REMAIN IN ME THAT YOU MAY BEAR FRUIT

The term remain presupposes an already existing relationship or affinity. It further suggests that such a relationship or affinity should not be severed. All baptized Christians are configured to Christ by baptism. This Sacrament of re-birth makes us sons and daughters of God. Our dignity as priests, kings, and prophets derives from this sacramental tie to Christ. Brothers and sisters, we are privileged, in our time, to realize that we are also the addressee of the words of our Lord—"Remain in me”. This privileged status of ours is beautifully expressed by the apostle Peter, thus “You are a chosen race, a community of royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a people God has made his own to proclaim his wonders” (1Pet. 2:9).  Precisely our vocation is to proclaim the wonders of God. The Spirit of Christ is present in those who remain in him, helping them to bear the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, understanding, kindness and fidelity, gentleness, self-control, and righteousness in all its forms (Gal. 5:22). Our relevance, therefore, is contingent upon our being consolidated in the life of Christ as the source of our own life, reaching a stage when we can declare with Paul, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ living in me” (Gal. 2:20). In John 15, Jesus describes how each of us has to remain in him our true vine.  

Dear friends, we remain in him through our untiring faith, ceaseless prayers, and putting his words into practice in our daily lives. If we neglect these core areas, we will not bear fruits and may cut ourselves off from him. However, if we remain united with him through those means, we will be ‘pruned’ (Jn. 15:2), that is, we will be purged of our weaknesses and imperfections (sometimes through suffering and trials) to grow in a life of perfect union with Christ and produce lasting fruits to the glory God. Faith always leads us to trust him as one who can neither deceive nor be deceived. Through our faith, we must trust him and the salvation he guarantees. This trust should inspire a love for him, as the psalmist says, ‘‘Lord your love is better than life, my lips will speak your praise’’ (Ps. 63:3). Even in the face of persecution, suffering, and death, we believe that our true vine is the resurrection and the life.

Let us remember that prayer is essentially about communication with our true Vine. We ought to see him as our intimate friend in whom we can always confide and who has something good and important to tell, teach, or show us. Praying ought to be our second nature that we feel uncomfortable whenever we forget to pray even more than we would feel when we have not spoken to the best of human friends. We are to entrust all our worries, concerns, hopes, fears, difficulties, joys, and needs to him, believing that he has the right answers to every situation and he always thinks of our good. We cannot afford to abandon our life of prayer if we truly desire to bear lasting fruits. Perhaps, at this point, we need to properly examine our consciences regarding our fidelity to prayers.

Keeping his words/Commandments is also very important if we must bear fruits. His words as expressed in the beatitudes (Matthew 5) should be our breastplate. The Lord desires and commands us to be holy, pure in heart, merciful, gentle, hunger and thirst for justice and righteousness, peaceful, sometimes enduring persecution and insults on account of his name, and above all clothe ourselves with love for one another. This will certainly make us bear more fruit and lasting ones.

Again, he prunes us even as we bear fruits. He removes what is bad or imperfect in us and strengthens what is weak in us by the power of his Spirit. Since, we are in union with the Trinity by abiding or remaining in him through faith, prayer, and keeping his word, God desires we grow in the productivity of fruits of the Spirit. For the fruitful branches to attain greater fruitfulness, there is a need for pruning or purging. God takes away that which is superfluous and luxuriant, which hinders our growth and fruitfulness, such things as excessive passions, pride, concentration and dependence on our capabilities, and other ills. He may also allow us to undergo suffering and pains to share in the experience of Christ himself. In such moments, God does not abandon us. He refines and brightens us through such experiences, letting us bear lasting fruits and winning souls for Him.

Let us remain in Jesus always that we may inherit his kingdom.

School Board Elections

Saint Andrew School is blessed with a strong School Advisory Board. Each year there are four seats up for retention or election.  If you would like to place your name in nomination for school board please contact Ms. Eley or  Mrs. Casavechia for an application. Applications are due to us by May 10 with voting taking place on May 17th to the 24th. School Board members attend one formal meeting a month and are assigned committees that help to enhance Saint Andrew School. 

Come Join Us!

Applications are now open for 24-25! Do you have a friend or neighbor that is considering applying to the best school in Chicago? Sign up for a tour here: schedule a tour New student applications for the 24-25 can be found here: New Student Application