Governed by the Spirit

19/3/2026

A Reflection on the Second Reading for Sunday, March 22nd, 2026:
Fifth Sunday of Lent

Romans
8.8-11

Brothers and sisters: 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 God 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.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

“You are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit ….”

Shall I be so bold as to rephrase Saint Paul and say instead: “You are not governed by the flesh; you are governed by the Spirit”? Can I get away with that? Hmm ….

No one’s life is free from “desires of the flesh.” Even though our basic needs for food, sleep, and shelter might be fulfilled, we often yearn for more. We want delicious food and a comfortable bed in a nice shelter with a renovated kitchen. But does that mean that I am governed by the flesh? If I really want to know, perhaps what I need to ask myself is: Are these desires of the flesh more important to me than God is? Maybe it would be worthwhile for me to consider my wallet and my schedule. What do I spend my money on (do I give generously to the things God is blessing) and what do I spend my time doing (do I spend time getting to know Jesus and growing as His faithful disciple)?

It has to be said that living a life governed by the flesh is the easiest road; whatever comforts I want, I spend as much as I can afford to get them. Living a life governed by the Spirit takes a greater effort. It takes discipline. It means praying when I’d rather binge watch TV, giving money away when I rather spend it on myself, joining my community at Mass when I’d prefer to watch online Mass at home. How, then, can I get started on a life that is governed by the Spirit and stick to it? That’s the question I asked myself this week.

The most important determinant of my success in living a life governed by the Spirit is staying connected — connected to God and connected to a faith community. These things ground me in a spiritual mindset. It’s been a great blessing on my life to have like-minded, Christian friends with whom I can speak easily about what’s going on in my life, who are spiritually mature, bold and intellectually curious, and who truly desire the best, most holy outcome for me. In addition to offering sound advice, these friends hold me accountable for the decisions I make and the actions I take as I journey through this world.

As much as I value the advice of my friends, I value even more the guidance of God. Reading scripture is the best way I have found to tap into that guidance. Even short Bible passages, read with attention to detail and followed by a time of reflection, tunes my ears to hear God’s voice and build my courage to live according to it.

Prayers of gratitude are another way God speaks to me. During intercessory prayer, I tend to blast God with one request after another, to the point that I hardly listen to what God has to tell me. I am much more likely to listen to God during a time of praise and gratitude.

Finally, I try to practice stillness. Psalm 46 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Stillness isn’t easy for me; I derive so much satisfaction from checking things off my to-do list. I must remember, though, that God loves me for who I am, not what I accomplish.

Almighty God, create in me a desire for You above all else. Shape for me a life that it is governed by Your Spirit. Amen.

Donna Davis

2 Comments

Steve

19/3/2026 08:23:55 am

Donna,

I appreciate your honesty in your reflection when you talk about your experiences;

"It’s been a great blessing on my life to have like-minded, Christian friends with whom I can speak easily about what’s going on in my life, who are spiritually mature, bold and intellectually curious, and who truly desire the best, most holy outcome for me."

I have admitted to myself that I cannot walk this spiritual journey to Jesus alone. You have nicely described how I feel about my Alpha group! We continue to meet every two weeks after the Alpha course finished, and I really value all of them as we grow together in faith.

Your reflection has affirmed their importance in my life and I am grateful.

Steve

Donna Davis

22/3/2026 01:23:58 pm

Hello there, Steve! I’m so glad to hear that you have a group of friends who have been through Alpha. An important door is already open in that all of you are accustomed to sharing your thoughts and experiences of living this life as people of faith. What a blessing! Meeting every couple of weeks is quite a commitment, and it shows how important that connection is to all of you. I’m excited for you, Steve!