Being Led By The Spirit 

 

 Begin with prayer to the Holy Spirit 

Readings : Romans 8:14-27

 

    St. Paul brings a microscopic analysis between the Law, the Spirit, and the flesh. No longer are we subjected to a life of fear and war between the flesh and the law.  Our position as children of the most high God appears to be more secure in Christ.  Paul states those who are led by the Spirit of God are true sons and daughters of God. Those who have chosen to be led by the Spirit are no longer subject to legalism and neither do they fall prey to the flesh. St. Paul sheds a little light on this line of thinking in Gal. 5:16, "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. The life led by the Spirit reveals a third category introduced by Paul that is different from one of legalism and one of giving in to the desires of the flesh. The Interpreter's Bible Commentary says the leading of the Spirit is, "A highway above them both"-a wonderful way to sum up Paul's conception of the new righteousness described both in Rom. 8, and Gal. 5:13-25. The term are led suggests "the voluntary subjection of the will to the Spirit" (Vol. 9 pg. 515). 

 

    This idea of sonship describes a specific intimacy that has not been clarified elsewhere and is unique to the New Testament through the Father and Son relationship of the Godhead. For it is Jesus that makes way for the concept of God the Father into our new covenant relationship. For the Jew, this would have been ground breaking news in comparison to a relationship that was quantified by legal observances. To know that one is an adopted child and a joint heir with Christ Jesus opens up a new level of intimacy and a depth that is fathomless. Along with the intimacy comes the sharing of our suffering. Suffering appears to be a true reality in the journey of the believer. One thing should always be in the forefront of the believer's thinking, when it comes to the concept of suffering, remember that you are never alone. When we isolate ourselves we fall prey to the flesh and the destructive rudiments of pride and give ground to Satan. 

 

    Suffering for the Catholic is a battleground that has been well fought by the Catholic Church and its teaching and Sacraments. We have when we are suffering the sacrament of reconciliation which gives us the opportunity to share and confess what causes our suffering. We are also blessed with the opportunity to take our suffering before the blessed Sacrament and share it with Jesus. Ultimately, we have the Eucharist which reminds of our suffering Savior, who has promised to never leave or forsake us. How much more can the reality of this new found walk in the Spirit remind us that we are truly sons and daughters of the Most High God. When one takes in the full view of eternity even with our finite mind, it minimizes the suffering when we see it in view of all eternity spent with the Lord. Perhaps when things truly get difficult it is almost impossible to find the words or the desire to even pray, this is where the one who adopted us truly steps in and like a true Father, the Lord comes without question or judgment and leads us, even carries us, into his presence when we cannot even utter the word help. I am sure you have experienced this despair as we all have from time to time, the Lord carried you through the storm and brought you to a place where the clouds and the storm ceased.         

                                                                                                            

Quotation for Meditation

 

May Wisdom Teach us

 

Holy Spirit, you create all things and all is yours. Yet you are so silent, so hidden that we never think of your supreme possession and disposition of all the universe. You, together with  the Father and Son, create all things, rule over all, and summon all to you as our final goal. Deliver us by your wisdom in which all things are made, from all foolish thoughts of possessions and exclusiveness. Let us ever be mindful that we are stewards of all we have until the Master returns. May wisdom teach us to be generous, detached, joyous in giving, and careful in receiving. But most of all, Spirit of Wisdom, call on our hearts by joy and sorrow, in good times and in bad, that we may always seek first that kingdom that never passes away.

 

Quiet Moments with Benedict Groeschel, 120 Daily readings, Servant books, St. Anthony Messenger Press, Cincinnati, Ohio, pg. 113.

 

 

Quiet Time and Then Discussion

 

Questions for Meditation

  

1. What does it mean to be led by the Spirit? 

2. What does being an adopted son or daughter of God signify to you? 

3. How can this intimacy with God dispel our inner most fears?

 

Prayer 

Enlighten me, O Jesus, with the brightness of your eternal light, and cast out all darkness from within my heart. Let me be led by the spirit of the living God and let my will always be in subjection to the will of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.