Fifth Wednesday of Easter

Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.

We cannot bear any good fruits without grounding them in the Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. If we do not unite our every thought, word, and work to God, we will be left empty handed when we are called to give an account of ourselves before the Seat of Judgment. So let us take the time to offer up all of our being to God as a living sacrifice and not forget from whom all good things come. When we do the right thing, let us remember that in order for it to be a good thing, we need to make it a glorious gift to God. Only then will we truly be doing God’s work and not our own.

What do we do to remind ourselves to offer up our thoughts, words, and works to God? How do we keep in mind the need not only to do what is right, but also unite those right actions to God so that they become good, too? How do we remind ourselves to remain in the presence of God at all times and in all places?

O Lord, you are the vine from which comes all good things. Help us to bear good fruit.

Amen.