Saturday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time
This year has been an unusual year for me (and many others I suspect) when it comes to gardening. Since I have been at home all summer, I have had greater opportunities to put more effort into tending my garden. This year because of the pandemic and our quarantine, I have been able to water daily, pull weeds regularly and do the other little things that support a healthy garden. Today’s scripture readings remind us that God creates us and calls us forth to bear good fruit, but we need to make choices that allow our faith to flourish and bring forth those fruits. We are also called to put down deep roots that develop from our trust of God. Without God’s presence to stabilize our lives, the trials and tribulations of this world will wash us away.
In today’s gospel reading, Jesus uses the image of gardening to help the disciples understand the significance of faith in action. Jesus comments that a “good tree” bears”good fruit,” since a person whose heart is full of goodness uses that goodness (grace) as a source for both his/ her words and actions. Jesus also tells the disciples that a person who listens to His words and acts on them is like a person who builds a house on a firm foundation. Jesus instructs the disciples that He is the source of strength and love for those who want to follow Him and bear good fruit.
This year my fruit and vegetables grew unlike any previous summers. Our faith blossoms and brings forth good fruit when we provide ways to enhance our growth. Just as St. Paul mentions in the first reading, our celebration of the Eucharist allows us to receive the Body of Christ. Not only are we strengthened by the sacrament, but we become “one Body” in Christ, and the participation in the community of believers provides us added benefits for strengthening our faith.
Jesus reminds us as His disciples that we must “listen to His words and act on them.” It is through prayer, scripture, and sacrament that we can hear Jesus speak to us. Once we grow in our relationship with Christ, we are called forth to bring these words to life in the way that we live. If we are Christ-centered, then our words and actions will reflect mercy, compassion, peace, love, and justice. We will be a plant that produces good fruit in the garden of God.
Being rooted in Christ, allows us to sink deep roots that give us stability when the worries, frustrations, and sorrows of this world can threaten to knock us over. Because of His passion and death, Jesus understands human suffering. He promises to accompany us during these difficult times and provide comfort and encouragement. Jesus helps us recognize that God transforms and brings new life to those who have faith.
God has planted each of us and desires us to bear “good fruit”. Similar to my experience this summer, producing good fruit requires time, effort and a commitment to regularly tending each of our souls. God provides the grace to help nurture us- just as God provides the sunlight and dirt for our garden plants to grow. But it still requires our efforts to weed out evil and feed ourselves with truth, or else we will not be a healthy plant. Although the summer harvest is coming to a close, today’s scripture remind us that God continues to call each of us to grow in His grace. A daily commitment allowing Christ to bloom within us is what is needed to feed the world with our good fruits.
Loving Father, Jesus and His words provide the foundation for us to grow as your holy people. Through the grace of your Spirit give us the wisdom, love and courage to go into the world imitating Jesus as His disciples. May our words and deeds be good fruit for the world, so all may come to know your love. We pray this through Christ our LORD. Amen.
- Marylynn Herchline