Two lifestyles with different outcomes
October 16, 2024 - Wednesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Galatians 5:18-25
In the Bible, there is the way of life and the way of death. In the Book of Deuteronomy, the Lord says: "I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live" (Deut. 30:19). In the New Testament, Jesus says that the way that leads to life is hard and narrow, while the way of death is like a highway—wide and easy. Moreover, He states that those who choose life are few, but those who choose death are many (see Matt. 7:13-14). Jesus' statement reminds me of a perplexing question that already bothered the people of his time: "Lord, will those who are saved be few?" (Luke 13:23).
In today's excerpts from the Letter to the Galatians, Paul speaks about two different lifestyles: according to the flesh and according to the Holy Spirit. Some biblical scholars divide the "works of the flesh" into four categories: (1) sins of fornication—sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality; (2) sins against faith—idolatry, sorcery; (3) sins against love—enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy; and (4) sins showing lack of control over oneself—drunkenness and orgies. The list is incomplete (see Rom. 1:19-31), but it gives us a clear indication of what Paul means by a lifestyle according to the flesh. The outcome of such a lifestyle is being excluded from inheriting the Kingdom of God.
Catholic theology, rooted in the Bible, speaks about the gifts, the charisms, and the fruits of the Holy Spirit. The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are mentioned by Isaiah in his famous description of the ideal king (see Isaiah 11:2-3 LXX). The charisms, particular spiritual gifts given by the Spirit to the faithful for building the Church, are mentioned by Paul in his letters (see 1 Cor. 12; Eph. 4:1-16). Then, in the Letter to the Galatians, the apostle speaks about the fruits of life in the Spirit as opposed to the "works of the flesh."
Paul mentions nine fruits of the Holy Spirit. The first one is love—agape. We see such love in the martyrs of our Church. The second is joy, springing from our relationship with Christ and unaffected by any circumstances. Paul wrote about such joy to the Philippians from his prison (see Phil. 4:4-5). The third is peace, the first gift of the risen Lord (see John 20:19). The next three fruits guide our relationship with others: patience, kindness, and generosity. Finally, the last three reveal the quality of our Christian character: faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If someone who lives according to the flesh cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, the one who lives by the Spirit does not need the law. Such a person is led by the Holy Spirit.
Paul's teaching about two different lifestyles helps us to confront our own way of living. The works of the flesh and the fruits of the Holy Spirit can function as a mirror in which we can see ourselves. This passage can motivate us on our Christian journey through life or lead us into repentance. I think all of us would like to inherit the Kingdom of God, but the way to achieve it is only one: leaving everything behind and following Christ (see Mark 10:17-21). Shall we do it?