Dear Friends,

Today’s scripture reading from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans is as relevant to us as it was to the original recipients of the correspondence almost 2,000 years ago.

He teaches his followers that there is an ongoing struggle between the “flesh” and the “Spirit.”

People, who are occupied with the flesh, are only concerned for themselves and their own happiness. Because God is not the center of their lives and since they love this life and its pleasures more than anything else, they are found to be hostile to God.

On the other hand those, who are open to the Spirit, invite the Spirit to dwell within themselves. The benefits of this are beyond measure. For they can have their sins forgiven and beyond that when their bodies die and corrupt, they continue to live in the Spirit. The faithful, who live according to the Spirit, are made free to better love their neighbor and are able to forgive others unconditionally and continually.

Thankfully, because of our connection to Christ and our ongoing communion of His precious Body and Blood, we are set free from the law of sin and death. As St. Paul concludes, “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit who dwells in you.”     

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With prayers.
Hayr Simeon
June 8, 2008