Friedrich Nietzsche once told a group of Christians, “You Christians disgust me, if you really are redeemed, why don’t you look redeemed?” Now of course Nietzsche and others are so hardened to Christianity that they are blinded to goodness and truth when it is right in front of them. But, he does have a point! Why don’t we look redeemed?
In today’s first reading (Gal 5:18-25) St. Paul explains that the fruits of the Spirit need to be evident in our lives. The fruits of the Spirit are to be evident in us; “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”, they need to be seen, obvious, apparent, manifest in word and deed, clear to believers and unbelievers.
Why should they be evident? Because they point to God. They are signs that God is real and that his Spirit dwells within us. They are signs that we take our faith seriously. But most importantly, they point to God. And our job—our mission—is to point others to God. In the Gospels, the Lord says, “let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
Making evident the fruits of the spirit is not a selfish endeavor—it’s not prideful for us to display kindness, generosity and joy. We don’t seek to make the fruits of the Spirit evident in our lives for worldly attention or fame: “Look at me. Look how holy I am.” No, of course not. Christians are to cultivate the fruits of the Spirit for the sake of the mission, for drawing souls to Christ.
When people detect the fruits of the Spirit in us, they become intrigued, they are our best advertisement for God. Wow, the world is so full of hatred and jealousy, but look at this Christian, their kindness, their generosity points to something else, something bigger than them.
Are the fruits of the Spirit evident in my life? If not, why not? Is it because I have not cultivated them through prayer and good works? Is it because I’m too busy indulging in the works of the flesh? Sometimes cultivating the fruits of the Spirit is difficult because we’ve lacked good role models. Sometimes it’s hard for us to be patient or joyful because our parents were not really patient or joyful people. Or it’s hard to practice self-control because we really didn’t have good teachers of that fruit. So we have to really struggle to bear those fruits.
But the Holy Spirit will teach you all these things and cause them to grow in you, if you really till the soil.
Homework: identify which fruit of the Spirit is most evident in your life, and identify which is most lacking. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you make use of your strongest fruit, and help you to identify what you need to do to strengthen your weakest fruit, that the life of God may be evident in you, for the glory of God and Salvation of Souls.
For “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”.
For wisdom to guide the life of the Church, the decisions of government leaders, and the ordering of our personal lives.
For our young people, that they may be raised in homes where the Word of God is studied, cherished, and practiced.
During this month of October, dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary, may Catholics take up this devotion with renewed vigor and trust in Our Lady’s never-failing intercession.
For all victims of war, For hurricane victims and for all affected by flooding and severe weather conditions, and for those experiencing any kind of hardship or sorrow, isolation, addiction, or disease: that they may know God’s sustaining grace.
For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish; for all of the poor souls in purgatory and for N.
Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.
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