Good Fruit

Readings for Wednesday May 13, 2009

First Reading:  Acts 15:1-6

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 122

Gospel:  John 15:1-8

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.
Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.
By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."  (John 15:5-8)

Have you ever seen a withering plant?  It just looks so pathetic, very shriveled up and just a pale comparison of what it once used to be.  In the end, all plants that get too withered end up dying and must be thrown out.  In today's gospel, Jesus gives us great hope as well as a great warning.  He tells us that those who remain in Him will bear much fruit, and that this is what our Father plans for us.  I don't think that we realize how much God wants to be with us, and how much He wants us to succeed on this earth.  Most of the time we think that God really has it in for us or that He is just out to make our lives miserable.  The truth is that God wants us to have all the gifts that He has planned, and He wants us to live full joyous and peaceful lives, and to go out and bear good fruit in this world.  Our God, is a God of abundant love and mercy, more than we can ever understand.  May we always remember that God is here to help us bear good fruit, it is all a matter of whether we are willing to open ourselves up and surrender to Him.  

God does not have it in for us, He doesn't want us to wither away and be thrown into the fire.  Let us not be like the pathetic, withering plant that has been cut off from the vine.  Let us be open to God in our lives, let us say "yes" to Him everyday that we live, and let us pray for His will to be done in our lives, instead of our own.  Then, let the good fruit come forth.    

Father above, we thank you for the gift of this day.  Lord, help us to be more open to you in our lives and to not hold anything back.  Lord, we pray for your will to be done in our lives and not our own.  Lord, we thank you and give you praise for all you have done and all you will do in our life, may the good fruit that comes from you manifest in our lives.  Lord, you are our rock and our salvation, let us not follow any other things but you.  We ask this all through Christ our Lord.  Amen.