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Bearing Fruit
“Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear
fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you
unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because
without me you can do nothing.” John 15:4–5
Jesus is the source of life and fruitfulness. Yet, too often, we
try to bear fruit of our own making. Truly good fruit can only come
forth if we remain in Christ, for He is the source of all good
fruit in our lives.
Bearing good fruit, meaning performing good works, does not save us
by itself. Salvation is a gift of grace through Christ. However,
good works, as fruits of grace, reveal the depth of our union with
Him and are necessary expressions of a life transformed by God’s
love. Just as a healthy vine naturally produces abundant grapes, so
too does a soul united to Christ bear abundant spiritual fruit for
the glory of God and the good of others. This fruit, above all, is
charity—the eternal gift that reflects the presence of Christ in us
and draws others to Him.
By analogy, a grapevine produces good grapes when it is healthy and
well-nourished. A diseased or poorly nourished vine will produce
useless grapes. If we want to make a difference in the world and in
the lives of others, we have only one choice: We must remain firmly
attached to our Lord, living in Him as He lives in us, so that the
spiritual nourishment He provides will produce an abundance of
grace in and through us.
Consider the people whom you love. If you could do anything for
them, what might it be? You might wish to alleviate all their
sufferings, such as a chronic illness, financial struggle, or some
heavy cross they bear. While such desires reflect our care for
them, even the greatest worldly comforts pale in comparison to the
spiritual blessings of faith and divine grace. The greatest good we
can do for others is to allow God to use us as instruments of His
love, inspiring faith and leading them closer to Him.
The best way to make a difference in others’ lives is to first care
for our own souls by ensuring we are united to our Lord. We must
pray daily, seeking ways to deepen and extend our time of prayer.
We must be faithful to the Commandments, regularly attend Mass,
celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation, meditate on and read the
Scriptures, familiarize ourselves with the lives of the saints, and
know the teachings of Christ’s Church. All of this is for two
purposes: First, it transforms us and more fully unites us with
God. Second, it enables God to produce charity in our lives, which
is His way of using us to touch others with His mercy.
In the end, every good we do for another passes away except for the
greater good—charity. Charity alone remains throughout our lives
and even into the next. In Heaven, the treasure of charity will
remain with us and will be our eternal delight, and the recipients
of that charity will forever be grateful for the gift God gave them
through us.
Reflect today on the charity that is borne from your life and how
it affects others. Can you point to concrete ways that God has used
you to make a difference in their lives? Especially ponder the
works of charity that touch their souls, drawing them closer to our
divine Lord. Set your eyes on this goal, for if you do bear good
fruit in this way, you will know with certainty that your life is
in Christ, and His life is in you.
My Lord the true vine, You and You alone are the source of
nourishment in my life. You sustain me and bear the good fruit of
charity in my life. Please draw me close to You and live in me so
that I can live in You. As You do, please produce an abundance of
good fruit and lavish that good fruit—charity—upon others through
me. Jesus, I trust in You.
Image: Jesus teaches
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