Kia tau te Rangimarie kia koutou

“What the Spirit brings is very different: love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
(Galatians5:22).

Last Saturday evening when the announcement was made that
Auckland was going back into Level Three of the Covid Alert Levels and the rest
of the country was going into Level Two, I heard the Prime Minister appealing
for patience. Jacinda Ardern was asking people to be patient as yet another
Lockdown was called for, she asked the country to be patient while the
Government was continuing with the Vaccination roll out, it is going to take
some months, and so patience is required.

As I heard her ask for that I thought of the fact the
patience is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. We know that we have already
been gifted by the Spirit of God in Baptism and Confirmation, that the spirit
is renewed and strengthened in us through our prayer. We, as people full of the
Holy Spirit, can be examples of patience to others, we can add to the country’s
well-being. This whole experience of Lockdowns, being tested for Covid,
adjusting our lives may just be one of those times when God the Potter is
shaping us and calling us to be patient as our lives are reshaped. This may be
the time to acknowledge that every season is right for us, that will help us to
embrace these trying times with patient acceptance as we recognize that the
buds of spring and new life are present.

If we find it difficult to be patient turn to the words of
St James (James 5: 7-11) where he reminds us to look to the farmer, or gardener
and how patiently he waits for the seeds to grow once the soil has received the
autumn rains or the spring rains. Our own spiritual growth is very similar.

We were reminded many many times last year to “Be kind.”
Kindness of course is another of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. We have already
been gifted by God with the Spirit, patience and kindness are ours to share
with others, we can generously gift them to the people around us, we can
generously gift them to our country as we work together to keep one another
safe. We pray this week for the fruits of the Holy Spirit and that we have the
generosity to share them with others.

Naku noa

+ John

“Let us always work with patience, courage, and generosity,
and above all, with confidence and love.”

Venerable Suzanne Aubert.

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