Days of Change
05/11/09 06:12 Filed in: Adversity
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing.” (John 15: 1-8)
In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses the word “abide” six times to emphasize the steadfast way in which He bonds with us. As the “true vine,” He is the source of our spiritual sap and our strength, the means by which we come to lead more fruitful lives.
In order to bear fruit, a vine must be fertilized, weeded and watered by the husbandman. Likewise, the Lord tends to each of us whenever we enter into prayer and meditation and receive the sacraments.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses the word “abide” six times to emphasize the steadfast way in which He bonds with us. As the “true vine,” He is the source of our spiritual sap and our strength, the means by which we come to lead more fruitful lives.
In order to bear fruit, a vine must be fertilized, weeded and watered by the husbandman. Likewise, the Lord tends to each of us whenever we enter into prayer and meditation and receive the sacraments.
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing.” (John 15: 1-8)
In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses the word “abide” six times to emphasize the steadfast way in which He bonds with us. As the “true vine,” He is the source of our spiritual sap and our strength, the means by which we come to lead more fruitful lives.
In order to bear fruit, a vine must be fertilized, weeded and watered by the husbandman. Likewise, the Lord tends to each of us whenever we enter into prayer and meditation and receive the sacraments.
The vine dresser must also prune and train the branches to cling to a trellis for support lest the vine run wild, wither and lose its fruit. In one of the miracles of our faith, the Lord allows the pruning knife of adversity to cut away our broken, withered branches in order to open us to new ways of growing and bearing fruit.
As the branches of the vine, we may experience bad breaks from time to time. But as long as we cling to the trellis of faith, each new break can become a blessing, a new way to bear fruit.
But the fruit is not ours to keep. It must be given away or it will die on the vine or rot in the field. I was reminded of that the other day when I came across an innovative outreach program by a church located in the heart of a community hard-hit by the economic slump. In order to help their needy friends and neighbors, the parishioners staged a “Day of Change.” Every member of the church was asked to donate their accumulated pocket change to a second collection for needy families. Most parishioners were surprised at how much they had to give. All of them felt good about making a change for the better in someone else’s life.
Donating your pocket change may seem like a small thing, but most of the ways we bear fruit in life are small. It’s not the size of the fruit that counts; it’s the number of fruits on the vine. What’s more, you don’t have to wait for your church to organize a “Day of Change.” You can do it on your own.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses the word “abide” six times to emphasize the steadfast way in which He bonds with us. As the “true vine,” He is the source of our spiritual sap and our strength, the means by which we come to lead more fruitful lives.
In order to bear fruit, a vine must be fertilized, weeded and watered by the husbandman. Likewise, the Lord tends to each of us whenever we enter into prayer and meditation and receive the sacraments.
The vine dresser must also prune and train the branches to cling to a trellis for support lest the vine run wild, wither and lose its fruit. In one of the miracles of our faith, the Lord allows the pruning knife of adversity to cut away our broken, withered branches in order to open us to new ways of growing and bearing fruit.
As the branches of the vine, we may experience bad breaks from time to time. But as long as we cling to the trellis of faith, each new break can become a blessing, a new way to bear fruit.
But the fruit is not ours to keep. It must be given away or it will die on the vine or rot in the field. I was reminded of that the other day when I came across an innovative outreach program by a church located in the heart of a community hard-hit by the economic slump. In order to help their needy friends and neighbors, the parishioners staged a “Day of Change.” Every member of the church was asked to donate their accumulated pocket change to a second collection for needy families. Most parishioners were surprised at how much they had to give. All of them felt good about making a change for the better in someone else’s life.
Donating your pocket change may seem like a small thing, but most of the ways we bear fruit in life are small. It’s not the size of the fruit that counts; it’s the number of fruits on the vine. What’s more, you don’t have to wait for your church to organize a “Day of Change.” You can do it on your own.
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