2. Word of Life February 2011

3. “All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God” (Rom 8,14).

4. This Word of Life comes at the heart of Paul’s hymn to the beauty of Christian life, to its newness and freedom, the fruit of baptism and faith in Jesus. These graft us fully into him, and through him, into the dynamism of the life of the Trinity.

5. By becoming one person with Christ, we share in his Spirit and in all the fruits of the Spirit. First and foremost we become children of God.

6. Even though Paul speaks of ‘adoption’ he does so simply to distinguish it from being a ‘natural child’ which is true only of the one Son of God.

7. Our relationship with the Father is not merely a matter of legal terms, as in the case of adopted children. It is something substantial, something that changes our very nature, as if by a new birth.

8. Our whole life is influenced by a new principle and a new spirit that is the very Spirit of God.

9. And like Paul we too would wish to rejoice forever at the miracle of death and resurrection that the grace of baptism brings about in us.

10. “All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God” (Rom 8,14).

11. This Word is saying something that affects our life as Christians. The Spirit of Jesus brings into it a new dynamic that Paul sums up in the contrast between flesh and spirit.

12. By the word ‘flesh’, he means the whole person (body and soul) with all the fragility and selfishness that make it up. This is in a constant battle against the law of love, in fact against Love itself which has been poured into our hearts.

13. Indeed, those who are led by the Spirit must ‘fight the good fight of the faith’ in order to curb all inclinations to evil and to live according to the faith professed in baptism.

14. We know that, for the Holy Spirit to act, we must co-operate, living up to the gift given. In writing these words, Paul had in mind, above all, our duty as Christians to deny ourselves and to fight against selfishness in its many and varied forms. But how?

15. But it is dying to ourselves that produces life. So every cut, every pruning, every ‘no’ to our selfish ego is a fountain of a new light, peace, joy, love and inner freedom within us. It is an open door to the Spirit.

16. Giving more freedom to the Holy Spirit, present in our hearts, will mean that he can pour out his gifts upon us in greater abundance and be able to lead us along the journey of life.

17. “All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God” (Rom 8,14).

18. First of all we have to become ever more aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit within us. In the depths of our being we have an immense treasure, but we are not sufficiently aware of it. We possess tremendous wealth, but for the most part we tend not to use it. How can we live this Word of Life?

19. Then, in order to hear and follow his voice within us, we must say ‘no’ to all that is against the will of God and ‘yes’ to everything that is his will. We must say ‘no’ to temptation, cutting with its enticements,

20. and say ‘yes’ to the tasks given us by God; ‘yes’ to loving every neighbour; ‘yes’ to the trials and difficulties we meet…

21. If we do this the Holy Spirit will guide us, giving our Christian life that zest, energy, effectiveness and sparkle which it cannot fail to have if it is genuine.

22. Then those around us will realize that we are not just children of our own natural family, but we are children of God.

23. “All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God" (Rom 8,14). “Word of Life”, monthly publication of the Focolare Movement. Original text by: Chiara Lubich, June 2000. Graphic design by Anna Lollo in collaboration with Fr. Placido D’Omina (Sicily - Italy) This commentary on the Word of Life is translated in 96 languages, and it reaches millions of people throughout the world through the press, radio, TV and internet – for more information visit www.focolare.org.uk This Powerpoint presentation is translated in various languages and is published on www.santuariosancalogero.org