I read that some early Christians were called “Followers of The Way”. I also know that The Tao (of Taoism) is often translated as “The Way”. Is there any connection either etymologically or in the roots of the two systems? *I thought of this because I have heard theories that Jesus may have traveled eastward during his mostly unaccounted-for younger years (his twenties I think it would be roughly).*

To the best of my knowledge and understanding, access to the power of the Holy Spirit is an essential and distinctive attribute and privilege of Christians. People from other religions, as well as agnostics and atheists, do not have access to this power. Therefore, it stands to reason that a Christian who is empowered by the Holy Spirit in this unique, privileged way would manifest this reality in ways that would set him/her apart from the rest of the world. **Question**: How does the power of the Holy Spirit manifest in Christians, as opposed to everybody else who lacks this power? What are unique and distinctive features through which the power of the Holy Spirit becomes evident and manifest in the lives of Christians, in ways that non-Christians cannot imitate or achieve, at least to the same degree? ___ **Appendix - passages that talk about the power of the Holy Spirit / the power of the Gospel / the power of God** > 8 But you will receive **power when the Holy Spirit** has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 ESV) > 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, **for it is the power of God** for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16-17 ESV) > 18 For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, 19 by **the power** of signs and wonders, **by the power of the Spirit of God**—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; (Romans 15:18-19 ESV) > 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in **demonstration of the Spirit and of power**, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but **in the power of God**. (1 Cor 2:4-5 ESV) > 19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but **their power**. 20 **For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power**. (1 Cor 4:19-20 ESV) > 11 All these are **empowered by one and the same Spirit**, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. (1 Cor 12:11 ESV) > 14 And Jesus returned **in the power of the Spirit** to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. (Luke 4:14 ESV) > 8 But as for me, **I am filled with power**, **with the Spirit of the Lord**, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin. (Micah 3:8 ESV) > 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying **its power**. Avoid such people. (2 Timothy 3:5 ESV) ____ **Related questions** - https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/90129/50422 - https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/87092/50422

### Two lists of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Protestant vs. Catholic In the **Evangelical church circles**, when they do retreats / workshops, when they talk about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, they usually mean what this [*Christianity.com* article](https://www.christianity.com/god/holy-spirit/what-are-the-seven-gifts-of-the-holy-spirit-scripture-meaning.html) lists, based on 1 Cor 12:8-10, Eph 4:7-13, and Rom 12:3-8: 1. **The Gift of Wisdom** - the gift to make choices and give leadership that is according to God's will. 1. **The Gift of Knowledge** - the gift to have a comprehensive understanding of a spiritual issue or circumstance. 1. **The Gift of Faith** - the gift to trust God and inspire others to trust God, no matter the conditions. 1. **The Gift of Healing** - the wondrous gift to use God's healing power to cure a person who is ill, wounded or suffering. 1. **The Gift of Miracles** - the gift to display signs and miracles that give credibility to God's Word and the Gospel message. 1. **The Gift of Prophecy** - the gift to declare a message from God. 1. **The Gift of Discerning Spirits** - the gift to recognize whether or not something is truly from God or in accordance with righteousness. 1. **The Gift of Tongues** - the gift to communicate in a foreign language that you do not have experience with, in order to converse with those who speak that language. 1. **The Gift of Interpreting Tongues** - the gift to interpret the speech and writings of a different language and translate it back to others in your own. 1. **The Gift of Administration** - the gift to keep things ordered and in agreement with God's principles. 1. **The Gift of Helps** - the gift of a desire and capacity to always help others, to do whatever it takes to get a task achieved. But in the **Catholic church circles** the term "The Gifts of the Holy Spirit" usually means [the following seven](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_gifts_of_the_Holy_Spirit) , based on Isa 11:1-3: 1. **Wisdom, *sapientia***: the first and the greatest of the gifts. It acts upon both the intellect and the will, it illumines the mind and instills an attraction to the divine. 1. **Understanding, *intellectus***: helps one relate all truths to one's supernatural purpose; it further illuminates one's understanding of Sacred Scripture; and it assists us to understand the significance of religious ritual. 1. **Counsel, *consilium***: Counsel functions as a sort of supernatural intuition, to enable a person to judge promptly and rightly, especially in difficult situations. 1. **Fortitude, *fortitudo***: A willingness to stand up for what is right in the sight of God, even if it means accepting rejection, verbal abuse, or physical harm. 1. **Knowledge, *cognitiō* (or *scientia*)**: The gift of knowledge allows one, as far as is humanly possible, to see things from God's perspective. 1. **Piety, *pietas***: accords with reverence. A person with reverence recognizes his total reliance on God and comes before God with humility, trust, and love. 1. **Fear of the Lord, *timor Domini***: akin to wonder / awe. With the gift of fear of the Lord, one is made aware of the glory and majesty of God. The Catholic list turns out to originate from the patristic period, [mentioned in St. Augustine's *De doctrina christiana*](https://taylormarshall.com/2010/02/augustines-seven-steps-to-wisdom-and.html) . Between the 11th and 13th centuries medieval theologians explored the connection between the Holy spirit gifts and the virtues until the theology of the gifts and virtues were settled with St. Thomas Aquinas's theology (see [Fr. Joseph d'Amécourt's lecture](https://soundcloud.com/thomisticinstitute/sets/on-the-holy-spirit-a-thomistic)) . This understanding of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit continues until today, shown by this 21st century [Aquinas 101 course, Lecture 96](https://aquinas101.thomisticinstitute.org/the-gifts-of-the-holy-spirit) of the Thomistic Institute and this [Catholic Answer article](https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/the-seven-gifts-of-the-holy-spirit) . ### Question Why the Reformed tradition didn't continue to teach the seven gifts identified by St. Augustine while continue to borrow and to teach St. Augustine's other doctrines such as the Original Sin and Predestination? Why the change? Is there any objection by the Reformed circle in using the equally Biblical seven gifts of Isa 11:1-3? (See The Seven Gifts and the Spiritual Arsenal section of [this article](https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/the-seven-gifts-of-the-holy-spirit) making the case how the gifts are connected to the Israelite Wisdom tradition.) After all, it was St. Augustine who originally [associate the seven gifts with the Beatitude blessings](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_gifts_of_the_Holy_Spirit#Augustine:_relation_to_the_Beatitudes) in the sermon on the mount (in his [commentary on the Sermon on the Mount, Book 1](https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/16011.htm)) !

Should a Rosary be made of six or twelve beaded sections? Does it symbolize something specific or is it simply an object created to reflect something in the Catholic religion?

Does Catholicism consider spiritual pleasures greater than carnal/sexual/bodily pleasures?

Is there a Catholic author who discussed how praying the *Glory Be* prayer can provide consolation? I am looking for a book/article on that topic.

I'd like to know how Catholic spiritual masters explain the urge to pray. Is it considered inspired by the Holy Spirit? Should we surrender to that urge? I was doing some research on that topic, but I didn’t find any reference from a Catholic perspective.