The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite contemplation of how the Gifts of the Spirit are evidence of spiritual fruit in our individual and corporate lives.
Looking for Spiritual Fruit
The reading from the Letter of Paul to the Galatians contrasts disordered living with the Fruit of the Spirit.
* [5:19–23] Such lists of vices and virtues (cf. Rom 1:29–31; 1 Cor 6:9–10) were common in the ancient world. Paul contrasts works of the flesh (Gal 5:19) with fruit (not “works”) of the Spirit (Gal 5:22). Not law, but the Spirit, leads to such traits.1
Psalm 1 introduces the Book of Psalms with a presentation of The Two Ways.
* [Psalm 1] A preface to the whole Book of Psalms, contrasting with striking similes the destiny of the good and the wicked. The Psalm views life as activity, as choosing either the good or the bad. Each “way” brings its inevitable consequences. The wise through their good actions will experience rootedness and life, and the wicked, rootlessness and death.2
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus expresses woe to over scrupulous Pharisees and Lawyers.
* [11:44] Unseen graves: contact with the dead or with human bones or graves (see Nm 19:16) brought ritual impurity. Jesus presents the Pharisees as those who insidiously lead others astray through their seeming attention to the law. * [11:45] Scholars of the law: see note on Lk 10:25.3
Kyle Lierk comments that today’s readings have much to say about following and what, or who(!), it is that we are being invited to follow.
In his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis implores church leaders to pastor their flocks in such a way that they have the “smell of the sheep” wafting from their garments. What is this about? It’s about radical accompaniment! Like Jesus, pastors (or anyone looking to live as Jesus did) must be in a deep relationship with their flock in such a way that they rub off on each other. People are drawn to follow those who lead them to sources of life and safety. Always the student of human behavior, perhaps this was why Jesus used that palpable and relatable image of the “good shepherd” when referring to himself. Sheep know and trust their shepherd and shepherds know and love their sheep.4
Peter Edmonds SJ, a member of the Jesuit community in Stamford Hill, shares the context of the Letter of Paul to the Galatians and connects it to the Parable of the Good Shepherd.
Earlier in the chapter, he has written that, ‘in Jesus Christ. . . the only thing that counts is faith working through love’ (5:6). Paradoxically, the freedom which we enjoy in Christ leads into the slavery that is the result of genuine love. The lover is a slave of the beloved, and here we meet one of the rare correspondences of Paul’s teaching to the gospel message of Jesus. Jesus had insisted that the one commandment was love of God and neighbour (Mark 12:30-31). Luke gives the best commentary on this in his parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37). The second key word is ‘Spirit’, which is opposed to flesh. Flesh in Paul refers to the all-too-human way of living for oneself. It is unfortunate that our reading stops here, because Paul obligingly provides a list of the behavioural consequences of living for oneself and then, refreshingly. a list of the consequences of what he calls the ‘fruit’ of the Spirit. At the top of the list is love, and eight other qualities of Christian life follow, namely ‘joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control’ (5:19-25). A fine commentary is found in the ‘hymn to love’ of 1 Corinthians 13:1-13.5
Pope Francis uses this Parable as a key component of his third encyclical, Fratelli Tutti.
Don Schwager quotes “Binding heavy burdens on others,” by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD).
"Just as the scribes and Pharisees wickedly sat upon the throne of Moses, so do some in the church who sit upon the ecclesiastical throne. There are some in the church who have the right understanding of the law and pass it on correctly. They say what each person needs to do, but they themselves do not do it. Some of them lay heavy burdens upon the shoulders of men, but they won't even lift a finger to help. These are the ones the Savior is talking about when he says, 'Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of God' (Matthew 5:19). There are others, however, who sit on the throne, who act before they speak and speak wisely, restraining those who are disordered. They place merciful burdens on the shoulders of others. They themselves are the first to lift the heavy burden, for the exhortation of other listeners. It is these of whom the Lord speaks when he says, 'He who does so and teaches others to do so, this man will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.'" (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 9)6
The Word Among Us Meditation on Galatians 5:18-25 comments that we all want more peace, patience, and self-control. But just as in nature, the fruit of the Spirit is the product of a long growth process.
Fruit ripens in heat. In your life, that heat might be illness, sorrows, or difficulties of some kind. It might be stress or uncertainty or loneliness. It might be that irritating habit of your spouse or the continual criticism of a coworker. But you have been—you are being—watered by the love of God. He will always sustain you through the heat in your life. Though uncomfortable, perhaps even painful or seemingly unbearable, the heat will in time bring forth fruit. Christ is in you. Let him bear fruit in your life! “Holy Spirit, thank you for the water, light, and heat in my life as you cultivate your fruit in me.”7
Friar Jude Winkler comments that Paul contrasts the works of the flesh and the works of the Spirit for the Galatians. Flesh for Paul speaks of our tendency to fall, expressed by Augustine as concupiscence. Friar Jude explains the “fence around the law” of the Pharisees that is contrary to the freedom of Jesus.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, notes the “flesh” is the second source of evil, deadness, or unconsciousness. It arises from the first, the “world” or system.
The “flesh” is the second source of evil, deadness, or unconsciousness. It arises from the first, the “world” or system. Paul generally uses “flesh” as a negative term for anything purely individual, passing, partial, and thus untrustworthy, not for the body itself. This shows itself in our private crimes and sins, but personal sin is not the primary cause of malice as much as a result of deeper lies or illusions. Personal sin is committed rather freely because it is derived from and legitimated by underlying, unspoken agreements that certain evils are necessary for the common good. However, to be honest, this leaves us very conflicted. We call war good and necessary, but murder bad. National or corporate pride is good, but personal vanity is bad. Lying and cover-ups are good to protect the whole (the institutional church, American self-interest, governments), but individuals should not tell lies. This is our foundational moral confusion which shows why we must not put all our focus on changing the world at the individual, “flesh” level.8
Fr. Richard concludes we must first convict evil in its organizational form—not in its adherents, who might be quite good and holy—but the glorified organization itself. The organized superlative list of the Fruits of the Spirit is a valuable checklist for us on our journey to truth, goodness, and beauty.
References
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