Q. 698. {176} Which are the effects of Confirmation?

A. The effects of Confirmation are an increase of sanctifying grace, the strengthening of our faith, and the gifts of the Holy Ghost.

Q. 699. {177} Which are the gifts of the Holy Ghost?

A. The gifts of the Holy Ghost are Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fort.i.tude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord.

Q. 700. {178} Why do we receive the gift of Fear of the Lord?

A. We receive the gift of Fear of the Lord to fill us with a dread of sin.

Q. 701. {179} Why do we receive the gift of Piety?

A. We receive the gift of Piety to make us love G.o.d as a Father, and obey Him because we love Him.

Q. 702. {180} Why do we receive the gift of Knowledge?

A. We receive the gift of Knowledge to enable us to discover the will of G.o.d in all things.

Q. 703. {181} Why do we receive the gift of Fort.i.tude?

A. We receive the gift of Fort.i.tude to strengthen us to do the will of G.o.d in all things.

Q. 704. {182} Why do we receive the gift of Counsel?

A. We receive the gift of Counsel to warn us of the deceits of the devil, and of the dangers to salvation.

Q. 705. How is it clear that the devil could easily deceive us if the Holy Ghost did not aid us?

A. It is clear that the devil could easily deceive us if the Holy Ghost did not aid us, for just as our sins do not deprive us of our knowledge, so the devil's sin did not deprive him of the great intelligence and power which he possessed as an angel. Moreover, his experience in the world extends over all ages and places, while ours is confined to a few years and to a limited number of places.

Q. 706. {183} Why do we receive the gift of Understanding?

A. We receive the gift of Understanding to enable us to know more clearly the mysteries of faith.

Q. 707. {184} Why do we receive the gift of Wisdom?

A. We receive the gift of Wisdom to give us a relish for the things of G.o.d, and to direct our whole life and all our actions to His honor and glory.

Q. 708. {185} Which are the Beat.i.tudes?

A. The Beat.i.tudes are:

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

2. Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land.

3. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.

4. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice, for they shall be filled.

5. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

6. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see G.o.d.

7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of G.o.d.

8. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Q. 709. What are the Beat.i.tudes and why are they so called?

A. The Beat.i.tudes are a portion of Our Lord's Sermon on the Mount, and they are so called because each of them holds out a promised reward to those who practice the virtues they recommend.

Q. 710. Where did Our Lord usually preach?

A. Our Lord usually preached wherever an opportunity of doing good by His Words presented itself. He preached at times in the synagogues or meeting-houses but more frequently in the open air--by the seash.o.r.e or on the mountain, and often by the wayside.

Q. 711. What is the meaning and use of the Beat.i.tudes in general?

A. (1) In general the Beat.i.tudes embrace whatever pertains to the perfection of Christian life, and they invite us to the practice of the highest Christian virtues; (2) In different forms they all promise the same reward, namely, sanctifying grace in this life and eternal glory in the next; (3) They offer us encouragement and consolation for every trial and affliction.

Q. 712. What does the first Beat.i.tude mean by the "poor in spirit"?

A. The first Beat.i.tude means by the "poor in spirit" all persons, rich or poor, who would not offend G.o.d to possess or retain anything that this world can give; and who, when necessity or charity requires it, give willingly for the glory of G.o.d. It includes also those who humbly submit to their condition in life when it cannot be improved by lawful means.

Q. 713. Who are the mourners who deserve the consolation promised in the third Beat.i.tude?

A. The mourners who deserve the consolation promised in the third Beat.i.tude are they who, out of love for G.o.d, bewail their own sins and those of the world; and they who patiently endure all trials that come from G.o.d or for His sake.

Q. 714. What lessons do the other Beat.i.tudes convey?

A. The other Beat.i.tudes convey these lessons: The meek suppress all feelings of anger and humbly submit to whatever befalls them by the Will of G.o.d; and they never desire to do evil for evil. The justice after which we should seek is every Christian virtue included under that name, and we are told that if we earnestly desire and seek it we shall obtain it. The persecuted for justice' sake are they who will not abandon their faith or virtue for any cause.

Q. 715. Who may be rightly called merciful?

A. The merciful are they who practice the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, and who aid by word or deed those who need their help for soul or body.

Q. 716. Why are the clean of heart promised so great a reward?

A. The clean of heart, that is, the truly virtuous, whose thoughts, desires, words and works are pure and modest, are promised so great a reward because the chaste and sinless have always been the most intimate friends of G.o.d.

Q. 717. What is the duty of a peacemaker?

A. It is the duty of a peacemaker to avoid and prevent quarrels, reconcile enemies, and to put an end to all evil reports of others or evil speaking against them. As peacemakers are called the children of G.o.d, disturbers of peace should be called the children of the devil.

Q. 718. Why does Our Lord speak in particular of poverty, meekness, sorrow, desire for virtue, mercy, purity, peace and suffering?

A. Our Lord speaks in particular of poverty, meekness, sorrow, desire for virtue, mercy, purity, peace and suffering because these are the chief features in His own earthly life; poverty in His birth, life and death; meekness in His teaching; sorrow at all times. He eagerly sought to do good, showed mercy to all, recommended chast.i.ty, brought peace, and patiently endured suffering.

Q. 719. {186} Which are the twelve fruits of the Holy Ghost?

A. The twelve fruits of the Holy Ghost are Charity, Joy, Peace, Patience, Benignity, Goodness, Long-suffering, Mildness, Faith, Modesty, Continency, and Chast.i.ty.

Q. 720. Why are charity, joy, peace, &c., called fruits of the Holy Ghost?

A. Charity, joy, peace, &c., are called fruits of the Holy Ghost because they grow in our souls out of the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost.

LESSON SEVENTEENTH.

ON THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE.

Q. 721. {187} What is the Sacrament of Penance?

A. Penance is a Sacrament in which the sins committed after Baptism are forgiven.

Q. 722. Has the word Penance any other meaning?

A. The word Penance has other meanings. It means also those punishments we inflict upon ourselves as a means of atoning for our past sins; it means likewise that disposition of the heart in which we detest and bewail our sins because they were offensive to G.o.d.

Q. 723. How does the inst.i.tution of the Sacrament of Penance show the goodness of Our Lord?

A. The inst.i.tution of the Sacrament of Penance shows the goodness of Our Lord, because having once saved us through Baptism, He might have left us to perish if we again committed sin.

Q. 724. What are the natural benefits of the Sacrament of Penance?

A. The natural benefits of the Sacrament of Penance are: It gives us in our confessor a true friend, to whom we can go in all our trials and to whom we can confide our secrets with the hope of obtaining advice and relief.

Q. 725. {188} How does the Sacrament of Penance remit sin, and restore to the soul the friendship of G.o.d?

A. The Sacrament of Penance remits sin and restores the friendship of G.o.d to the soul by means of the absolution of the priest.