A gift of the heart may be a thought/prayer /materialistic gesture toward an individual or group of people without expecting anything in return. You can not put a value on the gift, for it is the thoughtfulness behind the giving. This is a “no strings attached” heartfelt gesture toward someone in need or a “thank you” for something you have received from them.
A very good example of our giving the “Gifts of the Heart” is at our Celebrating Life Ministries Retreats. Our expression of love, blessings, prayers, and healing toward one another represents a true gift we possess through our learning and teaching. We may not realize it, but our hands-on healing, holding sacred space and catching for the healers, prayer circles, and just having social chats with one another during these retreats are true blessings of giving a “Gift of the Heart”. I’ve observed that as we leave these retreats, we are full of love and giving. We return to our everyday lives overwhelmed with emotion.
The giving of the gift of the heart does not stop at the retreat. The emotions we experience and take with us help us understand that in our everyday lives we are performing the gifts of the heart through our professions. The educators, doctors, nurses, caregivers, home makers, laborers, and all other professionals are gift givers. These gift givers express themselves in the form of teaching, health care, building/repairing, showing love/compassion and many other virtues. The giver(s) of these gifts do not expect anything in return because of their love and passion for what they do.
I think the most beautiful gift to bestow on someone is the Spiritual Gift of Love, Blessings and Prayer. In doing so we may strengthen another’s faith in the Divine.
“A spiritual gift is an ability given by the Holy Spirit to express our faith effectively (in word or deed) for the strengthening of someone’s else’s faith.
- Spiritual Gifts by John Piper 3/15/81
“What you are is God’s gift to you, what you become is your gift to God”
-Hans Urs von Balthasar, Prayer
by Brother Frank C.
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