Blessed are You Father, Lord of Heaven and earth,
for You have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom. –CF. Matthew 11:25
Image Courtesy: Archbishop Jose Gomez
Life In The Spirit
There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the Law of the Spirit of
life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the Law of sin and death. For God has done what the
Law, weakened by the flesh could not do; by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh
and to deal with sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the Law
might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For
those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh but those who
live according to the Spirit, set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the
flesh is death but to set the mind on the Spirit, is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is
set on the flesh is hostile to God; It does not submit to God’s Law — indeed it cannot and those
who are in the flesh cannot please God.
You are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who
does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him but if Christ is in you. though the
body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of Him who
raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to
your mortal bodies also through His Spirit that dwells in you.
So then, Brothers and Sisters, we are debtors not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh — for
if you live according to the flesh, you will die; if you live by the Spirit you put to death the deeds
of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you
did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear but you have received a spirit of
adoption. When we cry, “Abba Father!” It is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that
we are children of God and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ — if,
in fact, we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
Future Glory
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about
to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children
of God; For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the One
who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and
will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation
has been groaning in labor pains until now and not only the creation but we ourselves, who
have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of
our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for
what is seen? We hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Likewise the Spirit helps is in our weakness; For we do not know how to pray as we ought but
this very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words and God who searches the heart,
knows what is the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the Saints according to
the will of God.
We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called
according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed
to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn within a large family. Those
whom He predestined He also called; those whom He called He also justified and those whom
He justified he glorified.
God’s Love in Christ Jesus
What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not
withhold His own Son but gave Him up for all of us, will He not with Him also give us
everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is
to condemn? It is Christ Jesus who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God,
who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship or
distress or persecution or famine, nakedness or peril or sword? As it is written:
“For your sake we are being killed all day long;
we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.” (Psalm 44:22)No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am
convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to
come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate
us from the love of God in Christ Jesus Our Lord! –Romans 8:1-39
Related: For Today’s Blessed Holy Scripture Readings and More, Visit: -USCCB
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