Dear Parish Family,

This past Lent, I gave a Parish Mission focused on the acronym RIM (Relationship, Identity, Mission). The logic is that a foundational relationship with Christ secures us in a godly identity which frees us for fruitfully fulfilling our mission that God has entrusted to us. The logic of RIM couldn't be more apparent than it is in today's readings. 

In my RIM talks, I like to begin by asking participants to draw a tree. The roots of the tree are like our relationship with Christ which gives us the stability we need for upward growth (the deeper our roots, the stronger the tree). The trunk and branches of the tree are like our identity in Christ which provides the mature structure we need to bear the full weight of our mission, vocation, and ministry. The fruit of the tree is like our mission given to us by God when our roots, trunk and branches are strong.

More than anything, we need to remember that without God's blessing, our RIM trees will not be fruitful. God first offers us a relationship with Jesus. It is the Lord who gives us our identity in Christ. Our mission rests on the gifts of the Holy Spirit given to us. Isaiah speaks of God's blessing is like the rain and snow which do not return until they have made the earth bear fruit. God is consistent and persistent in offering His blessings to us that our lives may bear fruit.

Moreover, Jesus reminds us that the seed that God gives must be planted in good soil. We all need to be mindful of the places in our heart that our either good soil or rocky ground. God is abundantly generous in scattering the seeds of His Word everywhere in our heart to show us precisely the locations of the good soil and rocky ground. We recognize the good soil by the fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control - Galatians 5:22-23). We recognize the rocky ground precisely where we do not find these fruits. 

Most of all, we see the fruits of God's Spirit in our hearts by the outpouring of these gifts. That is to say, God is loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, generous, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled when he shows us places in our hearts that either bear fruit or do not. God guides us to identify these places of the heart so that we can pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit right in that place we need it most. This week, I invite you to explore how the Lord treats you with these gifts of the Spirit, and to ask Him to give you the gifts of the Spirit where you find rocky or unfruitful ground in your life. I admit, it's a challenge to see the rocky ground in ourselves and to ask for the Lord's help, but it means everything to know that He only desires to make these places of our heart bear holy fruit!

I am yours in Christ,
Fr. Scott Goodfellow