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Spiritual Fruitfulness
March 17, 2006
We need to cultivate our spiritual lives and work hard to produce the fruit that will lead us closer to God
Friday of the Second Week of Lent
Father Christopher Scroggin, LC Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46
Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: "Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned. Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, ´They will respect my son.´ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ´This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.´ They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?" They answered him, "He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times." Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the scriptures: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes? Therefore, I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.” When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they knew that he was speaking about them. And although they were attempting to arrest him, they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet. Introductory Prayer: Heavenly Father, you are the master of the vineyard, it is you who make the vine bear fruit that will last. Keep us ever connected to the vine, and grant that we will bear much fruit in our lives. Petition: Lord Jesus, increase my faith and love. 1. A Vine and Its Branches. This is not the first time Jesus uses the image of a vine and its branches. It was an image that could easily be understood by the people of his time who primarily lived on the produce of the earth. If some of the branches did not produce fruit they simply were cut away from the vine. We need to produce spiritual “fruit” in our lives too. 2. God’s Desire for Our Fruitfulness. Our spiritual lives need to be fruitful. We need to cultivate our spiritual lives and work hard to produce the fruit that will lead us closer to God. Our Lord desires that we be fruitful as he states, “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples” (John 15:8), and also, “I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last” (John 15:16). 3. Cultivating the Soil of Our Soul. We need to cultivate the soil of our soul by good works, prayer and a more profound sacramental life. Using these means in our spiritual life is like being a gardener who takes care of his garden. Prayer plants the seed, the sacraments nourish it, and good works aid in taking care of the plant as it grows. As a result, the plant will bear fruit, with God’s grace, unto everlasting life. Dialogue with Christ: Divine Gardener of my soul, aid me in cultivating my spiritual life so as to bear fruit that will last; fruit that will give glory to the Father and help in the salvation of souls. Resolution: Today, I will strive to put these three means (good works, prayer, Sacraments) into practice in my spiritual life.
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