The gift of science or word of knowledge is a gift through which the Lord makes man understand things in the way He understands them. It enables man to penetrate to the root of every event, fact, feeling or situation. In other words, through the gift of science, God gives the diagnosis, the cause of a problem, illness, fact, situation… When we have a fever, we go to a doctor to find out the cause of the fever, because fever is not the disease, but a symptom of the disease.
When someone is depressed, we want to solve the problem of depression, alleviating its symptoms, but we cannot detect the cause of depression. Through the gift of science, the Lord reveals to us the cause of depression, its root, for the purpose of healing. The Holy Spirit, through this gift, gives a service to the people of God.
With the gift of science, God teaches man His truths, allows His light to enhance man’s understanding. God communicates to man information that is impossible to acquire humanly from natural knowledge, from reason.
It is a gift of revelation. It reveals an action that God is already doing (healing), or a situation or mentality that must be transformed by God and converted through His power and mercy to heal the body and the heart.
Gift of science in the New Testament
– Lk 1: 39-45: Mary communicates the Holy Spirit to Elizabeth, as a sign of what would happen at Pentecost over the whole Church.
– Lk 1: 43: Elizabeth receives the knowledge of a mystery that, humanly, she would never have been able to understand: the incarnation of Jesus. Here the word of science was accompanied by a physical sign: the child exulted… (Lk 1:44).
– Mt 1: 18-25: Even through a dream, as in the case of Joseph, the Holy Spirit reveals to him the mystery of the incarnation. Joseph receives the gift of science (revelation) and through Him sees in himself a radical change of mentality and knowledge of God.
– Jn 4: 16-19: Jesus speaks to the Samaritan woman who had 5 husbands. This word of knowledge made the woman understand that Jesus was a prophet, opening the door of her heart to the revelation that He was the Messiah. The Samaritan woman experienced God’s mercy for the sin of adultery, because Jesus did not accuse her, but revealed what she knew. The word of knowledge had the power to guide her to repent, to be forgiven and to recognize that Jesus was the Messiah, having access “to the living water” He had promised.
– Acts 5: 1-11: The Holy Spirit, through the word of knowledge, reveals the secret intentions of the hearts of Ananias and Sapphira.
– Mk 5: 25-34: The cure for hemorrhage. Jesus uses the word of science as confirmation of healing by the power of the Holy Spirit and by faith.
– Lk 5: 17-26: The care of the paralytic. When Jesus says, “Your sins are forgiven”, He knows through the revelation that the paralytic’s greatest need is to be forgiven for his sins which are the cause of his many physical and spiritual ills. For the paralytic, these were hindering God’s action in his life.
– John 4: 50: The healing of the son of an officer: “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
Open to receive the gift of the Lord
The person who receives the gift of science can perceive that the Lord is touching him through a strong feeling, an inner certainty that can be a word, a scene of a person’s life, a vision; the Lord shows us what healing is: a part of the body, an emotional problem, a spiritual healing or a growing faith, invoking conversion … This happens after a prayer in tongues, when our mind is open and free to receive revelations from the Lord. Generally, this gift is accompanied by a word of wisdom.
Our collaboration is essential
The charisms of the Spirit, conferred on all in Baptism and intensified in Confirmation, are also called the gifts of the Holy Spirit. With these gifts He enables us to serve the Church of Christ through our brothers. The charisms are therefore powerful gifts for the service of the Christian community.
But there are conditions for receiving and persevering in the charismatic life: simplicity and purity of heart; assiduity of meditation on the Word of God; life of prayer; desire to serve brothers like Jesus (Lk 22:27); perseverance in receiving spiritual gifts (always open to being channels of action and to the power of the Spirit).
Our collaboration is essential. God doesn’t want us to be robots that act independently, as mechanical beings. Respect our freedom and our consent. If we believe, we say yes to what the Lord wants to accomplish in us. Mary Most Holy is the model of total openness: “May your word to me be fulfilled.” (Lk 1:38).
Translation: Jhoanna Climacosa
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Bibliography
Bíblia Ave-Maria
Estudo Bíblico Enchei-vos
Carismas – Coleção Paulo Apóstolo
O despertar dos Carismas
Catecismo da Igreja Católica
Christisfidelis Laice
Como usar los carismas – Benigno Juanes
Lumen Gentium