The Fruitfulness of Faith and Grace

Pax et Bonum

Dear Good People,

As repeated in sermons these last week, we are to be formed to Fruitfulness, not in Faith alone but by Grace too.  For the Saviour tells us that the two talents, entrusted by the Master to his servants, brought forth fruit where the one did no such thing. Nor did the Apostles receive from one fish but from the two fish to nurture the 5000 who sat down to eat from the five loaves and two fishes.  It was in the two fishes and two talents that fruitfulness came.  The one gift of Faith, or in the natural order natural knowledge does little without the second gift of the Master who has gone off to the distant land of heaven.  To know without the doing-sharing is of no benefit to  anyone.

Faith goes only so far as a gift and useless without the complement of the second gift: grace. (In the natural order the doing of the thing which we know to be good brings forth fruitfulness.)  Grace, effective grace would be given only with the coming of the Holy Ghost.  The Apostles in this season, dear Sisters and good Catholics, cower for fear of the Jews.  They have a knowledge of Christ but until the Holy Ghost comes all things are not known and they are not enlightened by that Fire of Love, they are afraid-uncertain.  They have no effective grace to act. They have but the one talent, the one fish.  Their hearts are not set afire though their minds are enlightened by the knowledge of the Christ.  Their love is not perfected so that they do as they ought.

Dear good People as we await that time of the Holy Ghost, Christ strengthens us with a knowledge of Himself.  Christ wishes that we understand HE IS RISEN and we have no fear in our minds that our faith might be made perfected in this knowledge.  Death has no sting for us: Christ is risen.  It is alone our hearts that need the Fire of Love: the Holy Ghost to complete the 2 great works that bring life to the soul.  It will be the 5 talents and 5 loaves that will sustain us and bring us to the perfection of the life of the Trinity by perfecting the image of Christ in our souls.  These will work in us more effectively with the coming of the Holy Ghost.

It is then for us to pray for the effective graces for all needs in our life,  let us learn to pray and do so with Confidence that we may have this fruitfulness.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Francis OFM