Spiritual Life vs. Carnal Life
6th Sunday of Easter
“Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.”Ps. 66
“We are spiritual beings having a human experience,” said Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. Yet many are unaware of their spiritual identity and live only on the carnal, instinctive level—as if they were merely another species of animal-without realizing they possess an eternal soul. Because of this, they are shaken by everything that happens to them in this life.
In contrast, there is the spiritual person, who opens himself to the knowledge of God and to the action of the Holy Spirit. Because of this, he can live in a completely different way whatever he has to go through in this world:
- It doesn’t matter whether I remember you; what matters is that God remembers you.
- You do not need any human love; you need the love of God. Only He can fill our hearts and quench the thirst of our souls.
- Sometimes you will have, and sometimes you will not. You learn to live in abundance and in scarcity.
- You will be able to cross this desert with the Lord—in prosperity and adversity, in health and in sickness, in good times and in bad.
- You will accept every stage: youth and old age, times of plenty and times of lack.
- You will also have to accept both friends and enemies-those who like you and those who do not.
- You do not set your heart on earthly things but on the goods of heaven—not on what is passing, but on what is eternal.
“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”Colossians 3:1s
The one who lives according to the flesh—purely on a human level without the Holy Spirit—cannot say any of this. He is like a dry leaf tossed about by the wind, fluctuating according to his emotions and feelings; worthy of compassion. This teaching is based on the Word of God, which is very clear about it:
“The time is short. From now on, those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not mourn; those who rejoice, as if they did not rejoice; those who buy, as if they had no possessions; and those who deal with the world, as if they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.”1 Corinthians 7, Cf. 2 Corinthians 4:7
Courage, Explained!
In the Roman Rite, bishops extend their hands over confirmandi, praying that they will be given “a spirit of right judgment and courage.”
This invocation echoes countless passages of sacred Scripture extolling the virtue of courage. “Be strong and courageous in your hearts, all you who place your hope in the Lord,” says Psalm 31:25. “I have given you a command. Be strong and brave, do not be afraid nor dismayed. I, the Lord, your God, will be with you wherever you go,” the Lord says in Joshua 1:9. Courage is also a frequent watchword of Christ: “Take courage! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
The virtue of courage is intimately linked with that of fortitude—roughly understood as courage in action—and is shown by the person who makes a choice to place his trust in God, not in circumstance.
Readings of the Week
Sunday: Acts 8:5-8, 14-17/Psalm 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20/1 Peter 3:15-18/John 14:15-21
Monday: Acts 16:11-15/Psalm 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b/John 15:26—16:4a
Tuesday: Acts 16:22-34/Psalm 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8/John 16:5-11
Wednesday: Acts 17:15, 22—18:1/Psalm 148:1-2, 11-12, 13, 14/John 16:12-15
Thursday: Acts 1:1-11/Psalm 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9/Ephesians 1:17-23/Matthew 28:16-20
Friday: Acts 18:9-18/Psalm 47:2-3, 4-5, 6-7/John 16:20-23
Saturday: Acts 18:23-28/Psalm 47:2-3, 8-9, 10/John 16:23b-28
Next Sunday: Acts 1:12-14/Psalm 27:1, 4, 7-8/1 Peter 4:13-16/John 17:1-11a
Celebrations of the Week
Sunday: 6th Sunday of Easter
Tuesday: Saints Nereus and Achilleus, Martyrs; Saint Pancras, martyr
Wednesday: Our Lady of Fatima
Thursday: The Ascension of the Lord; Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle
Friday: Saint Isidore
Next Sunday: 7th Sunday of Easter; Ascension
