top of page

12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit

Scott P. Richert

 

Biography:

Scott P. Richert is the senior content network manager of Our Sunday Visitor, the world's largest English-language Catholic publisher
 

Richert holds a bachelor's degree from Michigan State University, where he took a number of religious studies courses. In 1992, he received his master's degree in political theory from the Catholic University of America.

​

Awards and Publications

 

12 Fruits of the

Holy Spirit

1. Charity (or love)

2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Patience
5. Benignity (or kindness)
6. Goodness
7. Longanimity (or long-suffering)
8. Mildness (or gentleness)
9. Faith
10. Modesty
11. Continency (or self-control)
12. Chastity

​

[1. Charity (or Love)]

Charity is the love of God and of neighbor, without any thought of receiving something in return. It is not a "warm and fuzzy" feeling, however; charity is expressed in concrete action toward God and our fellow man.

 

[2. Joy]

Joy isn't emotional, in the sense that we commonly think of joy; rather, it is the state of being undisturbed by the negative things in life.

 

[3. Peace]

Peace is a tranquility in our soul that comes from relying on God. Rather than getting caught up in anxiety for the future, Christians, through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, trusts God to provide for them.

 

[4. Patience]

Patience is the ability to bear the imperfections of other people, through a knowledge of our own imperfections and our need for God's mercy and forgiveness.

 

[5. Benignity (or Kindness)]

Kindness is the willingness to give to others above and beyond what we own them.

​

[6. Goodness]
Goodness is the avoidance of evil and the embrace of what's right, even at the expense of one's earthly fame and fortune.

[7. Longanimity
(or Long-Suffering)]
Longanimity is patience under provocation. While patience is properly directed at other's faults, to be long-suffering is to endure quietly the attacks of others.

[8. Mildness (or Gentleness)]
To be mild in behavior is to be forgiving rather than angry, gracious rather than vengeful. The gentle person is meek; like Christ Himself, Who said that "I am gentle and humble of heart" (Matthew 11:29) he does not insist on having his own way but yields to others for the sake of the Kingdom of God.

[9. Faith]
Faith, as a fruit of the Holy Spirit, means living our life in accordance with God's will at all times.


[10. Modesty]
Being modest means humbling yourself, acknowledging that any of your successes, achievements, talents, or merits are not truly your own but gifts from God.


[11. Continence]
Continence is self-control or temperance. It does not mean denying oneself what one needs or even necessarily what one wants (so long as what one wants is something good); rather, it is the exercise of moderation in all things.

[12. Chastity]
Chastity is the submission of physical desire to right reason, subjugating it to one's spiritual nature. Chastity means indulging our physical desires only within the appropriate contexts—for instance, engaging in sexual activity only within marriage.

​

-Contents taken from Learn Religions official website

 

dove.png
bottom of page