Daily Gospel Reflection for May 6, 2015

Today's Gospel: John 15:1-8

We have the craziest tree in our backyard. Dave planted the silly dwarf peach tree more than 25 years ago. As you would imagine with the word “dwarf” in the description, it’s a small tree, peppered with random, dead branches. It really is a sad-looking little thing, but in the spring it’s so pretty we don’t have the heart to cut it down. The tree typically bears five or six peaches every few years so we don’t really pay much attention to it because, quite frankly, it’s all about the spring blossoms. Last summer Dave was mowing the lawn and saw a few peaches on the ground under the tree, and when he looked up he noticed the tree was loaded with peaches. We picked two full buckets of peaches from that tiny little tree. The whole time we were picking we just kept shaking our heads in surprise!

Jesus’s words in today’s Gospel challenge us not to be like that peach tree. I had no expectations of fruit from that tree, but it surprised me and did what it was supposed to do. I hope my fruit is more abundant and consistent than that tree in my backyard. God does expect us to remain in Him and bear much fruit. He expects us to be a vibrant, consistent, living witness to his love and mercy, not just a little burst from time to time and then dormancy. The great news is that all we have to do is stay connected to the life-giving grace he provides, and he will bear the fruit in us. We need to accept his pruning and trimming and correction as we grow because that’s what keeps us strongly rooted and productive.

Ponder:

What kind of fruit does your faithfulness produce? Make a list of the fruits you bear for others.

Pray:

Loving Father, help me grow in your love. Show me where I need to grow and where my attitudes and behaviors need to be pruned so that I may bear more fruit in your honor.

We thank our friends at The Word Among Us for providing our gospel reflection team with copies of Abide In My Word 2015: Mass Readings at Your Fingertips. To pray the daily gospels with this wonderful resource, visit The Word Among Us.

Copyright 2015 Sheri Wohlfert