Growing words

May 24 Saturday of the 5th week of Easter: 

A thought for those who want to reveal the risen Jesus in their lifestyle.

Acts 16:1-10; Psalm 100:1-2, 3, 5; John 15:18-21

“If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.” John 15:20

Jesus gave three reasons (Matthew 13:3) why the seed of his word does not bear fruit.

The first is that his words fall on the "beaten path" of social conformity. They never penetrate, because we interpret what Christ says by what Christians do instead of measuring what Christians do by what Christ says.

"By their fruits you shall know them." But if we assume to begin with that the fruit most common on the market must be good fruit, we have only mediocrity to judge by. By uncritically accepting mediocre Christianity as authentic, we rule out any radical invitation from Jesus. We accept the half blind as guides.

The second reason is that Christ’s words fall on rocky ground that has no depth. We do not reflect on his words long enough to let them take root in decisions. No truth is a part of us until we make it our own by choices.

The third reason is that “weeds”—whatever is in conflict with the goals and values of Jesus—choke out our response before it can bear fruit. Clarity of mind is obscured by attachments of the heart. When we seek truth from Jesus as disciples, the obstacle to prophetic insight is in the heart, not the head. To see, we need to act.

PRAY: “Create a clean heart in me, O God.”

PRACTICE: Think about Sunday’s Mass readings until they generate a choice.