By my fruits, you shall know me…

Fruitful Gifts

A Poem by Bea Walker

Tree of life, you offer fruit.
          Knowledge, challenge, joy,
          Suffering and death.

Through painful labor is born
          The gift of life.

Through the fruit of Mary,
         God’s greatest gift is revealed.

From branches seemingly dead,
         The promise of Spring,
         Green shoots appear.

Through God’s grace flowers bloom
          And sweet, succulent fruit is born.

The fruit provides nourishment
          And scattered seed lie dormant
          Until life again is renewed.

From the garden, we taste abundant fruit
          And the sorrow of death

Through the fruit of Mary
          We are renewed again
          Transformed and born anew.

To every season there is a purpose,
        And by our fruits,
        We shall be known to God.