In the Gospel of St. Mark, Jesus teaches us the value of our gifts, and how it comes from our heart. The Author of the Gospel of St. Mark tells us the story from 7:1-15:
‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.’
You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition. He went on to say, “How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and ‘Whoever curses father or mother shall die.’ Yet you say, ‘If a person says to father or mother, “Any support you might have had from me is qorban’ (meaning, dedicated to God), you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother.You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many such things. He summoned the crowd again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile."
When it comes to the Fruits of the Holy Spirit, how does this passage connect to our ACTS OF VIRTUE, GOOD WORKS, DESIRES, and SENTIMENTS?
I - How do we use the Fruits of the Holy Spirit in our life.
1. We all carry our Parent's teachings, and will soon pass it on to our children.
a. We also carry on the teachings of our Mentors, Authorities, Teachers, Sponsors, and People we admire. It is a good thing to listen and learn from them, but sooner or later, the teaching has to be revised, or modified to fit the Holy Spirit's Will in our lives.
b. When we are disconnected from God, when we are not speaking to H
im in prayer, when we have not developed a relationship with Him through devotion, and allowing ourselves to be moved by His Grace through the Sacraments we received, we can easily be mislead, trust with uncertainty, abandon even our personal call (Vocation) for the sake of pleasing the people we consider important in our journey.c. We enter into a false journey - one that leads us into different directions, events, or places that we can get lost. Sometimes it takes years for us to find our way out, years for us to forgive ourselves for past choices, or asking forgiveness for our failures, even forgiving those who hurt us badly. We become so lost that our experience misleads us to believe that God is not with me...
2. The Fruits of the Holy Spirit comes from the 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit (See HIS STRENGTH WILL MAKE YOU DIFFERENT - Part 1 & Part 2)
a. The Fruits of the Holy Spirit encourage our Spiritual Development towards living out the Beatitudes (See Gospel of St. Matthew 5:1-12). It also helps us to avoid being mislead, even to find our way back to God.
b. Through the Sacraments of Baptism, Communion, and most especially Confirmation, you and I are connected to the Holy Spirit who inspires us to be VIRTUOUS, commit ourselves to GOOD WORKS, to live with the DESIRE to be Holy and Great, and that our THOUGHTS be for the good of others - including ourselves.
c. Jesus teaches us in the Gospel of St Mark that what comes out of persons heart can be evil - He is speaking about our choice to GO AGAINST GOD. But the teachings you receive and experience with time, and your relationship with God will help you to understand What enters your life by way of formation, and experiences, God's has given you His Grace to discern what is GOOD or BAD for you.
II - The 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit - Valuable to your Spiritual Journey.
1. Imagine a Tree that matures. This Tree represents the 7 Gift of the Holy Spirit. (See HIS STRENGTH WILL MAKE YOU DIFFERENT - Part 1 & Part 2)
a. When the Tree matures, it has the possibility of creating Seed bearing Fruit. The Fruit can be taken for nourishment, or cultivation to plant more Trees.
b. The Church see this as God's plan for the Church, and lives of the Saints.
2. The 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit are: Charity, Joy, Peace, Patience, Benignity, Goodness, Long Suffering, Mildness, Faith, Modesty, Continence, and Chastity. We will be discussing 6 of the Fruits of the Holy Spirit.
a. Charity - Also known as Love in Action. This Fruit moves us to act in love for God and His People.
b. Joy - Encourages us to be truly happy and always open to God's infinite goodness.
c. Peace - Born from Joy, and keep tranquil during challenges, and times of suffering.
d. Patience - Gives us endurance during difficult times in life and the suffering of death.
e. Benignity - Kindness and tolerance for all. It from the Fruit of Goodness, which encourage to do Good in word and in action.
f. Goodness - Moves us to do the good for all, without distinction.
In the documentary, AN EMPIRE CONQUERED,
you find the story saints who showed examples of the Fruits of he Holy Spirit.
LET US PRAY:
Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear.
The Twelve Fruits of the Holy Spirit:
1. When it comes to the Fruits of the Holy Spirit, how does this passage connect to our ACTS OF VIRTUE, GOOD WORKS, DESIRES, and SENTIMENTS?
2.. In the Documentary, AN EMPIRE CONQUERED, which saints inspires you? Name 1 to 6 Fruits of the Holy Spirit that the Saint lives out.
