God Prunes Us So We May Bear More Fruit

In this powerful homily on John 15, Fr. Miguel reflects on Jesus’ teaching: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.” Every branch that bears fruit is pruned so it can bear even more fruit.Fr. Miguel explains that pruning — though painful — is an act of God’s love. It involves cutting away selfishness, attachments, bad habits, and our own will so we can grow in virtue and become more like Christ. He shares Mother Angelica’s wisdom: if we don’t prune ourselves through self-knowledge and self-denial, God will permit events in our lives (sometimes crushing ones) to reveal our faults and help us grow.With vulnerable honesty, Fr. Miguel talks about his own ongoing struggle with patience — especially in traffic — and how God uses such moments to prune us and teach surrender.A beautiful and practical message for anyone going through trials: God prunes us not to harm us, but to make us more fruitful for His Kingdom.