Acts 15:22-31,
Psalm 57:8-9.10- 12 (R. 10a),
John 15:12-17 Full Readings
I chose you to go and bear Fruit
Today's Gospel is part of yesterday's Gospel, and we reflected deeply on it concerning the aspect of loving one another as Jesus has loved us: a new commandment. Today let us Reflect on Jesus' words: "You didn't not choose me: no, I chose you; and commissioned you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last."
We all have at least an experience of being chosen among many, and we are all aware of how it feels to be among the chosen ones. It's pleasing to behold and fills us with joy. However, it's too disappointing when you are not chosen, it hurts and leaves us with a judgmental attitude towards self. This reveals the desire we have to be among the chosen ones.
Being among the chosen ones of Jesus, is the best thing to behold. The good news is that Jesus chooses each one of us, he chooses us, calls us by name and commissions us to a specific mission, so that we bear fruit. There is no one who is left unchosen in the face of Jesus.
How and why does God choose us? God chooses us before we are born and gives us a specific mission, and after we are born he continues to reveal that mission to us, through our parents, spiritual directors, personal encounters with God and other ways which God chooses. The reason why he chooses is to bear fruits, fruits that will last, in different vocations we have. So every vocation is a call from God and so we have to take it seriously and do what it demands.
God knows us personally, he calls us personally, no matter the way we think about ourselves, or how others think about us, God always has a plan for us. What we are expected of is to respond individually to that call, to heed to that call and carry out the work of God. This work must bear good fruit, for they will know us by our fruits. As a Christian, they will know you are Christian by your virtues and the kind of life you are living, as a father or mother, they will know you by the quality of children you have, as a worker, they will know you by the quality and quantity of your produce, as a religious they will know you by the quality of life you are living and how you show Christ to others. Brethren in every vocation you must produce good fruits, and in this way you are fulfilling the plan of God. However, you will produce these fruits if you remain in the one who chose you, if you allow yourself to be taught by the Holy Spirit.
Being chosen by Christ reminds us to be humble in our mission. There is no need to boast of our work, because it is not our work, it is the work of God. If we do well and we are recognised let the Glory be to God alone not to us. If we seek that glory by ourselves, then we are losing it brethren. Let us therefore be humble and act in the name of our Lord who chooses us.
What do we need to be right and bear fruits in our mission? Firstly is to follow the commandments of the one who chooses us and commissions us, and then allow his Spirit to teach us. We need to reflect on the word of God, participate in sacraments and endeavour to grow spiritually every day for we can't help others grow spiritual if we ourselves are not. You can't give what you don't have. We also need to conduct ourselves as people of Christ, people of the light, people of good morals and role models. The first reading gives some things we should avoid: "you are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols; from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from fornication. Avoid these, and you will do what is right." These and more virtues will help us to do right and bear abundant fruits.
Reflect, today on these words: “I chose you to go and bear fruit.” Are you accepting this call from Jesus? Are you bearing fruit in abundance where you are? Are you serving with your whole heart and driven by humility? Remember also that accepting your call from God will change your life and will also change the lives of those whom you are called to serve. Ask for God's grace so that you may serve him better.
Let us pray.
Lord, I accept with joy and gratitude your choice for my life. Help me always embrace it and bear fruits in abundance. Amen.
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