Wednesday of week 28 in Ordinary Time

Cardinal Newman believed that “God has created me to do him some service…” So the hope of knowing and doing that service in this life could come from being in touch with the Holy Spirit. That’s why Paul admonishes the Galatians and us, to be “guided by the Spirit,” to “live in the Spirit,” (i.e. in his presence) and “also follow the Spirit” (i.e. be faithful to his inspirations). This would make our odds better for knowing and fulfilling God’s plan.
From time to time, it’s a healthy practice to analyze how well we are manifesting these fruits of the Spirit. Are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, self-control, etc. becoming more visible to our friends and neighbors? This periodic reflection could give us a clue as to how well we are “living in the Spirit” and “following the Spirit” and thereby fulfilling God’s service in this life.