HOW WILL OUR FAITH BEAR FRUIT? - 8/10/22 (Feast of Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr)

John 12:24

Jesus said to His disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.”  

For the full readings, click here: 

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081022.cfm

Blessed Feast of Saint Lawrence! How will our faith bear fruit? It's good and pleasing to God for us to always pray and receive the sacraments. However, there are times when we seem to be complaining as to why our faith does not bear much fruit. Despite the fact that we always pray, we still struggle with sins and with following God's will. Our Lord Jesus gives us one secret to holiness, and a necessary one, and that is dying to oneself. This does not mean that we should inflict physical harm on ourselves until we physically die. Rather, what needs to die is our sinful self. Let's reflect on the analogy that Jesus Christ uses. 

The grain of wheat will only produce fruit when it falls to the ground and dies. With this, the grain is separated from the plant and the roots. Part of dying to our sinful self, to the old man in us for us to be a new man or new creature, is detachment. God calls all of us to be separated from the roots of our sins. This means that we should ponder upon the occasions of our sins that make us stumble in our faith. Although prayers are good, if we do not accompany them by good works such as rejection of temptations, our faith will not bear much fruit. When the grain falls to the ground, it is picked up by farmers. In the same way, by detaching ourselves from sins and occasions of sins, we truly abandon ourselves to the merciful arms of God who will guide us in accordance to His plan which is what is best for us. 

At the same time, dying to oneself is not just about what we can do on our own. It also involves our love for our neighbors. Instead of spending our money with extravagant things, we can give our extra money to the poor and needy. Instead of delaying our chores and our prayers due to distractions like social media or games, we can be detached by God's grace and be diligent in our chores. Instead of expressing our frustration with the person who annoys us, we can be more patient and loving. Doing all of these things are not easy. In fact, it will seem as if we are "forcing" ourselves to do good. But, this interior struggle is a sign that we are doing God's will. People who don't experience a struggle may be those who easily give up with temptations. By God's grace, we can overcome them, and even if we fall, let's continue trusting in Jesus. By carrying our own crosses and by allowing our sinful self to die, we are on the path to resurrection and eternal life. 

Amen +

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic

For more information on the life of St. Lawrence, click here:

https://sanctoral.com/en/saints/saint_lawrence.html

For the summary of the teachings of the Catholic Church, click here:

https://www.catholic.com/tract/pillar-of-fire-pillar-of-truth

For the examination of conscience and guide to confession, click here:

https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/examination-of-conscience/

For a YouTube video of a sample of a daily prayer routine, click here:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=R2m_VU2dHn8