Being Led by the Spirit

 Reflection on Today's Readings, Wednesday, 28th Week in Ordinary Time Year II, October 14th, 2020

Texts: 5:18-25; Ps. 1:1-4.6; Luke 11:42-46

Jesus Christ, in today's gospel reading, accuses Pharisees of neglecting the essential matters of their faith. Speaking from today's first reading, we can say that the Pharisees are not led by the Spirit. Being led by the Spirit is living the supernatural life of grace. It is supernatural because it is a participation in the life of God. We obtain this by our faith in Jesus Christ. This life is marked by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; we are to set our hearts on them, for they are the promptings of the Spirit. 

Anything that is contrary to the fruits of the Spirit are the works of the flesh. They are things people like Pharisees do. They are immorality, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. Some of us who claim to be believers in Jesus Christ are full of these works of the flesh. Jesus Christ describes such people thus: "Woe to you! for you are like graves which are not  seen, and men walk over them without knowing it." Paul addresses them thus: "I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

Our faith in Jesus Christ has won for us life of righteousness, which is the life of God. Having received a new life in Christ, we become a new creations in him, and as such we begin to bear the fruits of the new life. The fruits of the life of righteousness are what St. Paul calls the fruits of the Spirit.

Lord our God, we thank for the gift of the Spirit to us, strengthen our will to obey the promptings of the Spirit. Amen.

Rev. Fr. Andrew Olowomuke