Jesus gives us a beautiful image today: “I am the vine; you are the branches.” And the life of St. Teresa of Avila teaches us what it really means to remain connected to that Vine.
I would like to leave you with three simple words: Remain. Prune. Bear fruit.
First, remain in Jesus.
Jesus says, “Remain in me, as I remain in you.”
St. Teresa was a woman of deep prayer. But prayer for her was not simply saying many prayers. She described prayer as “an intimate sharing between friends.” For Teresa, prayer meant friendship with Jesus.
And perhaps this is something we need to rediscover today. We can be very busy—even busy doing good things. We can attend meetings, organize activities, serve in the parish, help many people. But Jesus reminds us: “Apart from me you can do nothing.”
Before doing many things for Jesus, we must first learn to stay with Jesus.
Second, allow God to prune you.
Jesus says that the Father prunes every fruitful branch so that it may bear more fruit.
Pruning is never comfortable.
St. Teresa experienced illness, misunderstanding, opposition, and many difficulties in reforming the Carmelite Order. Yet she allowed these experiences to purify her faith.
Sometimes God also prunes us—our pride, attachments, unhealthy habits, resentments, even some of our plans.
When something painful happens, our first question is often, “Lord, why?”
Perhaps sometimes we should also ask: “Lord, what are You trying to change in me?”
Not every difficulty destroys us. Some difficulties, when surrendered to God, deepen us.
And finally, bear fruit.
Jesus says, “By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit.”
The purpose of prayer is not simply to make us prayerful. Prayer should make us more loving. If after many Rosaries, Masses, novenas, retreats, and hours of prayer we remain harsh, unforgiving, proud, or insensitive to others, something is missing.
St. Teresa’s deep prayer led her to action—to reform, service, courage, and love for the Church.
She reminds us beautifully: “Christ has no body now but yours, no hands, no feet on earth but yours.”
My dear brothers and sisters, perhaps this is the invitation of today’s feast: Remain. Prune. Bear fruit.
Remain close to Jesus.
Allow God to remove what prevents you from growing.
And let your prayer bear fruit in kindness, forgiveness, compassion, and service.
Because in the end, the clearest sign that we are connected to Jesus is the fruit that other people experience through our lives.
St. Teresa of Avila, pray for us. Amen.