-
 FRUITS
OF THE SPIRIT IN A CHRIST-LIKE SOUL
-
By Bombet Malinao
-
-
I got an
e-mail from Bro. Mon (Martillano) with a special prayer…
Lord, teach me to see others through the eyes of Jesus Christ.
I typed a reply telling him I liked the prayer and it reminded
me of what I read in my reflections book some time ago…
when in doubt, we should always think of how
Jesus Christ would have acted in the same situation.
To be
CHRIST-LIKE is something which every Christian should aspire
for. But we all know it is not easy. For we can not do it
alone. We need the Holy Spirit to give us the graces to be such.
Jesus Christ
is LOVE, so this is the first thing that we should possess.
It is the most excellent fruit of the Holy Spirit. St. John
Chrysostom wrote, “There is no sign which distinguishes
the Christian greater than the care of our brothers and sisters
and zeal for the salvation of souls.” In contemplating love, let
us remember Christ dying on the Cross and the Good Samaritan.
St. Thomas
wrote, “The lover rejoices in union with his beloved.” JOY
therefore follows love. Anything, even things which are
difficult and make us suffer, if done out of love, produces joy
in our heart.
In The Action
of the Holy Spirit in Souls, it is written “To rejoice under
trial… to smile in sufferings… all for the sake of love… this is
the fruit that the Lord wishes to gather from the branches of
the mystic Vine. This is the fruit which only the Holy Spirit
can produce in us.”
When a person
is joyful because of love, he has PEACE in his heart and his
soul, knowing that he possesses good.
With peace in
our heart, it is not difficult to be PATIENT. Despite the
obstacles which hinder our plans, we know with certainty that as
we wait serenely without complaint or bitterness, the Lord is
leading the way and our objectives will be attained. Isaiah
65:23 reads, “My chosen shall not labor
in vain.”
Kindness,
generosity, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control… the other
fruits of the Holy Spirit, are to be desired as it is not enough
to have a theoretical desire of good for others. Our love
should be transformed into actions and it is by these virtues
that we truly can show love.
The Holy
Spirit constantly awakens our desire to be holy and it is
up to us to respond actively to God’s graces. Through the Holy
Spirit, who acts within the Church, let us strive to be better
children of God… more Christ-like everyday through the fruits
of the Spirit… until we have attained that fullness of life
which God has prepared for us.
-
-
|
