Bearing Fruits with St. John

Armodoxy for today: Bearing Fruits with St. John

Yesterday I shared with you an introduction to St. John the Baptist. He is also known as St. John the “Forerunner” or Garabed, the one who prepared the road for Christ’s Revolution. I specifically and intentionally used the word Revolution, because Jesus’ message was so fresh and new that it was like hitting a RESET button on an electronic device. It was a revolution and, it still is.

In the Scriptural passage that introduces St. John to us (Matthew chapter 3), St. John has a confrontation with the religious elite of the time, namely the Pharisees. These were people the one who knew Scripture backwards and forwards. They followed the law, and yet, Jesus, the lowly son of a carpenter, had the audacity to challenge them on the grounds of practicing what they preached.

In his confrontation with the Pharisees, Jesus says, “Bear fruit worthy of repentance.  Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.”  (vs.8-9) It was not enough that they followed the laws and the prophets. It wasn’t even enough that they repented. “Bearing fruits,” that is, backing up words with actions, is a necessary component of Christian living.

The idea that Faith is passed along genetically or through osmosis, is rejected by Jesus. God can create people of Faith from the stones. Faith is understood through the works you do.

Christianity is a faith that calls people to personal responsibility for their actions. “Bear fruit worthy of repentance,” is exactly that: the call to personal responsibility.

You live and you labor. You make mistakes along the way. You are forgiven by God – the RESET button has been pushed; however, the words of Jesus are heard every time he forgives, “Go, and sin no more.” Repenting means to turn from your ways.

Once turned away, we are called to produce the fruit worthy of that repentance. If you have hurt someone, ask for forgiveness, repent, go and sin no more, but now… produce fruits worthy of that repentance. Find ways to help, to love, to care for those in need. The fruits that John the Forerunner speaks about are the introductory remarks to the revolution of love, that Jesus’ ushers in. Throughout the Gospels, over and over again, Jesus calls on us to live a life of love and care, one which builds and strengthens life for all.

Think of today as an opportunity to hit the RESET button, a time of introspection and the outreach. Make it a pattern of and for your life and wellbeing.

We pray, O St. John the Forerunner, may your message reverberate in my life today, so that my repentance, my faith, my belief may all point to the actions of love and care that I share in this world. Amen.