If the Spirit doesn't move you, what's the use in making plans...?

...Reflections on the Lectio Divina 25th June 2025

Introduction

Today, the 25th June, I will give references and quotes from Lectio Divina of the day before sharing some personal thoughts and reflections. I highlight in bold the the words in the passage that appeared to prompt reflection.

The Word speaks to us:

Matthew 7: 15-20

At that time:

Jesus said to his disciples,

‘Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognise them by their fruits.

Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thorn bushes? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.

A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Thus you will recognise them by their fruits.’

My personal reflections and thoughts as this part of the passage struck me

My fairly recent Pixel phone seems to be quite adept at flagging up for me possible scam phone calls and gives me a red warning as the call is received.

If they do manage to sneak through, they are given about 10 seconds to identify themselves but if the conversation starts with the question; ”Is that Mr Paul?”, then they are given a blunt Goodbye from me if they are lucky and, to be honest, sometimes an even more blunt termination.

Yesterday,one such call did get through to me but I was in company with my grandson, so it was a fairly polite goodbye and a return home to block the number for the future.

The Gospel passage today tells us that “You will recognise them by their fruits” We are being warned against allowing those pedalling corrupt and sinful practices and temptations who will attempt to get into our minds and the way that we live and move and have our being with others.

Instead, we are encouraged to take the fruits of the Holy Spirit as our guide for life.

St Paul is pretty clear in his letter to the Galatians and expresses his frustration at the way that some in the community are drifting away from the teachings of Christ that he has spent time making them aware of and instead, are becoming attracted to false prophets beguiling them with the ways of the world.

And so, he reminds them (and ourselves) to walk by the Spirit and always to strive for, love, joy, peace, patience kindness and goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.⁽¹⁾

Paul is quite blunt with his warning and before listing the ways of being that lead to peace and mutual up-building, he reminds them of the plans and schemes of the world and what, left to its own devices, human nature will lead us to.⁽²⁾

Even now, especially now, more than 2000 years since he wrote to the Galatians we simply have to look around to witness the many false prophets, the evidence that hurt and discord will cause, in order to realise that the world’s and human natures way of being leads only one way and, it is not the way of the Spirit.

“…if the Spirit doesn’t move you, what’s the use in making plans?”

^{(1)St Paul: Galatians 5 v 22-23}

^{(2)St Paul: Galatians 5 v 19-21}