In his homily during the Holy Mass of Confirmation, the Archbishop who has been at the helm of Nairobi Archdiocese since November 2021 said the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are important in guiding human beings on how to best care for the environment.
“The gifts of the Holy Spirit are permanently seven and they lead to the fruits such as love, kindness and generosity that are essential for human beings to care for the environment,” he said.
The 66-year-old Kenyan Archbishop who started his Episcopal Ministry in in February 1996 as the Local Ordinary of Kenya’s Kericho Diocese urged those who were to be confirmed to embrace the gifts of the Holy Spirit and produce the fruits that will align them to God’s way of changing the world.
“The Holy Spirit changes the life of the human person and also the world of creation,” he said, adding that the name Confirmation can be replaced by the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
“The fruits of the Holy Spirit are there, and we can only have them if we remain conscious that God is working in us, is changing our world, changing our hearts and is also improving the world,” Archbishop Anyolo said during the October 7 event.
He continued, “When you go out there, work for the unity of the nation. To serve others, you must learn the gifts and bear the fruits. If you do that, you will live life in fullness and in abundance by serving others just the way Jesus did.”
The Spirit of God brought about changes when the earth was void without life, he further said, making reference to the story of creation in the book of Genesis.
Archbishop Anyolo underscored the need to educate both the mind and the heart saying that through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, “God also teaches your heart, not just your head; teaching the head alone will limit you to professions such as law and medicine among others.”
If you are taught in both the head and the heart, he said, “You become an intellectual giant. Through the Holy Spirit, God will use you as an instrument to change the world.”
Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.
