Commentary of the Gospell

October 12, 2022

Led by the Spirit

Note that Paul speaks about “fruit(s) of the Spirit.” The nine fruits listed are not something that we produce on our own; they are the results and fruition of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. Christian character and holiness are produced by the Holy Spirit and not by any forced discipline practiced under the law. That’s why Paul states that when we are led by the Spirit, we are not under the law. However, this is not about being law-less or becoming agents of anarchy; on the contrary, when we let ourselves be led by the Spirit of Christ, we do not necessarily need external laws to do the right thing and prevent bad behavior; we spontaneously, inspired by the Spirit, do the right thing, or rather, the right actions will flow out of us. When led by the Spirit, we might even break the law for the sake of upholding the spirit of the law and at the service of higher demands of love.

Paulson Veliyannoor, CMF - Claretian Publications Philippines