Today is Sunday, the 22nd of March, the 5th Sunday in Lent.
It is the spirit of love who keeps alive.
Who even at night hides my past?
I say to the spirit of love, to join I sing you and all.
Who will show me the power of God?
The fullness of joy in your presence,
but your light and your peace for love,
when we come to your life in love.
This is the spirit of love who keeps alive.
Who even at night hides my past?
I say to the spirit of love, to join I sing you and all.
Who will show me the power of life?
The fullness of joy in your presence,
and your light and your peace for love,
when we come to your life in love.
It is the spirit of love who gives life.
God is the source of all life,
the one in whom we live and move and have our being.
As you look around you now, can you sense the presence of that God?
Can you sense God's Holy Spirit here in you?
Who join I sing you and all?
You are the spirit who gives life.
You join I sing you and all.
It is the spirit of love who gives life.
Who even at night hides my past?
I say to the spirit of love,
to join I sing you and all.
Who will show me the power of life?
The fullness of joy in your presence,
and your light and your peace for love,
when we come to your life in love.
Today's reading is from St Paul's letter to the Romans.
Those who are in the flesh cannot please God,
but you are not in the flesh.
You are in the spirit since the spirit of God dwells in you.
Anyone who does not have the spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
But if Christ is in you,
though the body is dead because of sin,
the spirit is life because of righteousness.
If the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also,
through his spirit that dwells in you.
Paul here makes a distinction between being in the flesh and being in the spirit.
Take some time now to ponder the differences.
You are in the spirit since the spirit of God dwells in you.
Where have you noticed the spirit of God making itself known in you this week?
You are in the spirit of God.
Now hear the passage being read for you once more.
Is there something that really stands out for you as you listen?
Those who are in the flesh cannot please God,
but you are not in the flesh.
You are in the spirit since the spirit of God dwells in you.
Anyone who does not have the spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
But if Christ is in you,
though the body is dead because of sin,
the spirit is life because of righteousness.
If the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also,
through his spirit that dwells in you.
Lastly, you might like to look back over these last few minutes.
What did you experience going on inside you?
Could you turn it into a prayer to God?
What did you experience going on inside you?
What did you experience going on inside you?
What did you experience going on inside you?
You have given all to me to you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours. Do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace.
That is enough for me. Amen.
