"Happy are they who have kept the word with a generous heart."

Both the reading from Jeremiah and the Responsorial Psalm look to the natural world and the phenomenon of growth sustained by water to reflect on the nature of a good life, a spiritual life lived according to the word of God. Schooled as he was in the Old Testament, the Hebrew Bible, on quite a number of occasions Jesus made use of similar imagery of growth, good seed producing much fruit.

Even during the Last Supper according to John's Gospel (Jn 15:16), Jesus reminded his disciples of the purpose of their apostleship: "I have chosen you and sent you out to bear fruit, fruit that will last." Blessed by Jesus' prayer, his prayer "for those you have given me" (Jn 17:9), the work of the Apostles has been fruitful through the ages, and continues in the Church's constant service of the Gospel, still blessed by Jesus' prayer since he prayed not only for his Apostles present at the last Supper "but for those also who through their words will believe in me" (Jn 17:20).