Daily Retreat 04/23/08
2008 Apr 23 Wed: Easter Weekday/ George, mt/ Adalbert, bp, mt
Acts 15: 1-6/ Ps 121(122): 1-2. 3-4ab. 4cd-5/ Jn 15: 1-8
From today’s readings: “They were sent on their journey by the Church, and passed through Phoenicia and Samaria telling of the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brethren.... Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.... I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine grower.”
Can you bear to be pruned?
Not even the greatest saints ever presumed that they had reached human perfection - each of them humbly realized their faults and their need of the Savior’s continual sanctification. Jesus Himself taught that even the disciples that counted as “fruitful branches” would be subject to ongoing purification, for every branch that bears fruit, the Father “prunes so that it bears more fruit.”
In short, Christianity leaves no grounds for complacency. While one can and should rejoice in the harvest of the good fruits of committed Christian discipleship, there’s no place in this life for resting on one’s laurels, for there’s always room for improvement.
Sometimes, you and I can take some initiative in this pruning process, such as when we apply scripture lessons to our lives diligently, and make thorough examinations of conscience, and sacramentally confess our sins regularly, and devote ourselves to legitimate penitential practices.
At other times, though, we find ourselves being pruned in unexpected (and even painful) ways, as we struggle to carry the crosses that come our way. But, after all, since the crucified Christ is Himself the divine vine, only those branches grafted to the arms of the Cross fully tap into the divine tree of life!
Acts 15: 1-6/ Ps 121(122): 1-2. 3-4ab. 4cd-5/ Jn 15: 1-8
From today’s readings: “They were sent on their journey by the Church, and passed through Phoenicia and Samaria telling of the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brethren.... Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.... I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine grower.”
Can you bear to be pruned?
Not even the greatest saints ever presumed that they had reached human perfection - each of them humbly realized their faults and their need of the Savior’s continual sanctification. Jesus Himself taught that even the disciples that counted as “fruitful branches” would be subject to ongoing purification, for every branch that bears fruit, the Father “prunes so that it bears more fruit.”
In short, Christianity leaves no grounds for complacency. While one can and should rejoice in the harvest of the good fruits of committed Christian discipleship, there’s no place in this life for resting on one’s laurels, for there’s always room for improvement.
Sometimes, you and I can take some initiative in this pruning process, such as when we apply scripture lessons to our lives diligently, and make thorough examinations of conscience, and sacramentally confess our sins regularly, and devote ourselves to legitimate penitential practices.
At other times, though, we find ourselves being pruned in unexpected (and even painful) ways, as we struggle to carry the crosses that come our way. But, after all, since the crucified Christ is Himself the divine vine, only those branches grafted to the arms of the Cross fully tap into the divine tree of life!
posted by FrPitstick | 4/21/2008
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