“The Holy Spirit is light and strength. It is He who enables us to distinguish truth from falsehood and good from evil. Just as binoculars magnify objects, the Holy Spirit enables us to see the good and the evil in their full magnitude. With the Holy Spirit, one sees everything in its full magnitude: one sees the greatness of the smallest acts performed for God and the gravity of the smallest mistakes.” (Saint John Vianney)
For true and deeper understanding, we need the Holy Spirit. Although we can perceive and distinguish natural things through reason, it is the Holy Spirit who grants us a supernatural perspective and thereby enlightens our minds.
In His light, we perceive things more clearly before the Lord and thus have an authentic standard. Through the weight of sin, we also recognize the greatness of His mercy. Even our smallest mistakes carry weight. When we acknowledge and understand them, however, they fall under the gentle guidance of the Holy Spirit. He not only draws our attention to them but also shows us the way to change and overcome them.
In recognizing His mercy, we glimpse the greatness of His love. Through the Holy Spirit, we know that the works done in Him take on great value. This may become a source of joy for us—that we can contribute to the Kingdom of God with our small part, and that God regards this with great favor.
For us, who have heard the words of the holy Curé of Ars, it remains to ask the Holy Spirit that, through His loving guidance, we may come to know our Father—and ourselves—better.