By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. Galatians 5:22-23
“The lack of real fruit in our apostolate can also arise from passivity, from the absence of deeds of love. And if activism is bad and sterile, passivity is deadly, for it can lead us to think that we love God because we perform works of piety: it is true that these pious exercises are carried out, but not perfectly, since they do not move us to good actions.
Such barren pious practices are like the useless and sterile foliage of the fig tree, because true interior life will inevitably lead to a vigorous apostolate: in every situation it impels us to act with courage, daring, and initiative… Today, as we converse with our Lord in these moments of prayer, we can examine ourselves as to whether there is fruit in our life, now, this very moment.
Do I have initiative, as an overflow of my interior life, of my prayer? Or do I think, on the contrary, that in my surroundings – in my class, in the factory, in the office – I can do nothing, that it’s impossible to anything more for God? Do I give my time, do I help effectively in apostolic tasks… or do I ‘only pray’? Do I try to justify myself, saying that between my work, my family, and my devotional practices ‘I haven’t got any time’?
If that were the case, it would also mean that the circumstances of work and family life had cease to be an occasion for apostolate…And if our Lord were to find us passive, content to perform pious practices without the accompaniment of a cheerful and constant apostolate, then perhaps He might say to us in our heart: more deeds, please and fewer excuses.”
Francis Fernandez in In Conversation with God: Meditations for Each Day of the Year, volume 3 (London: Scepter, 1990) 463.
Don’t let the word ‘apostolate’ intimidate you. Hear it as ‘missional living’ with intentionality and cheerfulness. And hear the call to avoid the extremes of activism (yesterday) and passivity (today).
Our lives, our families, our work, and our everyday focus will be ‘missional’ in nature if we have a vibrant interior life. I represents the overflow. So, if you want to grow in generosity, cultivate your walk with Jesus.
He wants to see the fruit of generosity in your life more than you do. Cultivate that connection with Him and then let Him deploy you. Remain faithful, available, and teachable. But know this.
While the Spirit will not lead you to activism nor passivity, it will lead to joy-filled generosity and also make you feel uncomfortable. You will have indescribable peace and yet have your faith stretched.