Daily Gospel I: Matthew 7: 15-20

*I used to look at the readings for the day more often and sadly fell out of habit, so I'm hoping to get back in the swing by making this another one of my regular posts, just like the Song of the Day, Quote of the Day, etc...*

I find this Gospel reading well timed for my life, especially after a quote I read yesterday from St. Gianna Beretta Molla:

"Lord, keep Your grace in my heart. Live in me so that Your grace be mine. Make it that I may bear every day some flowers and new fruit."

The story's message is pretty to the point: the good trees bear good fruit and the bad trees bear bad fruit. Why does that need to be explained though? Maybe we need to look more into the formation of the trees, their history, their soil content. Why is it you can walk through an orchard and find many good trees with good fruit and only a few bad trees with rotten fruit scattered about here and there? Didn't they all experience the same climate? and nutrients? Nothing too great varies from one to another in one place. I won't pretend to be any expert on trees, but I would guess that it has something either to do with the root system of the tree, or it's response to weather/climate...and I think either of those are pertinent analogies to bring into this discussion.

Roots interact with the soil, bacteria, and fungus in the ground in order to cycle nutrients into the plant system. It provides much needed support as well. The deeper and wider the root system, the more water it can soak up. But if something is wrong with the roots of the tree, than ultimately it will probably lead to the tree's demise. Just so, our "roots" can affect how we bear spiritual fruit. That is, if we have a solid foundation of faith, understanding, accepting God's grace, and so on, then the outcome of our labors will mirror that foundation. One of my instructor's favorite things to say to me is, "Bloom where you're planted, Chelsea." It's really started to impact how I think about my present and future. When thinking about becoming a better Catholic and working out my discernment, it's so easy to begin to think in "if only-s"..."If only I was talking with this person, I would have better insight" "If only I had this job, I could figure out if that path was meant for me". If I were to recognize more the gifts I am given right where God has me right now, though, I could use those to mine and others' benefits.

Late winter and early spring storms can be particularly make-or-break for fruit trees. I remember several years when we couldn't go picking peaches down by Conway because the trees were just too hard hit. Even in good times when the peach harvest is decent, there's the few trees that just didn't make it through the winter. Why didn't that tree respond well to the storms of winter? Why is it that people don't respond to the storms of life the same way? Even when two people are of similar personalities, or are from the same background, coping always takes on different forms. You have the ones that shut down (isolate themselves, get angry, allow themselves to stay confused and refuse to ask questions) and you have the ones that open up (put time into a hobby, talk with family and friends, strengthen their prayer life). There can even be a combination of any of the above and more. But the response will ultimately determine how one makes it through and the type of spiritual fruit which will come forth.

So, why are there good trees and bad trees? What makes each tree so different, even if they're in the same place, with the same factors? Why are humans so different if we are made in the image of the one God? God is Love, and we recognize that love is not homogeneous. There are all types of love stemming from agape, and there are different responses to love. God gave us the will to respond to that love. So let's work to bloom where we are planted, and respond to His Life and Love in us!