Be fruitful, be productive

EVERYDAY, we should be keenly aware that we need to be

fruitful and productive. That’s simply because even from the beginning

of our creation in Adam and Even, this has always been God’s will for

us.

            “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and

subdue it,” (Gen 1,28) God told our first parents, clearly outlining

his mandate to them. It’s a mandate that continues to be repeated up

to now. Christ himself said as much.

            In his parable of the three servants (cfr Mr 25,14-30), a

master clearly told each one to trade with the amount given to them.

He was happy with the first two who gained as much as was given. But

he was mad at the third one who did nothing with the amount given.

            We have to realize that God has already given us

everything that we need not only to survive but also to improve our

lot that ultimately translates into realizing the fullness of our

dignity as image and likeness of God, as children of his.

            In this regard, we truly should be most enterprising,

coming up with daily plans and strategies such that at the end of the

day, when we make our examination of conscience, we can show God that

we have gained something, and that the daily balance sheet of our

spiritual life is in the black, not in the red.

            We have to realize that the capitalization of this

enterprise cannot be any better. God has given us everything—life,

talents, intelligence, freedom, all kinds of capacities, his graces,

etc.

            And even if we commit mistakes or we fall into sin, no

matter how grave, his mercy is always available. It’s really just for

us to make use of what is all there for the taking.

            We have to assume the attitude of a shrewd businessman who

is keen in discovering new possibilities of making money and expanding

his business. Thus, in our spiritual life, in our relationship with

God and with others, we should never say enough in loving them.

            We have to increasingly go deeper, higher and beyond what

is already attained. We should avoid complacency and

self-satisfaction. Our attitude should reflect the lyrics of a Spiral

Staircase song: “I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much

as tomorrow.”

            Of course, we should do all this with rectitude of

intention, otherwise whatever good we can derive in being enterprising

in our spiritual and moral life can spoil us. In this, sad to say, we

have many examples. We have to realize that the more we gain, the more

we have to give. “Freely you have received, freely give,” Christ said.

(Mt 10,8)

            Our fruitfulness and productivity should be on our love

for God and others. We need to have concrete benchmarks to tell us

whether we are growing in this most important purpose of our life.

            Are we growing in our faith, in our prayer, in our

eagerness to make sacrifices, in our concern for others through active

apostolate? These are some benchmarks we can use. There are a lot

more, in fact, endlessly more.