Today's Gospel reading (Jn 15: 1-8) is familiar to us. In it Jesus uses the analogy of a vine and branches to emphasize that we need to stay connected to Him in order to "bear fruit." Those who "remain in Me" will bear much fruit, He says. Those who do not will be "thrown out like a branch and wither." At our townhouse a month or so people came around and trimmed trees. They picked up the bigger branches that were cut off, but there are still lots of little ones around, withered. So it is easy to see what Jesus is talking about with this analogy. Cut off from nourishment, from a relationship with Christ, we're like the dead branches at the edges of our yards. But the real test here seems to be about bearing fruit. That's something we can see, even measure. People keep track of crop yields, outputs versus inputs in fields, pounds of grapes per acre. We can measure our output too. But first we have to confront something. When we come to thinking about the amount of fruit we bear as followers of Christ, it is really easy to point fingers elsewhere. Look at the problems in the Church, we say. Folks leaving, the abuse scandals, clericalism-- you name it. How can we be expected to "bear fruit" in such an environment? OK-- that's a cop-out. Jesus says that if we remain in Him, we will bear fruit, regardless of the difficulties of the environment in which we operate. After all, the world is a fallen place and there are always difficulties in spreading the Gospel. Look at what the early Christians faced-- a hostile environment of paganism and persecution. So we need to set aside the excuses and employ a little honesty. This might be a time to do a little audit and assess how much fruit you have borne. Is your parish a better, more Christian, more fulfilling, more joyful place because you are there? Is there a single person who is closer to Christ because of you? Are the conversations in your home filled with more light and peace because you are part of them? Do people decline to spread rumor and gossip and mockery when you are around because they know you oppose those things? Is your family happy, or are folks jealous, envious, self-absorbed? If the audit isn't giving you the results you'd like, it is time to assess your connection to Jesus. How often do you talk to Him or think about Him? What do you read that builds up that connection with Him? Are your friends people who also care about remaining in Him? Don't say you don't have time to worry about such things. That's another cop-out. Saying you don't have time for something is just another way of saying that the "something" doesn't really matter to you. Our relationship with Christ, and the "fruit" of that relationship, are (or should be) central to our life. Jesus gives us a great set of metrics with which to assess the vibrancy of that relationship. Don't let them go to waste, unused. How much fruit do you bear?