Two Lessons in the Spiritual Life: Bear fruit and Be Pruned. (A Sunday Meditation)

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Gospel: John 15: 1-8

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.
He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,
and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.
You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.
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.
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.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Jesus gives himself many titles.

Last week, for example, he referred to himself as the Good Shepherd. Elsewhere, he calls himself the Bread of life, the Light of the World, and the Resurrection of the dead. 

But none is more challenging than what we hear today: “I am the vine, and you are the branches.”

With this proclamation comes two important lessons in the spiritual life: bear fruit and be pruned.

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The first is the easiest: “Bear fruit.”

At Mass we receive Jesus in the Eucharist. We are nourished with the loving presence of the Lord. Our mission as disciples is to share that love with others throughout the week. 

Anyone who receives Christ but does not share his love with others is not a disciple.

How am I a disciple? How do I share Christ’s love with others? 

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The harder lesson comes next. Even those branches that “bear fruit” do not escape the knife; Christians must be pruned. 

The experience of being pruned is never pleasant. But God’s hand is closest to us while he’s pruning the vine.

Pruning comes in a variety of ways: it’s the discipline we experience during Lent; the anguish of personal trials; dryness in prayer; guilt in our conscience; periods of waiting; separation; grief; or other forms of suffering.

I’m sure we can all recall a painful experience that shaped our spirit. 

But mysteriously, these experiences can also lead to new growth, even new directions in life.

Consider what happened to Christians in the early Church.

It was only after they experienced persecution in Jerusalem that they were motivated to get out. The oppression pruned them, pushing them in various directions, allowing the Gospel message to spread to the ends of the earth.

If they only lived a comfortable existence without any suffering, then perhaps the Gospel message never would’ve left Jerusalem – or at least not for a while.

Pruning pushed the Church forward.

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I’ve felt the Lord’s pruning in my own life, as well.

Many of you know part of my personal story, how my mother had stage IV pancreatic cancer, and how and I left her after learning about her diagnosis to continue studying for the priesthood in Rome.

It was the most difficult decision of my life. But my heavenly Father was pruning me.

Through this experience, God deepened my devotion to Him, strengthened my desire for priesthood, and filled my heart with profound empathy for those who suffer – things that have been immensely helpful in my ministry.

Even a young man studying for the priesthood – a devoted branch bearing good fruit –cannot escape the knife.

Pruning is painful, but it can cause us to grow. 

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Haven’t we all been pruned by COVID? 

Our lives, our society, and even our parish has changed. 

Jesus assures us that good things – new growth – can come out of this. 

I’m sure we’ve all grown in gratitude for the relationships that matter most. Some families have also spent more time together. 

And like those first Christians, we as a Church have the opportunity to think creatively, to leave what’s familiar, to expand our community building efforts, and find new ways to share the Gospel message.

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Another side of pruning involves cutting away the dead branches.

Think about sinful habits, deep-seeded grudges, anger, or unhealthy relationships – things that sap our time and energy without ever bearing fruit. The Lord intends to carve these out of our lives.

Letting go of these unhealthy crutches can be painful, but we become better for it.

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How am I being pruned by the Lord? Am I being invited to grow, change course, or leave a dead branch behind?

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Jesus gives himself many titles. The Good Shepherd, the Bread of life, the Light of the World, the Resurrection of the dead. 

Perhaps none is more challenging than “the vine,” making us his branches. But the closer we remain to him, the stronger and more fruitful we become.

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Image credits: (1) SCC Parish Church, Christ the Vine (2) Incourage.me (3) Pure Devotion – WordPress.com (4) myktis.com