Although it is undeniably the greatest honor to be chosen by Christ to be his friend, we might be a little concerned by his additional assertion that in choosing us he has also appointed us to go and bear fruit that will remain. This is especially so when our lives of discipleship seem devoid of any observable fruit. Like that fig tree cursed because it bore no fruit, we too might risk earning Christ’s disapproval and lose our privileged relationship with him. By way of reassuring ourselves, however, we need to remember that Jesus specifies the kind of fruit—that is fruit that will remain. This “remaining” hints at eternal realities that reach beyond our present time-bound existence. These realities are, in turn, not always observable to the senses. And perhaps it is when we focus on loving Christ (in himself and in one another) and not on producing fruit, that we actually bear the fruit that will remain. Not being aware (at the present time) of the fruit that we may be bearing, shields us from the pride that leaves us barren. Thus, when we pass from this life into eternity, we might well be surprised by the fruit that our lives of humbled fidelity to our daily monastic life have borne, and that perdure to eternal life, giving glory to God.