Freedom to Serve
God’s Self-Revelation in Love - through His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ.
Saturday of the Second Week in Lent 3/12/23
Yes, it is technically Sunday morning and I have still not posted a blog yet, but when one does not get to sleep due to knee and foot pain, until 6am, one sleeps late into the day! Getting old is not for sissies!
So, working with Saturday’s theme, “God’s Self-Revelation in Love”, it follows nicely with the theme from yesterday, Freedom.
St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, pretty much gives us the guidebook on how and why we can find ‘Freedom in Service’, (how he subtitled this portion of the 5th Chapter, “Exhortation to Christian Living”, by seeing God revealed in one another, through our love for one another. It’s as if he could be describing our world today, one that lives by the fleshly/human desires, which are opposed to the spiritual desires. He shows us how to recognize the differences and how to make a choice towards Christian living, or not.
“I say then: live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh. For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you may not do what you want. But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. In contrast, the fruit of the Spirt is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity/goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ [Jesus] have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.” Galatians 5:16-25 (Emphasis mine)
Read the opposite behaviors again. They are two totally different characteristics, actions & behavioral choices, and outcomes toward any one on the receiving end. Even as witnesses of these behaviors, we are affected, though we may not act the same. My mother told me (numerous times!), “You become the company you keep.” She was wise! As a teenager moved to a new town during my Sophomore year in High School, I felt the switch from being a ‘goody-two-shoes’, to trying desperately to fit in with the ‘fun crowd’. Dangerous! I made some really bad choices. But it wasn’t until I was forced to make a huge decision that would alter my life, that I saw my bad behavior was not really what I wanted to continue.
The Holy Spirit was always at work in me . . . wanting me to choose love and joy, and be more patient and kind, generous and faithful, gentle and, of course, exhibit more self-control. (I still really struggle with that one!) But, I think most of all it wanted me to come back to peace, that Peace beyond all understanding that St. Paul talks about in Philippians (4:7)” . . . that that will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
We have all the tools we need right there! But, yet, look at how we as a country exhibit so much of the fleshly works! There is so much division, rivalry, fury, selfishness, envy, hatred . . . evil seems to be overcoming every aspect of daily life, from our schools, churches, governments, but most importantly, our families. The Church recognizes the home as the domestic church. The place where we learn to live as Christians by our parents, but are the parents now, actually living up to their calling as spiritual guides for their children? Did they get the proper training to do this? Or, have they ignored that and found it useless? How can we see God self-revealed in love?
Perhaps it is worth examining, especially during this Lenten season, just how we are living, and if we want to continue living in that way? Can we be that shining example of God’s love in action?
St. Paul listed the Fruits of the Holy Spirit – they are what flower and bloom when we embrace the Gifts of the Holy Spirit (outlined in Isaiah 11:2-3), which are given to us during baptism:
Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude/Strength, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of God.
These are the tools in our toolbox for the work necessary to be followers of the Word of God. We need wisdom, knowledge and understanding . . . when we don’t quite grasp the Word, we should seek counsel . . . when we get weary . . . we must call upon the strength of the Holy Spirit of Christ for fortitude to keep putting one foot in front of the other, despite exhaustion and frustration. But piety – the true reverence in desire and prayer – not just going through the actions, and, fear of the Lord are truly essential. Fear in this sense does not mean to be afraid of God, but to develop a deep reverence and love of God . . awe.
It’s all about relationship. It is through the Son, Jesus, that we get to the Father. It is through the use and development of the Gifts of His Holy Spirit that equip us to bear the Fruits of the Holy Spirit. I believe this is what will turn our world around. Can you scarcely imagine a world where people are joyful, and love one another, at peace, doing good and being kind, are patient with one another, are self-controlled and faithful to the Word and their word. WOW! Sounds like heaven to me! I suggest that it could be heaven on earth if we only make the effort. Each one of us, each day.
The message of Easter Sunday is LOVE. And the final commandment that Jesus left us with, is to Love one another! Simple. So, why is that so difficult? Prayer. Fasting. Almsgiving. Three of the tenants of Lent. Develop our relationship with God and His Son . . . deny or at least try to control our physical and emotional desires . . . the way to a Freedom that allows us to love and serve one another. In this way, we can become more aware of the Gifts with which we have been blessed as well as the Fruits we bear and share. This is how God can be revealed in Love.
Continued blessings on your journey.