will you die in the spirit?
“God lavishes the Spirit on you and works wonders in your midst.” —Galatians 3:5
When we were baptized, we began a new life in the Holy Spirit. “After beginning in the Spirit” (Gal 3:3), will we grow in the Spirit and end in the Spirit? Or will we begin in the Spirit but later quench the Spirit (1 Thes 5:19) and even “end in the flesh”? (Gal 3:3)
We will end in the Spirit if we:
- repent of our sins (see Acts 2:38),
- overcome the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil (see Mt 4:1ff),
- live our Baptisms by faith (see Acts 2:38),
- witness in the Spirit for the risen Christ (see Acts 1:8),
- become holy in every aspect of our conduct (1 Pt 1:15),
- love the Church (Eph 5:25) and submit to her authority (see Acts 15:2), and
- love God, our neighbors, and our enemies.
Obviously, it is humanly impossible to persevere in the Holy Spirit, as it is humanly impossible even to begin in the Spirit. Nevertheless, “nothing is impossible with God,” the Holy Spirit (Lk 1:37). He will complete what He has begun in us (Phil 1:6). All we need do is to cooperate with His grace. Live and die in the Holy Spirit. Come, Holy Spirit! Remain, Holy Spirit!
Prayer: Father, may I crucify my “flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal 5:24) so that I don’t stifle the Holy Spirit.
Promise: “If you, with all your sins, know how to give your children good things, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.” —Lk 11:13
Praise: Bl. Marie-Rose Durocher, a native of Canada, was recruited by her bishop to help start a religious order, the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary.
Reference: (The Kingdom of God in the Gospel of Matthew is the topic of our Oct. 21-23 retreat. There is still time to register. Call 513-373-2397 or e-mail retreats@presentationministries.com.)
Rescript: In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period from October 1, 2022, through November 30, 2022. Reverend Steve J. Angi, Chancellor, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio January 3, 2022
The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.