A friend quipped to me the other day, "I don't want to end up an angry old man. That is what I am becoming." I thought the same for myself. We all have been given the incredible gift of free will and we can end up bitter if we so choose. In our free will we do not have to end up bitter. We can always choose the grace of God, which turns the tough things around.

To be alive means to be broken and suffer. No one escapes it. I have seen older people who have been to hell and back who are some of the most joyful, peaceful people in the world. I have seen other older people who are full of venom. That is the fruit, good and bad, they bear with their lives. The fruit that they bear is because of the choice they make to deny grace or let it flood in.

A man came into confession one time and told me he had not been for two years but he did not think he had any sin. I jumped out of my seat and had him give me his autograph. I was so amazed - two years and no sin! Just kidding about jumping up and asking for the autograph! The point here is that I need God to bear the good fruit of his life. I know there are many days that my sinful nature starts creeping in even before I make it out of bed in the morning.

It is because of God that we bear any good fruit with our lives. We are not the source - God is. How else can someone who has been to hell and back be one of the most joyful, peaceful people we know?

What kind of fruits does Jesus bear? Think about all he can do! Forgive everyone, instantaneously? Please go on and on with what Jesus can do. Then think of how astonishing this is - he asks you to be sharing in the VERY fruit he is bearing.

Blessed by the BEST,

+Fr. John