Tag: Advent

Read: Loyal, dependable, and trusting. Matthew 25:21

Reflect:  Faithfulness is a gift of the Holy Spirit when we trust and believe that God is the master of our life. What exactly is faithfulness? Faithfulness is a foundational Christian character trait that is necessary for a godly life. As Christians we know and see how faithful God is to us, His word stands true, and His promises don’t fail. There may be many times when we may not feel God’s faithfulness to us, but we must choose to trust and believe that God is truly faithful. The bible is filled with these promises and examples of His faithfulness in our lives. Because God is faithful to us, we should continue to learn to be faithful to Him. It requires trust and loyalty. Our faithfulness allows us to trust in His promises to us and believe that God is loyal, dependable, and trusting.

Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.

St. Augustine

Respond: Today, I will take a leap of faith, look for God’s goodness in my life, and make a list of how God is faithful to me.

Read: Humble and calm, with an ear toward wisdom. 1 Peter 3:4

Reflect: Gentleness is a gift of the Holy Spirit when we have a heart of forgiveness and grace. What exactly is gentleness? Gentleness is sensitivity for another person. It is concerned with another’s welfare, safety, and security. It is grounded in humility. The approach is careful, tender, considerate, affectionate, and mild-mannered, free of all pushiness, roughness, or abrasiveness. This fruit of the spirit is also known as mildness. To be mild in behavior means having a heart of forgiveness and grace. It means not being easily provoked and choosing a response of meekness and peace rather than one that leads to revenge. Gentleness is the fruit of the Spirit that demands the most from us. It means adopting a position where we effectively place ourselves third on the list – putting God and other people before ourselves. This is a hard position to sustain in our humanness. It requires humility and sacrifice, patience, and compassion – qualities that we might feel that we lack, even on our best days. But the good news is that God shows us the way.

He who can preserve gentleness amid pains, and peace amid worry multitude of affairs, is almost perfect.

St. Francis de Sales

Respond: Lord, give me a gentle spirit of fortitude, a mild, loving patient heart. Kind looks, pleasant speech and manners in my daily life so I offend no one but live in your love.

Read: God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Reflect:  Generosity is a gift of the Holy Spirit when we give to others more than is required, not counting the cost. What exactly is generosity? Generosity is bigheartedness grounded in an abundance mentality. It is unselfish and expresses itself in sharing. It is extended to family and friends, strangers, and particularly those in need, and is offered not only as money, food, and clothing, but also as time shared and assistance provided. We believe that if we have been blessed with talents, wealth, knowledge, time, and the like, we benefit others by sharing those blessings. It is a way of being. Generosity includes how we view and treat others. It includes mercy, justice, humility, and meekness as well.

Teach me to serve as you deserve, to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to labor and not to seek to rest, to give of myself and not ask for a reward, except the reward of knowing that I am doing your will. 

St. Ignatius of Loyola

Respond:  Today, Lord, sow the seed of radical generosity within my heart so that I may bear that fruit in my life.

Read:

Contentment and unity between others.

John 16:33

Reflect:

Peace is a gift of the Holy Spirit when we live in harmony, putting our complete trust in God. True freedom and real peace can only be found in the person of Jesus Christ. Nothing else will free us from the disturbances, worry or anxiety of our life. When we know the Prince of Peace, we are blessed with His peace. We are united with Him bringing love, joy, and peace into our hurting world. In peace, the Spirit rests.

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; Where there is hatred, let me sow charity; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is error, the truth; Where there is doubt, the faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; and Where there is sadness, joy. O, Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console; To be understood as to understand; To be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; And it is in dying to ourselves that we are born to eternal life. Amen

St. Francis of Assisi

Respond:

Lord, Make me an instrument of your peace.