Discernment of Spirits

In today's first reading, Galatians 5: 18-25, Paul clearly describes when we are allowing ourselves to be guided by the spirit or by the flesh.  When guided by the spirit, we are generous, gentle, self-controlled and faithful to the Gospel. The fruits of the spirit are love,  joy, patience, kindness and the like. On the other hand, when we are slaves to the flesh, we are out of control, throwing fits of fury, engaging in  orgies or bouts of drinking, being licentious, impure, idolatrous, envious, divisive and the like.  "Those who belong to Christ Jesus, Paul reminds us, "have crucified their flesh with it passions and desires."

In today's Gospel, Luke 11: 42-46, Jesus further clarifies the difference of living according the spirit or according to the flesh.  When we are following the ways of the flesh,  we "pay no attention to judgment and to love of God."   Our focus is rather on externals: gaining places of honors, being "greeted in...marketplaces," being recognized by the phylacteries or other devotionals we wear, the number of prayers we recite,  and which others notice we recite, and so on. In short, we become our own god! On the other hand, those who focus on the ways of the Gospel, go about doing good for the sake of the Kingdom, to give praise and glory to God's name,  "washing other people's feet," as Jesus did, being servant to others in ways that do not draw attention to oneself and, with God's assistance, dying to sin and rising to new life.

Ready for Solid Spiritual Food?

In today's first reading, 1 Cor 3: 1-9, St. Paul regrets the fact that the people are still infants spiritually, not ready for solid spiritual food but needing to be fed "milk."  He asks them the question: "While there is jealousy and rivalry among you, are you not of the flesh, and walking according to the manner of man/human beings" only and not spiritual beings? Furthermore, St. Paul points out to them, you are bickering among yourself about to whom do you belong: "Whenever  someone says, 'I belong to Paul,' and another, 'I belong to Apollos,' are you not merely men?"  Fighting, bickering, jealousy, greed, avarice, covetousness, prejudice, hatred, bigotry, racism, unjust practises, violation of human rights--and so much more that causes division among us--indicate that we are infants in the spiritual life and totally blind and deaf to Jesus' Gospel message and to following the way that Jesus pointed out to us.

How do I perceive myself in regard to my spiritual growth: am I an infant, a child, an adolescent, an adult?  When I think of men or women who model spiritual adulthood, persons ready for solid spiritual food, I think of a Martin Luther King, a Coretta King, a Barbara Bush, Princess Diana, Oscar Romero, a Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Mother Frances Streitel--the foundress of my religious community--my own mother who modeled forgiveness and strength of character and so many mothers and fathers who sacrifice everything for their children's well-being and character development, teaching their children the virtues of honesty, self-sacrifice, love and forgiveness, mercy and justice, compassion and kindness to those less fortunate than themselves.

Am I living a life of self-sacrificing love, of justice and mercy, compassion and understanding, of caring and faithfulness to the message of the Gospel?  If so, I am growing spiritually and "eating" solid spiritual food, as did my parents.