“And be the aroma of Christ in the world” 

To be Christian actually means to “be Christ” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 795). We are the divine-human body of Jesus, living by his divine life. 

If that is what we are, it should be evident. Scripture says we should be “the aroma of Christ in the world,” through whom God “spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him” (2Corinthians 2:14). 

For this, we ask the Holy Spirit to “Come! Grant us your Gifts and transform us!” It is to help us be the “aroma of Christ” in the world. 

That is what we live for; why we are on earth: to make Jesus physically present and continue his mission in the world. 

The Angelus presents Christianity as full of promise: “The angel announced to Mary, and she conceived by the Holy Spirit…”  

The fulfillment of the promise depends on surrender: “Be it done unto me…”  

And the fruit of surrender is “the Word made flesh and dwelling among us.” 

We get up in the morning to give flesh to the Word and words of God. To be “the aroma of Christ in the world” and “spread in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him.”  

We do this when the “fruit of the Spirit” is evident in our words, actions, responses to others, and in everything that reveals who and what we are. 

So we end our morning prayer listing the “Fruits of the Spirit.” If we can’t name them, how can we live them? 

— Fr. David M. Knight

View today’s Mass readings on the USCCB website here

Easter season is the time to focus on the Holy Spirit. Starting on Easter Sunday, we will look carefully at how the Spirit is proclaimed, invoked, and presented to us in the Mass. Lex orandi, lex credendi: “As the Church prays, so she believes.”

After that, we will reflect on the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 11:2; Galatians 5:22), and at how the Spirit enters the life of those who believe.

As you read these reflections, ask for the gift of Understanding. Ask to really understand what you believe, what you see and hear at Mass. Go deeper into understanding the Mass than you ever have before. We experience the Faith when we become aware of its mystery. We hope you reflect deeply on the Mass and Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and find yourself more and more drawn into the mysteries of our Lord in the Mass and in His Gifts.