Do I Live by the Spirit?

Pastor’s Column

Pentecost Sunday 2023

Our lives consist of a series of choices, one after the other. Saint Paul contrasts these two ways of living in today’s second reading for Pentecost Sunday (Galatians 5:16-25): one is called living “in the flesh” and the other he calls living “in the Spirit”. If only we had a gauge, an instrument by which to measure whether our lives, our decisions, our way of living is really guided by the Holy Spirit! Well, in fact, we do. Compare these two lists taken from Ephesians 5, Galatians 5 and Colossians 3. Keeping this list handy can be a useful gauge of behavior in ourselves or others and to help you discern which “spirit” is really in control of one’s life.

Father Gary

Led by the flesh?	Led by the Spirit?
Sexual vices	Love
Impurity	Joy
Sensuality	Peace
Sorcery	Patience
Jealousy	Goodness
Spitefulness	Gentleness
Bad temper and shouting	Self-control
Quarrels	Chastity
Disagreements	Forgiveness
Malice	Compassion
Drunkenness	Up-building words
Impatience	Generosity
Unforgiveness and bitterness	Thankfulness
Foul language	Gratitude and praise
Selfishness	Detachment from possessions
Materialism and greed	Moderation
Stinginess	Humility