But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
St. Paul reminds us we are guided by the Spirit. So often we get caught up in the frenzy of the external stresses of life that we fail to pause and be aware of the “God moments,” the moments when the Spirit is guiding us. I find it is in the pregnant pauses or during a reflective walk that I come to recognize the goodness of the Spirit. The Spirit is alive within each of us if we only listen. During challenging times, we can miss the breath of the Spirit, urging us to live a life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and trust. How does the Spirit speak in your own life? How have you experienced the fruit of the Spirit? May the loving Spirit guide each of us to be a sign of God’s love to all those we encounter this day. —Therese Gillman, OSF is a Franciscan Sister of Oldenburg, Indiana. She is now the Development Director of the Jesuit Spiritual Center at Milford after previously serving seven years as its Executive Director. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. Lord, Amen. —Traditional prayerGuided by the Spirit
Prayer
And kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.
And you will renew the face of the earth.
by the light of the Holy Spirit
you have taught the hearts of your faithful.
In the same Spirit
help us to relish what is right
and always rejoice in your consolation.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.