Saturday of Ember Week in Lent: Daily Meditations

LASTING FRUIT

To live a fruitful life, a life that will be useful not only to oneself but to one’s fellow men as well, is the dream of all whose hearts are not bereft of all nobility. To ease the way a bit for one who travels by my side, to make myself a strong support that he may lean upon, to cheer the hours when the clouds of sadness settle darkly round his soul, a blessed thing, indeed, is this, and all of us should look upon such acts not only as a duty but as a precious privilege.

But there is something grander still held out by Jesus as the high ambition of His chosen followers. “I have chosen you . . . that you should bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain.”

“That your fruit should remain!” If it be a blessed thing to do a passing deed of kindness, to brighten another’s dreary life, to save a soul from just a single sin, to awaken even for a moment a spark of God’s love within a breast that long has lost the art of loving, if this be blessed, what, then, shall we say of him whose worthy deeds last not only for a moment but outlive the life of him who does them? What shall we say of him whose life is such a noble thing, whose every word and work is of such sterling quality that men shall linger over them in memory when their author has departed for a better world, and on that memory grow unto similar greatness?

A noble ambition, indeed, to live a holy life so that future generations shall find in it an inspiration to rise to higher things.

Is it thus that I am living?

Jesus, Gentle Master, have mercy on us.

EPISTLE AND GOSPEL: Taken from the Angelus Press 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

EPISTLE: 1 Thess. 5:14-23

St. Paul exhorts us to prayer, to patience, and to charity.

Brethren: We beseech you, rebuke the unquiet, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient towards all men. See that none render evil for evil to any man: but ever follow that which is good towards each other and towards all men.
Always rejoice.
Pray without ceasing.
In all things give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you all.
Extinguish not the spirit.
Despise not prophecies. But prove all things: hold fast that which is good.
From all appearance of evil refrain yourselves. And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you in all things: that your whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless, for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

GOSPEL: Mt. 17:1-9