You Have the Spirit

In writing to the Christians of Galatia, Paul reminds them that they are free from following a cookbook approach to life (following the law) because they have Christ's own Spirit who will guide them. This is what he writes:

"If you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh (that part of us which is not responsive to Christ's saving love) 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 have warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. In contrast, the fruits of the Spirit are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against such there is no law. " (Galatians 5:18:23)

The Gifts of the Spirit:

The Holy Spirit remains with us to enlighten, guide and strengthen us so that we may be faithful disciples. Over the years the Church has recognized seven special gifts of the Holy Spirit. These are:

Wisdom, which helps us know how God want us to live.

Understanding, which helps us know God as revealed through Jesus, the Church and the Bible.

Knowledge, which helps us realize what is most important in life.

Right Judgment, which helps us make correct judgments.

Courage, which gives us strength to face the challenges of life.

Reverence, which helps us give due respect to God and others.

Wonder, which fills us with delight and joy at the mystery of the life and God's universe.

Virtue:

Virtue is the power to do good and avoid evil. To grow in virtue is to grow in love. St. Paul describes love as being patient, kind, forgiving, etc. (1 Cor 13:4-7).

The three key virtues that help us focus our love for God are Faith, Hope and Love.

Faith is the ability to trust in God's love and be confident that God will not abandon us even when we experience brokenness in life. This is Christ's teaching and the teaching of the Church.

Hope is the ability to trust that God will fulfill the promise of salvation for us no matter how desperate things look.

Love is the ability to make a gift of ourselves to God and others in loving service.

The four cardinal (or hinge) virtues that help us love our neighbor are Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance. Fidelity and Self-esteem also seem key and so they are listed here.

Fidelity is the ability to maintain and develop our commitments to those closest to us, e.g., family, friends, coworkers, etc.

Justice is the ability to give each person his or her due. This means both that each person must be treated equally in some situations, e.g., due process under the law and that people are to be treated equitably, according to their particular situation. Thus the poor deserve special attention.

Self-esteem is the ability to cherish and nourish one's self in an appropriate way. This is important because one's ability to truly love one's neighbor is proportionate to a genuine care of one's self.

Prudence is the ability to plan ahead and make good decisions. It tells us what Fidelity, Justice and Self-esteem mean in the concrete.

Courage (Fortitude) is the ability of one who refuses to abandon a principle or a person in the face of threat. Courage does not look for trouble but helps defend, protect or rescue when someone or something is threatened.

Temperance is the ability to live a life of balance and wholesomeness, especially with regard to our bodies.

There are many other virtues or qualities that a person can develop such as Hospitality, Gratitude, Humor, Generosity, etc. Among these virtues Stewardship is the virtue of being thankful to God for all the blessings one has received and being willing to share a portion of one's gifts with others.

Through the power of the Spirit we have the power to enjoy life to the full as we grow in our relation to God, people and the world around