The Five Verbs of Faith: How Christ Shapes the Christian Life

Fr. Bernard Maganga, SMM

The Five Verbs of Faith: How Christ Shapes the Christian Life

The Gospel message today centers on Jesus’ powerful promise:

“If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you.” But this promise comes with a condition . . . that we remain in Him and allow His words to dwell in us.

To remain in Jesus is not a momentary feeling or a Sunday obligation; it means to make a home in Him, to live in constant communion with Him. Jesus uses the image of the vine and the branches to describe our relationship with Him. This image outlines the Christian journey using five key actions: Remain, Bear, Prune, Wither, and Burn.

Remain: This means to dwell, to abide, to be rooted in Christ daily.
Bear fruit: The visible fruits are not achievements, but spiritual qualities — love, peace, patience, kindness, and self-control — that flow from remaining in Christ.
Prune: Even fruitful branches are pruned — trials and challenges refine us, making us more fruitful. It is a necessary and loving part of spiritual growth.
Wither: When we disconnect from Christ, our spiritual life slowly fades. We lose joy, peace, and the desire for prayer.
Burn: A branch that continues apart from the vine is eventually lost — this represents the spiritual death that comes from separation from God.

The message reminds us that unanswered prayers may not mean God has failed us. Instead, they call us to examine whether we are truly abiding in Christ. When we remain in Him, our desires align with His . . . and what we ask is shaped by His will. This is not a blank check, but a divine alignment. True discipleship means letting Christ live in us so deeply that what we seek is what He already wills to give.

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