence for Pentecost

We are well aware of the significance of numbers in the Scriptures and in the Tradition of the Church. The number three, of course, is hallowed because of its union with the Divine, for God is one in Three Divine Persons. The number forty occurs often as what we may call the passage of a season. The Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years and our Lord fasted in the desert for forty days, both signs of a season of penance and meeting the Lord. But the number seven, the number of perfection, is of course highly significant as well.

We don't see this number appear too often in the Scriptures, however, until the New Testament. A notable exception would be the days of Creation. Within the Gospels and the early Church, however, this number becomes especially significant. There are seven Sacraments of the Church, in the Gospel of John, there are seven miracles or "signs," which Jesus does as a sign of His Divinity. In the Book of Revelation, this number occurs repeatedly - the letter is written to seven churches, there are seven spirits who stand before the throne of God, God holds seven stars and walks among seven golden lampstands, and of course the seven trumpets, seals, and bowls (Revelation 1:4; 2:1; 5:1; 8:6; 16:1).

Why this constant appearance of the number seven, especially in the New Testament? We may attribute the answer to the ever increasing influence of philosophy on the Jewish people, for mathematical philosophy often attributes a special significance to the number seven, as all the previous numbers can be used to equal seven (1+6, 2+5, 3+4) and it is the most prime of the first 10 digits. But even within the Pagan religions of old, seven was almost always the number which gained special "power;" it came to represent the divine. It should be no wonder God would then choose this number to represent His presence as many peoples would be familiar with the concept.

Thus, we may say the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit also hold a Divine meaning, not only because the presence of the gifts mean the presence of the Holy Spirit, but because of what they are ultimately meant to accomplish in our souls, namely our divinization. Because it is through the Sacraments that the Holy Spirit first and primarily comes to us, especially the Sacraments of Initiation, it is primarily through them the seven gifts will be bestowed upon us. Therefore, whenever we receive the Eucharist, we should pray also that the Holy Spirit may be poured into our hearts so that His gifts may conform us to Jesus Christ.

Let us pray for fear of the Lord, to have a proper reverence for God and to make a place for Him in our hearts. Let us pray for piety, so that we may love Him all the more and desire His presence; knowledge so we may know Who it is we are united with. May we be filled with fortitude to overcome all obstacles which keep us from union with God, counsel to be united with His Will, and understanding to be penetrate the Divine Intellect. And let us be filled with wisdom, which is that gift whereby we see, will, and love with the eyes of Jesus Christ.