Fruits of The Holy Spirit

Happiness is found in so many different facets of life. One of my favorites is to grow a sapling and nurture it and watch it grow into a strong beautiful tree. The summit of that happiness is seen when the tree produces fruit. Picking the first ripe fruit from that magnificent tree and tasting it is the climax of that whole endeavor.

Every journey has a destination and every destination is the fruit of that journey. That ultimate happiness where you know that the journey was worth the effort and the toil can be tasted by the sweetness of the fruit at the end of it, is a journey that was well worth it. Oh how rightly the Catechism of the Catholic Church writes that “The fruits of the Spirit are perfections that the Holy Spirit forms in us as the first fruits of the eternal glory” (CCC 1832) “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48)/

We all need to strive to achieve the perfection that is seen in our heavenly Father. Jesus did not leave us just with this instruction, but before his mortal body departed this earth he told his disciples “The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name-he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have told you” (John 14:26) Now that we know that the Holy Spirit is here to guide us to be perfect; practicing the fruits of the Spirit will bring us to that perfection which we would want to present ourselves before God at the hour of our death. Let us try each day to fulfill our destiny by following the twelve fruits of the holy Spirit, which are: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control and chastity.