“Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5
Discipleship should be leading us into an ongoing conversion. A conversion that is the result of our response to the ‘Good News’ we encounter in Jesus Christ. Conversion transforms our ‘person’ into the holiness God desires for our lives. This conversion and transformation is experienced by others from the ‘fruit’ of our own hearts being evangelized and our desire to be missionary. How are people experiencing the fruit of your relationship with Jesus Christ?
‘Fruitfulness’ in my life started to happen in various ways. Interiorly my heart and mind started to see the world differently. I became more aware of my own ‘brokenness’ that Jesus desires to heal and strengthen. I also became more compassionate towards others. I started to see others as brothers and sisters who can benefit from hearing the ‘good news’. The intentional reading of the gospel, spending more time in reflective prayer, going to Eucharistic Adoration and being vulnerable with others about my life started to help define ‘intentional’ for me.
“This book helped me to discover the unique ways the Holy Spirit desires to use my charisms to help bring the presence of God into other peoples lives. I highly recommend reading it.” – Darrin
What I have come to realize with all the conversations I have had with Catholic’s is that ‘fruitfulness’ and ‘intentional discipleship’ is definitely not part of our common Catholic dialogue. Yet the life of St Paul speaks so prominently of this language. He says, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Gal 5:23) These words came to fruition in my life as I became more intentional with my interior life and allowed Jesus’ ‘words and deeds’ be fueled by the ‘Advocate’. St Paul says, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.” (Gal 5:25) So now I have a desire to bring people to Jesus as did Simon, Andrew, James and John in the scripture below after they experienced Jesus’ words and deeds.
I pray that the Holy Spirit continues to inspire us to be greater witnesses of the ‘fruit’ our relationship with Christ has produced. Be attentive to how the Holy Spirit works in your life today. He might just place someone in your presence who may need you to listen and then witness.
– Darrin
Scripture reflection Mark 1: 32 – 34
“When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him.”
Pope reflection
“In His goodness and wisdom God chose to reveal Himself and to make known to us the hidden purpose of His will (see Eph. 1:9) by which through Christ, the Word made flesh, man might in the Holy Spirit have access to the Father and come to share in the divine nature… This plan of revelation is realized by deeds and words having an inner unity…. By this revelation then, the deepest truth about God and the salvation of man shines out for our sake in Christ, who is both the mediator and the fullness of all revelation” Saint Pope Paul VI [DV 2]
