A Fruitful Life
John 12:24
“I tell you, mostly solemnly, unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest.” - The Jerusalem Bible
When Jesus was preparing his disciples for his imminent death, he shared with them some of his reflections about life, death and life after death. In his sharing with the disciples he basically said to them: “My death is good for you, because my death will bear fruits beyond my death. When I die I will not leave you alone, but I will send you my Spirit, the Paraclete, the Counselor. And my Spirit will reveal to you who I am and what I am teaching you. My Spirit will lead you into the truth and will allow you to have a relationship with me that was not possible before my death. My Spirit will help you to form community and grow in strength.” In what is known as the farewell discourses from the 14th chapter of John’s gospel, Jesus notes that the benefits of his life or the fruits of his life will grow and mature after his death. In one sense Jesus is saying to his disciples, “It is good for you that I go.”
His teaching gives us pause for reflection as to how we choose to live our lives. The late Henri J. M. Nouwen writes: The real question for me as I consider my own death is not: how much can I still actually accomplish before I die, or will I be a burden to others? No, the real question is: how can I live so that my death will be fruitful for others? In other words, how can my death be a gift for my loved ones so that they can reap the fruits of my life after I have died? This question can be answered only if I am first willing to admit Jesus’ vision of death as a valid possibility for me.
Life is a gift. Live a fruitful life. Give and share your fruitful spirit with others, so that your spirit will live in the hearts and lives of your loved ones today and beyond. |