The gift of piety is closely tied to gentleness. The gift of piety which the Holy Spirit gives us makes us gentle, makes us calm, patient, at peace with God, at the service of others with gentleness. Pope Francis
Meditation: “Mom, please, don’t yell”. “Please, don’t be so critical.” When I am stressed and frustrated, I sometimes come across harsher than I intend to. When I am getting really tired, I can become critical. Nothing my girls do or not do is right. Everything bothers me, and it shows in my ways of talking harshly. I am trying to catch myself before I start getting loud and before I can only see the negative. But that is a challenge. I need God’s Spirit to help me. I notice that if I remember in those tense moments to talk to God when I am stressed, frustrated or tired, I can usually take a deep breath. And with that breath comes the Spirit. And once I have breathed deeply, I am taking in feelings of compassion for myself and for my state of exhaustion, and I suddenly also feel compassion for my girls who are just as tired and stressed as I am. “Well, let’s just leave those clothes on the floor for now. Let’s decide to be gentle with ourselves and with each other. We can tidy up when we feel rested again”…
Prayer: God of gentleness, we bring to You our harshness, impatience and even moments of rage. We pray for Your Spirit to fill us with Your presence so that we will be empowered to access compassion, gentleness and patience – with ourselves and with others. Amen
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Galatians 5:22
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