Daily Retreat 10/15/08
2008 Oct 15 Wed: Teresa of Avila, v, r, dr M
Gal 5: 18-25/ Ps 1: 1-2. 3. 4 and 6/ Lk 11: 42-46
From today’s readings: “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.... Those who follow You, Lord, will have the light of life.... Woe to you Pharisees! You love the seat of honor in synagogues and greetings in marketplaces....”
The Fruit of the Spirit
Possibly the best known passage of Galatians (5:22f) lists the Fruits of the Spirit. The tradition of the Church includes twelve (charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity), but three of these are justifiably omitted in current translations because their absence in the earliest manuscripts proves they were later glosses.
The Fruit of the Spirit is the result and product of a life guided by the Gifts of the Spirit (see Chapter 11 of Isaiah). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus insisted, “By their fruits you shall know them” (Matthew 7:16,20). So Paul’s classification of the good fruits of the Spirit, contrasted with the evil fruits (“works of the flesh” mentioned in Galatians 5:19ff) offers us an objective reference to evaluate our own efforts: have we brought forth good fruit or bad fruit?
Since most of us would have to admit to a mixed harvest of good fruit and bad fruit, the next logical (and necessary!) step is to cultivate those actions which lead to good fruits, while uprooting those vices which lead to bad fruits!
Gal 5: 18-25/ Ps 1: 1-2. 3. 4 and 6/ Lk 11: 42-46
From today’s readings: “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.... Those who follow You, Lord, will have the light of life.... Woe to you Pharisees! You love the seat of honor in synagogues and greetings in marketplaces....”
The Fruit of the Spirit
Possibly the best known passage of Galatians (5:22f) lists the Fruits of the Spirit. The tradition of the Church includes twelve (charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity), but three of these are justifiably omitted in current translations because their absence in the earliest manuscripts proves they were later glosses.
The Fruit of the Spirit is the result and product of a life guided by the Gifts of the Spirit (see Chapter 11 of Isaiah). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus insisted, “By their fruits you shall know them” (Matthew 7:16,20). So Paul’s classification of the good fruits of the Spirit, contrasted with the evil fruits (“works of the flesh” mentioned in Galatians 5:19ff) offers us an objective reference to evaluate our own efforts: have we brought forth good fruit or bad fruit?
Since most of us would have to admit to a mixed harvest of good fruit and bad fruit, the next logical (and necessary!) step is to cultivate those actions which lead to good fruits, while uprooting those vices which lead to bad fruits!
posted by FrPitstick | 10/10/2008
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