Fruits of the Holy Spirit
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The Catechism of the Catholic Church has this to say about the Fruits of the Holy Spirit:
"The fruits of the Spirit are perfections that the Holy Spirit forms in us as the first fruits of eternal glory. The tradition of the Church lists twelve of them: 'charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity.'"
These fruits are the result of growth in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These fruits are tendencies rather than mere willingness, because "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." In the person who possesses a Fruit of the Spirit, this willingness bears fruit in the life and behavior of the person.
Charity
Charity is love, both of God and of neighbor.Joy
Joy is the happiness found in union with the Lord. As C.S. Lewis described it, it is a glimpse of the perfect happiness of heaven that leads us to desire heaven.Peace
Peace refers to dealing justly with the world, as well as remaining in good conscience before God.Patience
Patience, also known as long-suffering, refers to the tendency to endure both temptation and suffering without it leading to sin.Kindness
Kindness, also known as Benignity, is the tendency toward acting kindly and doing good.Goodness
Goodness is the tendency to avoid sin and do good.Generosity
Generosity is an openness to sharing one's own gifts and goods with others. It is the opposite of both gluttony and envy.Gentleness
Gentleness, also known as mildness, is the tendency to allow provocations to go unanswered.Faithfullness
Faithfulness is the standing strong in faith, and strength against diversion away from faith and virtue.Modesty
Modesty refers to purity in appearance and self-image.Self-Control
Self-control (also known as continence)refers to purity in words as well as the tendency to avoid temptations.Chastity
Chastity refers to purity in actions, especially sexual purity. Chastity should not be confused with celibacy, which is the avoidance of marriage and marital acts.References
Note: Non-Catholic Christians only list 9 Fruits of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control. See Galatians 5:22-23In an interview with Paul & Jan Crouch of T.B.N,
Pope Shenouda III of the Coptic church also referred
to Holiness as being one of the "Fruits of the Spirit."
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