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The Time After Pentecost
Adam’s sin and to lead the world back to God through His self-denial and death on the cross.
Christ made us members of His mystical body that we might continue His self-denial and
death by denying ourselves. As members of the body whose head is Christ, we become ever
more closely united with Him by sharing His life and sufferings. We therefore are not allowed
to do the things that we would like to do (Epistle), to which our fallen nature, concupiscence,
passions, and self-love entice us. Because of the dangers arising from the flesh we must crucify
the flesh with its vices and concupiscences; only then can the Spirit perfect His work within us.
We must “walk in the Spirit” of the new and supernatural life given to us in union with
Christ. The Spirit lifts us above the powers of darkness and our own passions, above the desires
of worldly-minded man; He never grows weary of destroying the works of the flesh within us
by making the thoughts, inclinations, and intentions of our heart submissive to the working
of His grace. He has been promised and sent to us by Christ to remain with us forever. By His
very nature He is intent on God and His will, and urges us to be good children of the Father in
heaven by trying to please Him through our actions and sacrifices, thus proving our reverence,
gratefulness, and love towards Him. The Spirit urges us to strive after virtue and to devote
ourselves to prayer and holy recollection; He teaches us to love Christ, poverty, obedience,
self-denial, and chastity. He awakens within us the desire to become holy and zealous for the
interests of God and for the salvation of souls; He therefore imparts to us love of the cross,
courage to be faithful in little things, strength to live a heroic life. The fruits of His works are
wonderful: “Charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, longanimity, mildness, faith,
modesty, continency, chastity” (Epistle). By these fruits we shall recognize whether or not
we walk in the Spirit.
“Walk in the spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh” (Epistle). It is most important
for us that we walk in the spirit, being guided by the Spirit of Christ. As far as our works have
been done in the Spirit of Christ, they are good, holy, and pleasing to God; without this Spirit
they are worthless in the sight of God.
“As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father, so he that eateth Me, the
same also shall live by Me” ( Jn 6:58). This exalted promise is the great means that enables us,
through the Holy Eucharist, to walk in the Spirit. “He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My
blood, abideth in Me and I in him” ( Jn 6:57). The oftener and more worthily we receive Holy
Communion, the more intimately we become united with the Spirit. Our walking “in the Spirit”
must be the fruit of our assistance at Mass and of our reception of Holy Communion.
Prayer
Keep, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy Church with perpetual mercy; and because the frailty of
man without Thee cannot but fall, keep us ever by Thy help from all things hurtful, and lead us
to all things profitable to our salvation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Saturday
“No man can serve two masters. . . . You cannot serve God and mammon” (Gospel). There is no
alternative: we live either for God or for mammon. A divided allegiance is impossible, for we
would be divided against ourselves. “Be not solicitous therefore, saying, what shall we eat, or
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