Fruits of Love

Building life on a foundation of love requires humility, self-sacrifice, and bearing-with.  But the fruit of such efforts brings a delicious taste to life.

Today's readings offer several images of a life built on love.  1 Cor. 3:9c-11, 16-17: "You are God's building."  "Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?"  Fed by the stream flowing from the Temple, "along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow.  Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine." Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12.

A temple, a river of grace, perennial fruit trees.  That's a program I want to sign on to!

Paul insists that "each one must be careful how he builds upon [the foundation], for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely, Jesus Christ."

How is the foundation laid? Here are some biblical quotes:

"Love does no wrong to a neighbor, therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." Rom 13.10.

"If your brother is being injured by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love.  Do not let what you eat cause the ruin of one for whom Christ died." Rom. 14.15.

"Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude.  Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things;" Cor.13.4-7.

"For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another.  For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'  But if you bite and devour one another take heed that you are not consumed by one another.  But I say, walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh.  For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you would.  But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law.  Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like.  I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;  against such there is no law.  And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit." Gal. 5.13-25.

Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  Eight fruits of a life built on the foundation of love in Jesus Christ through humility, self-sacrifice, bearing-with.  Our own kenosis allows Jesus' love to stream to our roots, nourishing us as fruitful trees, whose fruit ministers to and heals us and the souls around us.