May 13, 2020
Wednesday for the Fifth Week of Easter
Readings for Today
Our Lady of Fatima—Memorial wey Person Fit Choose to Celebrate
Listen for English
“Na Me be the true grape plant, and na my Father dey care for the plant. Any branch for My body wey no dey bear fruit, He dey remove am, and every branch wey dey bear fruit, He dey trim am so that e go bear more fruit.” John 15:1–2
You ready to allow God trim you? For plant to produce plenty good fruit or fine flowers, dem need to trim am. For example, if dem leave grape plant make e grow without trimming am, e go produce plenty small grapes wey no get any use. But if dem take care trim the plant, e go produce as many good grapes as e fit produce.
Jesus use this example of trimming plant to teach us similar lesson about how to bear good fruit for His Kingdom. He want make our lives bear fruit, and He want use us as powerful instruments of His grace for this world. But unless we ready to pass through the cleansing wey spiritual trimming dey bring from time to time, we no go be the instruments wey God fit use.
Spiritual trimming mean say we allow God remove the bad habits for our lives so that the good habits fit get the nourishment wey dem need. One main way this dey happen na when we allow Him teach us humility and remove our pride. This fit pain us, but the pain wey come when God dey humble us na important key to spiritual growth. As we dey grow for humility, we dey depend more and more on the source wey dey nourish us, instead of to depend on ourselves, our own ideas and our own plans. God wisdom pass our own without limit, and if we fit continue to turn to Him as our source, we go strong far more and ready better to allow Him do great things through us. But again, this mean say we must allow Him trim us.
For God to trim us spiritually mean say we willingly let go of our own will and our own ideas. E mean say we surrender control of our lives and allow the master wey dey care for the plant take over. E mean say we trust Him far more than we trust ourselves. This need make we truly die to self and get true humility, wey go make us acknowledge say we depend completely on God, just as branch depend on the grape plant. Without the plant, we go dry up and die. Na only when we join firmly to the plant we fit get life.
Pray today make you allow the Lord trim away everything for your life wey no come from Him. Trust Him and His divine plan, and know say na only this road go lead you to bear the good fruit wey God want bear through you.
Lord, I pray make You trim away all my pride and selfishness. Cleanse me from my many sins so that I fit turn to You for everything. And as I dey learn to depend on You, make You begin to bear plenty good fruit for my life. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Saint for Today – Our Lady of Fatima
Image: Christ, the True Grape Plant
Di Journey of Mystery to Dey United with God:
Wisdom for Spiritual Life from Saint John of the Cross
