“Reliance on the Holy Spirit produces true Holiness”. In the scriptures of today, St Paul admonishes the Galatians to live and be guided by the Spirit. He says if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law and the works of the flesh. For, the works of the flesh (like, fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing), will exclude us from the kingdom of God. instead, the fruits of the Spirit (like, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control), will make us true members of the kingdom of God and children of God. In the end St Paul says: “If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit”. In the Gospel, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees and the scholars of the law, for caring more about the finer points of the law than about loving God and their people.The Pharisees had their fine little religious rituals and their self-religion, not listening to God and had narrow and formalist ways of acting toward the law. They neglected justice and the love of God; the greater things they should have done and leave the smaller ones. Ritual worship is important too. Nevertheless, religion becomes empty without an active practice of justice and charity. Love of neighbor does not exclude us from worship of God: both are needed.
Jesus is very clear in His demand. We need to be balanced about how and what we do in our relation toward God and our neighbor. We need honesty and integrity in our way of living, because we cannot fool God by some of our acts, while essential things are left aside or else omitted altogether.
“Search me O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts…and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139: 23-24).