These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, generosity,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
(Gal 5:22-23)
The "Fruits of the Spirit" sounds a bit like "butterflies and bunny rabbits" . . . but I think the Fruits of the Spirit are a bit more exotic with some added spice!
It is I, Paul, who am telling you
that if you have yourselves circumcised,
Christ will be of no benefit to you.
Once again I declare to every man who has himself circumcised
that he is bound to observe the entire law.
You are separated from Christ,
you who are trying to be justified by law;
you have fallen from grace.
For through the Spirit, by faith, we await the hope of righteousness.
For in Christ Jesus,
neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything,
but only faith working through love.
(Gal 5:2-6)
What in the world is Paul talking about? Circumcision, uncircumcision . . . it’s very unseemly. Why is Saint Paul talking about this? What has any of this to do with God, with love of neighbor?
Perhaps that is the point that Saint Paul is trying to make. Of course, today, when there are folks saying that if you don’t vote for my candidate you aren’t a “real Catholic,” we begin to understand what Saint Paul is saying.
For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm
and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.
(Gal 5:1)
The freedom of the children of God . . . freedom from the constraints of the Law of Moses. But as Saint Paul us:
Do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather, serve one another through love (Gal 5:13).
To joyfully use our freedom to serve one another through love, imitating the love of the Virgin Mary. Today is the feast of Our Lady of the Pillar which is very popular in Latin America.
On this mountain the LORD of hosts
will provide for all peoples
a feast of rich food and choice wines,
juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.
. . . .
For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.
(Is 25:6-10)
My mom loved picnics. She thought that food tasted better if you could eat it outside. She loved to drive through the mountains to find a picnic table with a view. I have lots of wonderful memories of our many picnics in the mountains of Western North Carolina.
Today's picture is of my mom sitting at a picnic table in the mountains of Western North Carolina.
For all of you who were baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves with Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither slave nor free person,
there is not male and female;
for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
(Gal 3:27-28)
To live the grace of our baptism is very radical. According to Saint Paul it means that in the Christian community we live without “walls” —the walls that divide the church into clergy/laity, male/female. But of course, we clergy types would be the first to object!
