ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
July 30, 2020
Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23a
By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Thought for the Day: Pierre Teilhard de Chardin was a Jesuit Priest and philosopher who wrote:
Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God.
Now the Fruit of the Spirt is, collectively, the sign of God’s presence, yet I might agree with the Priest as there is something remarkable about joy. It’s not the same as happiness or giddiness, yet it might be the most visible expression of the fruit when we meet someone for the first time. I imagine that you are able to name people who, by just being in their presence, you noticed something different. You may not have called it joy, but it was inviting and engaging…and whatever it was, you wanted some of it. This is not to speak negatively of any of the others in this list, but when you meet someone with joy, you are meeting someone with the whole package, or keeping with the metaphor, a full fruit stand.
Prayer: Let joy be one of the first things others encounter in me, O Lord. And then may they experience love, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Amen.
