Galatians Bible Reading

What epistle did you read this year with your groupmates? Indicate book Chapter and verse:

● Our group read Galatians and Titus this year.

● “Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that
sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.”
— Galatians 6:8

What verses struck you? Please put the verses here and indicate chapter and verse:

In Galatians, “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit
should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted”
(Galatians 6:1) and “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your
freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another humbly in love” (Galatians 5:13)
struck me the most. In Titus, it was from Titus 1:15, “To the pure, all things are pure, but to
those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and
consciences are corrupted.”

What was the message/s of Paul in these verses?

The goal of the message shared in Galatians 6:1 is not to judge but to genuinely help the person
learn from their sins. Here, St. Paul highlights the importance of healing and gentle criticism
when someone is caught in sin in Galatians 6:1. He urges those who are led by the Holy Spirit, or
those who are brothers and sisters who live by the Spirit, to handle the issue with empathy,
humility, and a desire to help the person who has sinned. In Galatians 5:13, St. Paul emphasizes
that rather than following selfish interests, true freedom is found in selflessly helping others and
showing love and kindness. On the other hand, St. Paul describes in Titus 1:15 how one's ideas
and experiences affect how they perceive purity. The corrupted perceive nothing as pure, while
those with a pure heart see everything as pure. This verse explains how one's perspective of the
world is shaped by having a pure heart and a real faith in God.

How can you relate to these verses?

I can relate to Galatians 6:1 because whenever someone reprimands me in front of other people
for a negligible thing, it sometimes feels as if their approach of lecturing me is for the sake of
embarrassing me or sounding smart – since some people do it aggressively. Instead of reflecting
on my mistakes, my attention is focused on my embarrassment or hurt. I hope that I and others
live by this verse as we should all focus on trying to help by being empathetic, supportive, and
patient, and not by condemning or criticizing others right away. I hope we get to understand
first “why” the person sinned or made the mistake first as no one is perfect. For Galatians 6:1,
 however, this serves as a reminder to myself to serve others humbly in love using our freedom
and finding true fulfillment in this. It is a reminder to be self-less. Lastly, Titus 1:15 serves as my
reminder that our understanding of the world around us is shaped by our thoughts and beliefs.
It inspires us to work on developing a pure heart and honest faith, which can result in a positive
view even in difficult times.

Compose a prayer highlighting the messages of Paul

Heavenly Father,

We humbly come to You, asking for Your guidance in living out the teachings of St. Paul. We are grateful
for the wisdom found in his messages, as they provide a guide for us to live purposeful and
compassionate lives. Help us to have compassion and avoid judgment towards those trapped in sin.
Embrace selflessness, serving others with humility and love. Guide us to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit
in our decisions and actions and to surround ourselves with a supportive and accountable community.
Please grant us the strength and wisdom to reflect on our weaknesses, standing firm against temptation.
And with this, may our hearts overflow with genuine forgiveness, extending the same grace to others
that You have graciously bestowed upon us. Let Your love shine through us in all our interactions.

Grant us the strength to live out these teachings and bring glory to Your holy name.

Amen.