In the Gospel reading, we listen to the words of Jesus as He spoke to the disciples. He reminded them that He chose them for a purpose - to bear fruit.

"I chose you and commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last."

In choosing us to be his disciples, he desires much of us, and that is, we bear fruit. In this process, we learn the way of Jesus and know how God hears our prayers.

Chapters 14 and 15 of John's Gospel present a beautiful theology of mutual Divine indwelling. There is that Oneness which speaks of unity, and that unity is what we describe as God is One. It is out of this Oneness, the very nature of God being God, he can say: "I call you friends...." which reflects the intimacy in this relationship.

Repeating the same theme as in Chapter 13: "This is my commandment - love one another as I Have loved you. There is no greater love than this - to lay down one's life for one's friends" (Jn.15:12-13). How profound and true is this love in Jesus' life. He gave us an example of this love.

The first reading from Acts 15 illustrates the practise of communal discernment and the sharing of the fruits of such a process. We are to live this process of Christian decision making in our lives today.