How to bear fruit ?

Tuesday February 1, 2022

How to bear fruit ?

Search the Scriptures

Verily, verily, I say unto you, unless the grain of wheat which has fallen into the earth dies, it remains alone ; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. John 12.24

A young man enters a store in a dream. Behind the counter stands an angel. The young man asks him :

- What do you sell ?

The angel replies :

“Anything you want.

So the young man begins to enumerate :

— If you sell everything I want, then I would like : the end of war in the world, the end of slums in Latin America, the integration into society of all the marginalized, work for all the unemployed , more love and community life in the Church...

The angel interrupts him :

— Excuse me, sir, you misunderstood me, here we do not sell fruit, we only sell seeds.

In the Gospel of John, chapter 12 and verse 24, our spiritual life is compared to a seed or a grain of wheat. Many seek to have the fruits without passing through death to self : that is, giving up our plans and our will to seek those of God.

We want to have fruits, but do not accept to be this seed which must die like Jesus, who gave up his plans to do the will of his heavenly father. Jesus' whole life is an example of death to self, but Matthew 26:38-39 is the culmination. We find Jesus in agony, the crucifixion is approaching, he is in the Garden of Gethsemane :

“He then said to them : My soul is sad unto death ; stay here, and watch with me. Then, having taken a few steps forward, he threw himself on his face, and thus prayed : it is possible, that this cup may depart from me! However, not what I want, but what you want."

Like Jesus, let this prayer also be ours, and thus we will bear fruit...

Listen the voice of God

Let's take the time to listen to what God wants to say. Are your plans and your will aligned with God's plans and will ?

Praying is simple. Speak to God as you would your closest friend. God loves you and he can hear everything. Here is a sample prayer : "Father, like Jesus, only your will for my life be done. Not what I want, but what you want. Amen."

Praise God

To praise God is to express our gratitude to him. Today, what are your subjects of recognition ? Take a time to thank the Lord.

Act today

Now, deepen what you have received. What can you put in place to apply what God has told you ? Write down concrete actions you can take.

Honor the Lord

Our journey for the day ends. Let us pray together to honor our God.

"Lord, I thank you for your will is always good and perfect. Yours is the reign, the power and the glory, amen !"

Jean Louis Gaillard

Source (The Thought of the Day)