Jesus described Himself as a vine, the Father as the grower and we as the branches: some bearing fruit, some not. (John 15:1). He did demand that we bear fruit, because the consequence of a fruitless life will be eternal death … not Eternal Life.
“He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit” (John 15:2).
But, what is to “bear fruit”? Is it to become a Priest or a Nun? Is it to enroll in every Catholic organization there is and become “active”? Is it to convert everyone around you to Catholicism? Is it to educate our children in the Catholic faith? Maybe! But not necessarily.
To “bear fruit” in a spiritual sense may be to pray intensely everyday and receive the Sacraments as frequently as possible. To “bear fruit” is to do our Lord’s Will, nothing more nothing less.
To do God’s Will is to remain in His Love by –first of all- keeping His Commandments (John 15: 9-10), because when we remain in His Love we bear fruit. Jesus was not subtle in warning us that without Him we can do nothing. So remaining in Him, in His Love is a must … or else we “wither…and will be burned” (John 15: 6).
By remaining in Him, through an intense prayer and sacramental life, He will reveal His Will. And what can we do if God reveals His Will to us? Our response can be nothing less than total surrender to Him.
Then something magnificent will happen, “the Vine Grower” will prune us to bear more fruit. The pruning will probably hurt. But it will make us stronger, it will not kill us.
Our Faith growing in prayer and the Sacraments will be militant, a must in these times of history. Our love of the Lord will not be lukewarm and our complete surrender will be driven by our heart, a heart that will desire our Lord with passion. And when we love with a blind passion nothing derails us from wanting to be attached to Him as one of His branches.
Being His branches, we can respond with passionate and absolute love, bearing the fruits He wants from us.
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