In our reflection for Wednesday last week, we considered Paul's paradoxical version of the doctrine of the "two ways", namely a slavery of sin and a slavery of obedience. Now he returns to his more customary way of presenting this doctrine, namely the way of the flesh, leading to death, and the way of the spirit leading to life. In modern terminology, Paul's terms "flesh" and "spirit, stand for opposing "worldviews" or "value systems". A worldview without faith will almost inevitably eventually degenerate into the way of "the flesh", sometimes in its most terrible form, giving rise to all the abominations that Paul frequently criticises in his Letters.

Our Christian worldview, however, revolves around God, and particularly around God made flesh in Jesus Christ, Our Lord. This worldview draws together faith, hope and love, and these virtues animate our spirit so that we live as truly spiritual people. Then, in fact "according to the spirit" becomes "according to the Spirit of God" and our lives will be as described in today's Psalm: "The just rejoice and exult before God, they are glad and rejoice": we will live lives guided by a strong sense of justice, of the need for holiness, and we will realize that life in the Spirit is the only life that brings true joy.