Readings for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

1 Kings 19:9b-21

Gal. 5:1, 13-25

Luke 9:51-62

Passage for meditation: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23  

Devotion:  One of the best things of summer is the abundance of fresh fruit.  Watermelon, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and sweet bing cherries.  In our house, we go through pounds of fruit in a matter of days, especially the cherries.  So much so that we have contemplated growing a cherry tree in our back yard.

How great would it be to go into the back yard, reach up and pluck those succulent cherries from the branch only to pop them directly into your mouth?  It would be heavenly!  Oh, to have a delicious and nutritious snack so readily at your fingertips.  Imagine, this snack made readily available to you straight from the tree and not having to go to the grocery store to buy it!  That’s sweet.

The fruit of Christ’s Spirit is similar.  They are sweet, delicious and nutritious.  They benefit and satisfy not only those who receive them but those who know the recipients.  The fruits of the Spirit are given and grown for the benefit of the neighbor.  The fruit of the Spirit is given and grows in connection to a tree- the cross of Jesus serves as that tree.  And the fruit of the Spirit is not something that you can by- it is freely given by our Lord, for you and for the benefit of your neighbor.

Come Lord Jesus, grow in us the fruit of your Spirit as we remain connected to You the true vine!