Fruits of the Spirit in Falinge


It's the same idea whatever words you use !

St Paul in Galatians (5.22-23) tells us that the fruits of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. That's what the King James version says eloquently if somewhat mysteriously !.

The NRSV, witch is the favoured translation of vicars like me uses these words:

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.

I quite like the Message Bible which expands, indeed adlibs:

But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

That's not a translation, an elaboration rather but it helps us think about what Paul may mean.

These are qualities which abound - in our Church life, yes, well we try, and also in our parish. We are blessed with many caring neighbours, sacrificial parents, praying older folk. These are also qualities that our Muslim brothers and sisters seek to live by. We believe in God made flesh and we know that our Creator places these qualities in every human being - they are there potentially, even if not developed. WE look for them in our community, find them and celebrate them !

You might not be aware of this if you read the papers ! I was directed to the Daily Mail article of 2014 about Falinge.  The heading is as follows:

Estate in Rochdale where three out of four people are on benefits named as most deprived area in England for fifth year in a row
  • Government league table shows high levels of child poverty in Falinge
  • 72 per cent of people are unemployed and seven per cent have never worked
  • MP calls for action to halt the decline but the council plays down the data
  • It is one of nine areas in Greater Manchester to be ranked in the top 50
It's a shocking article with some powerful pictures which reinforce the deprivation and hopelessness. I have heard this sort of writing called "poverty porn". That's a good description. We look and it reinforces all our stereotypes. It confirms what we think about those people, who live there.

But we know it's not like that. Well not completely like that. As Christians we want to do two things at the same time. I think Paul would approve of this.

First, look at the poverty and need, the drink, the drugs, the single parents, but not just look from a distance but weep for the way things are. We might, in prayer, confess our complicity, our lack of action to make things better.

Second, thank God for all the fruits of Spirit that are evident. We would more than the one sided picture the Daily Mail has given us. We know of many who live in the area and are loving, peaceful, joyful and so on.

I pray that God may lead us to know our neighbours, be angry at poverty and injustice, but always be grateful for the fruits of the Spirit so evident in the world.

 
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