Two children sat on the floor with me in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium as I read the same words we hear in today’s Gospel, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
“What did you hear?” I asked them. Their wide eyes looked back at me, contemplating. That silent pondering, although often uncomfortable to my adult sensibilities, was sometimes where the Holy Spirit would bear abundant fruit in these young children’s faith life. The same is true for us.
Today’s Gospel reading not only reminds me of the sweet years of serving in the atrium but takes me even further back to my painful years of infertility. During that physically barren season, I underlined “bear fruit.” “prunes away,” and “barren branch” on the thin pages of my Bible translation of John 15:1-8. Every time I read these verses, I begged God for fruitfulness within my body.
During much of that “barren” season, He seemed to remain silent. It would take me years of holy hours and time spent reading His Word before I would come to understand the fruit He was growing in me. God was cultivating a stronger and more intimate relationship with me through the quiet and gentle pruning He was doing in my soul. I slowly began to realize that it was a fruitful soul He desired most for me, more than a fruitful body.
Our Heavenly Father, the “vinegrower,” invites each of us into an intimate relationship with him. He created us as beloved branches securely connected to His Son – the True Vine. He offers us eternal life, true health, and spiritual fruitfulness only when we remain connected to Him. This takes faithful perseverance. We can strengthen our connection to the True Vine through Scripture, the Sacraments, and our relationships with our brothers and sisters – the other branches on His vine.
“Remain in me as I remain in you,” He invites us. What deep intimacy He offers us – an intimacy that leads to the abundant growth he desires for us. He knows just what we need. He knows what needs “pruning” in our lives. He offers us this loving gift of pruning, which is sometimes painful in the moment, so that we can grow and bear “much fruit” that endures.
As we continue celebrating this Easter Season, consider how the Lord is inviting you to remain in Him. How is He inviting you to bear great fruit as His disciple? How can you strengthen your connection to the True Vine today? What areas of your life need pruning? What areas of your life need to be cut away and thrown into the fire? Invite Our Lord into those areas. Surrender them to Him. He desires abundant spiritual fruitfulness for each of us. It is by that fruit that His Father will be glorified.
Dos niños estaban sentados conmigo en el suelo del atrio de la Catequesis del Buen Pastor mientras leía las mismas palabras que escuchamos en el Evangelio de hoy: “Yo soy la vid, ustedes los sarmientos; el que permanece en mí y yo en él, ése da fruto abundante, porque sin mí nada pueden hacer” (Juan 15,5).
“¿Qué escucharon?”, les pregunté. Sus ojos bien abiertos me miraban, pensativos. Esa reflexión silenciosa, aunque a menudo incómoda para mi sensibilidad adulta, era a veces donde el Espíritu Santo daba abundante fruto en la vida de fe de estos pequeños. Lo mismo ocurre con nosotros.
La lectura del Evangelio de hoy no solo me recuerda los dulces años de servicio en el atrio, sino que me lleva aún más atrás, a mis dolorosos años de infertilidad. Durante esa etapa de esterilidad física, subrayé “dar fruto”, “podar” y “rama estéril” en las finas páginas de mi Biblia, en el pasaje de Juan 15,1-8. Cada vez que leía estos versículos, le rogaba a Dios que me concediera la fecundidad en mi cuerpo.
Durante gran parte de esa etapa de esterilidad, Él parecía permanecer en silencio. Me llevaría años de horas santas y tiempo dedicado a leer su Palabra antes de comprender el fruto que Él estaba cultivando en mí. Dios estaba cultivando una relación más fuerte e íntima conmigo a través de la poda silenciosa y suave que realizaba en mi alma. Poco a poco comencé a darme cuenta de que lo que más deseaba para mí era un alma fecunda, más que un cuerpo fecundo.
Nuestro Padre Celestial, el “viñador”, nos invita a cada uno de nosotros a una relación íntima con Él. Nos creó como ramas amadas, firmemente unidas a su Hijo, la Vid Verdadera. Nos ofrece la vida eterna, la verdadera salud y la fecundidad espiritual solo cuando permanecemos unidos a Él. Esto requiere perseverancia fiel. Podemos fortalecer nuestra conexión con la Vid Verdadera a través de las Escrituras, los Sacramentos y nuestras relaciones con nuestros hermanos y hermanas, las otras ramas de su vid.
“Permanezcan en mí y yo en ustedes”, nos invita. ¡Qué profunda intimidad nos ofrece! Una intimidad que conduce al crecimiento abundante que Él desea para nosotros. Él sabe exactamente lo que necesitamos. Sabe lo que necesita ser “podado” en nuestras vidas. Él nos ofrece este don amoroso de la poda, que a veces resulta doloroso en el momento, para que podamos crecer y dar “mucho fruto” que perdure.
Mientras seguimos celebrando la Pascua, reflexionemos sobre cómo el Señor nos invita a permanecer en Él. ¿Cómo nos invita a dar mucho fruto como sus discípulos? ¿Cómo podemos fortalecer nuestra conexión con la Vid verdadera hoy? ¿Cuáles áreas de nuestra vida necesitan ser podadas? ¿Cuáles áreas de nuestra vida necesitan ser eliminadas y arrojadas al fuego? Invitemos a nuestro Señor a esas áreas. Entrégalos a Él. Él desea una abundante fecundidad espiritual para cada uno de nosotros. Es por medio de ese fruto que su Padre será glorificado.
Shauna Occhipinti writes to bear witness to God’s grace. She lives with her husband and twin sons in Martinez, GA. She is a contributing author to The Cloud of Witnesses, a PraiseWriters’ collaborative book. Shauna is passionate about holistic health and helping others find healing and wholeness with the Divine Physician. As a SoulCore leader, she welcomes others under Mary’s mantle through the contemplative prayers of the Rosary and functional movement. You can find out more about her at shaunaocchipinti.com.
Feature Image Credit: Boudewijn Boer, https://unsplash.com/photos/green-grass-field-during-golden-hour-qT515JdZNy8
The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.
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