Conclusion

We should think, meditate and practice these points until they are engrained and habitual.

When these qualities become almost second nature, then we will know how to take advantage of the Lord's generosity and gather all the gifts that he wants to give us - for ourselves and for others. We will know instinctively how to respond in certain situations. We will sense the proper response and dispositions that are most pleasing to the Lord, and hence, meriting the most grace. 

Each of these qualities will be unique to us as individuals. For example, humility for you will look different than humility for me. These qualities will perfect our nature, and not change us into someone we are not. Each of us is unique - with different talents, weaknesses and graces. We have our individual personality, history and story. God knew us before he formed us in our mother's womb (Jer 1:5). If we cooperate with the Lord, we will become the person he created us to be. He has a plan for us, and if we respond to his grace, we will actualize and live out that plan. 

When we take the time to meditate on each attribute, asking the Lord to teach us how we can grow in them, he will reveal to us which virtue we need to work on the most and what that looks like for us. The Lord will speak to us individually when we seek his guidance in reflecting on these points. The Lord will help us understand them better as they pertain to us, and how we can implement and practice these qualities.

Self-awareness is important. We have to be brutally honest with our gifts and our weaknesses; identifying the point or points that we are most lacking, and make a conscious effort to work on these points with the help of God's grace. But if you are like me, you will see that you need to grow in all twelve points. And the Lord will give us plenty of opportunities to practice and grow in these areas. Nevertheless, we should be patient with ourselves. Knowing that our desires and efforts are pleasing to the Lord. A lack of patience often reflects a lack of humility. Remember that this is an on-going, life-long endeavor.

As we are aware of these dispositions and actions, we will be reminded by the Holy Spirit to practice certain points throughout the day as different circumstances arise and our interiority changes. For example, I wake up in the morning, not looking forward to my day at work for whatever reason, the Lord may remind me to unite myself to him, to do my best out of love for him and to trust that he will make things right. Then at noon, when I look back at my morning and find that it was not as bad as I had expected, then I give thanks and praise to God for his love and his help. I am also reminded to be joyful and to trust in divine providence always.

Let us ask Mary, our Mother, to help us to become more like her; to imitate her dispositions and actions and so merit an overflowing of God's gifts. When we stay close to Mary and entrust ourselves to her, she will help us advance quickly in the way of holiness and virtue. Let us not forget to ask the angels and saints to help us respond generously to God's gifts and grow more pleasing to him day by day. 

God wants to pour out his graces upon us, but he gives them to us in stages, and waits for our free response. The more fully we respond, the more graces we will receive and vice versa. The Holy Spirit is the wind that blows where and how he wills. If we don't put up our sails or adjust our sails accordingly, we don't move ahead. But if we are attentive and responsive, then we will make swift progress. Our freewill can deprive us of graces, or merit for us an overabundance of God's gifts. Let us ask for the grace to respond generously to God's gifts so that we too may have the fullness of grace!