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by The Cathedral and Parish of The National Shrine of Our Lady of China. . 12 reads.

Daily Readings, Ho̔milíes, and Prayers - 05192022 - Creed: I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

Living in the Spirit, Part 4
Tags: flesh vs. spirit, Gifts of the spirit, Holy Spirit, Spirit led life, the flesh vs. the spirit
𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘈𝘨𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘉𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩
Daily Readings, Ho̔milíes, and Prayers - 05192022 - Theme: Creed — I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

Peace and All Good!

Today is the 𝐅𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐝𝐞 (𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐝𝐞)

Every Thursday, we put our devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, the Eucharist. True Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, first offered in the table of the Passover meal, and made complete through the life-giving tree of the cross. And now, entrusted to us to commemorate the meal.

𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲'𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 is from the letter of Saint Paul to the 𝕲𝖆𝖑𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖆𝖓𝖘 5:16-21
New Revised Standard Version Anglicised Catholic Edition (NRSVACE)

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗵
Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: do not gratify the desires of the flesh.

The Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life. The same spirit that went with Ananias, Azarias, and Mizael in the fire in the Chaldeans. The Holy Spirit that hovered over the face of the earth. This is the Holy Spirit that Jesus promised to send us. I watched a Tim Mackie video telling about the working of God's love. Where the Father sent His Only-Begotten Son for the Salvation of all His other Children. The Son, whom with love for us too, gave His life to the plan of the Father and our salvation. And the Holy Spirit turns our attention to the two, the Father and the Son.

Today's reading, Paul lists some of what is not part of the nature of man. Such are the seven deadly (or Cardinal) sins. In his letter to the Romans, Paul said that since we have the Spirit of God living in us, so we too must live in the Spirit. Living in the Spirit is following in virtue. Today's reading, Saint Paul tells us that the flesh is opposed to the Spirit.

I've been contemplating on a lot of ways to do penance and to renounce the world lately, that is to live by the spirit. One is, imitating the Order of Minims. I learned about the minims when I learned about the feast of Saint Francis of Paul their Founder. I've always been curious about a perpetually lenten lifestyle. This way, we can follow the messages of Mary in the appearance at Lourdes and Fatima, penance.

I've been reading a lot about Saints, Ascetism, Hermits, Monks, and other religious order (like the BSP, OM, and OSM). What I find fascinating about it is their ability to hold the flesh in control. I've always been curious about, when is enough, when is too much, for example on eating. Overeating is gluttony, which is both bad for your health and a bad practice of pleasure. Undereating is also bad, since depravation of goods does not lead us to perform our activities, hence the sin of omission. But what do we do then? Moderation. But other sins such as, fornication, murder, or anything that opposes the commandments should not be done. These things are not to be done in moderation, instead we should never do. For this is a sin to the spirit whom lives in us.

𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫: I guess, if it is truly the will of God, the extreme vows of ascetism, monasticism, hermeticism, and perpetual lent as the minims, are a good form of penance. But we the laity, who are not called to such extreme measures can live out our lives when we live in Loving Charity and Moderation. 𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐮𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐲.

Heavenly Father,
whom by Your mercy sent us the Holy Spirit to guide our paths.
So by our sins we disrespect Your Spirit who lives in us and whom You sent to us.
Never lose patience Lord, I am sorry.
Forgive me Lord, punish me and heal me.
You are most worthy of my love and of the whole creation's.
Lord heal us, that we may follow the spirit once more. Amen.

𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝘆, Mother of God, and our Mother. You are our example. Pray for us, who have strayed from the path. In you we see refuge and hope, being a woman of creation goodness. We put our trust in you, that our prayers may be heard by the Father through the Son [who with the Father and the Son is] in union with the Holy Spirit, living as one God forever.

Lord Jesus Christ,
when You said, "This is my Body." I believe it is Your true Body.
When you said, "This is my Blood." I believe it is Your true Blood.
Bless us as we partake,
forgive us and deprive us not of Your presence.
Guide us to live in the spirit. Amen.

In the name of the Father, ✠
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit,
𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗻.

℟. Thanks be to God! Alleluia! Hallelujah!

Credits:
📖:https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+5%3A16-21&version=NRSVACE
📸:Living in the Spirit, Part 4
Tags: flesh vs. spirit, Gifts of the spirit, Holy Spirit, Spirit led life, the flesh vs. the spirit
𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘈𝘨𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘉𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩

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