The original article can be found in my personal blog at explodingfortis.com.
It wasn’t until a few weeks ago that I started to pay attention to charisms. I knew they existed, but I never truly understood that all baptized were given charisms by the Holy Spirit through which we are called to love and serve God and others. Multiple people can have the same charisms, but we are still called to love and serve in a very particular way that is not exactly the same as someone else’s.
What Are Charisms?
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Whether extraordinary or simple and humble, charisms are graces of the Holy Spirit which directly or indirectly benefit the Church, ordered as they are to her building up, to the good of men, and to the needs of the world.” (799) Also, “Charisms are to be accepted with gratitude by the person who receives them and by all members of the Church as well. They are a wonderfully rich grace for the apostolic vitality and for the holiness of the entire Body of Christ, provided they really are genuine gifts of the Holy Spirit and are used in full conformity with authentic promptings of this same Spirit, that is, in keeping with charity, the true measure of all charisms.” (800)
In short, our charisms/specific graces were given to us during baptism by the Holy Spirit for the good and upbuilding of the Church.
You Already ARE A GIFT
Before sharing the list of charisms with you, I want to remind you that before “doing something” we are someone. We could have the best ideas in the world and be the best at what we do (as a profession or service), but if we do not root what we do in who and whose we are, they might not come to fruition. Remember that you are seen, loved, and pursued by God, the creator of the universe, and the creator of your own life and existence. He knows you, he chooses you, he wants you. You don’t need to do anything to earn his love… it’s already been given to you! Embracing, nurturing, and living our charisms is an answer from us to God’s invitation of love for us to serve and love him and his Church.
And now… let’s talk about the Different Charisms! ✨
No charism is better than others. Each of us is a member of the Church and we all together make ONE BODY. Think about ourselves as a different part of the body of Christ and the charisms as the “function” of that part of the body. Each of us is called to serve with our charisms in a very unique way. Some charisms may seem “extraordinary”, such as prophecy or healing, while others might seem “normal”, like administration or service, but they are all empowered by God.
Below you can find 24 different charisms!
As Jill Simmons (the Executive Director of Many Parts Ministries – a ministry that helps people to learn about and discern their charisms) said, “The main thing to remember about charisms is that charisms are supernatural and effective (classic example being that when those with a teaching charism teach, students actually learn), and charisms are not static. We continue to grow into our charisms and even develop new charisms as we grow and change in our relationship with God.”
How do Charisms differ from Natural Talents?
This can be a frequent question when it comes to charisms. It is important to remember that charisms are not something we inherited from our parents – they were given by the Holy Spirit, whom we received through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. Additionally, charisms are supernatural, which means that their effectiveness surpasses our human abilities and efforts. Have you ever felt really good at something even though you didn’t feel your best while doing it? Maybe giving a talk, or encouraging a friend, or creating art. It’s because maybe they are part of your charisms and their effectiveness goes way beyond our abilities. Finally, charisms are used for the benefit and good of others and not ourselves.
We use both our natural talents and our charisms to serve God and others.
How Can We Discern/Discover Our Charisms?
“God is calling you to a work of love that will fill your life with purpose and joy, and discerning your charisms can help you discover that call.” (The Catherine of Siena Institute)
If you’d like to discern your charisms, I’d strongly suggest you take the Many Parts Ministries Charism Assessment. It is very easy to take and brings so much light into this part of our journey. I would also like to encourage you to download their free guide to charisms, which explains each of the 24 charisms mentioned above.
Finally, in order to continue discerning your charisms, I’d also encourage you to
-Make a list of things/hobbies/activities that you feel passionate about and that bring you joy and make you feel alive whenever you do them.
-Reach out to your family and closest friends and ask them what they believe you are good at (sometimes we need someone else to point out our strengths because it can be hard for us to see/recognize them).
-Ask God to help you see the gifts he has already given to you and show you how He’d like you to use them to love and serve him and others.
Know of my prayers for you.
With love,
Mari
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