Life is spiritual. The body is a special gift from God. The flesh is a weapon for activation of passion. “The flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.” Gal 5:17. The Spirit is life-giver. To appreciate the gift of life, we must allow the Spirit and not the flesh to dictate the rhythm of our existence. The works of the flesh according to Paul, are obvious: “fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these” Galatians 5:19-21
Moving with Jesus was not enough. Seeing him performing miracles, was not sufficient. To be led by the Spirit that dwells in him is the ultimate. That was why he did instruct the disciples not to leave Jerusalem until the promised Holy Spirit comes. His concrete presence had been a shield for them, now he wants to be with them continuously as a Living Spirit.
Moreover, bearing witness to the gospel requires the Holy Spirit’s push and presence. Sustaining the momentum demands bearing fruits of good lives, because the strength of our message is in the quality of our lives. This witness is better built on the strength of unity. The Spirit is the Spirit of Unity. “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” They spoke in different tongues, but people of different nationalities heard them in their own languages. “And they were amazed and astonished, saying, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?”
Unity is built when we are filled with the fruits of the Holy Spirit. “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.” When we preach the gospel, led by these fruits, the impact will be great and lasting. The Spirit comes with different charismatic gifts which are meant for the edification of the body of Christ, still at the service of unity and community development. A good Christian is a community person, who cherishes the love that binds and shuns all forms of divisions.
Let us pray against the works of the flesh and be ignited with the gifts of the Spirit with all the fruits to sustain us.
PRAYER
Come Holy Spirit and fill the Heart of your Faithful,
And enkindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created,
And you shall renew the face of the earth.
O God who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the heart of the faithful. Grant that in the same Spirit, we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in his consolation, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
