Posted: 5/6/2009 6:07:34 AM EDT
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Fifth Sunday of Easter
May 10, 2009 Reading 1 Acts 9:26-31 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles, and he reported to them how he had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem, and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord. He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists, but they tried to kill him. And when the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him on his way to Tarsus. The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit it grew in numbers. Reading II 1 Jn 3:18-24 Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth and reassure our hearts before him in whatever our hearts condemn, for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in God and receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us. Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us. Gospel Jn 15:1-8 Jesus said to his disciples: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples." 
Overview of the Gospel: * The setting for this Sunday’s Gospel is just after the Last Supper discourse in the upper room (John 13:1—14:31). It is speculated that, after leaving the upper room, this part of Jesus’ discourse may have been delivered at the Temple gates (where there was an elaborate engraving of grapes and vines), or in the vineyard near the Kidron Valley, on the way to the Mount of Olives, where the Garden of Gethsemane was located. * In the Old Testament, the nation of Israel is often spoken of as a vine or a vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalm 80:9-17; Jeremiah 2:21, 5:10-11; Ezekiel 15:2-8, 17:5-10; 19:10-14; Hosea 10:1, etc.), as did Jesus (Matthew 21:33-46). * This Gospel reading, however, is much more personal than previous uses of this figure since Jesus speaks of himself as the vine and we, his members, as the branches. St. Paul also uses a similar idea in his description of the true Israel as the body of Christ (Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 3:9, 12:12-26; Ephesians 4:15-16). Thus our spiritual survival is dependent upon our connection to him—and to one another. * Jesus is talking about two kinds of branches with a different kind of pruning for each. Those branches that are not bearing fruit are to be cut off all together, as they are useless and only serve to draw nourishment away from the fruitful branches. The fruitful branches are also pruned, but it is because they are already productive, and pruning makes then even more so. Click here for study resources in the middle of the page and CCC references and links at the bottom. Questions: * If the fruitful vine branches were human lives, what pain would be associated with pruning? What tools? What spiritual fruit? * Jesus repeats remain in me, love and bear fruit. How are these words related? What is the “fruit that will remain” (verse 16)? * How do verses 9 and 12 tie together? How is love the essential dynamic of the Christian life (1 Corinthians 13)? How does your relationship with Jesus change once you start practicing his example of love? * What is the link between obedience and prayer (verses 7, 16. See John 14:13-14)? * As a branch on Christ’s vine, how would you describe the fruit in your life: Grade A-1? Juicy? Green? Wormy? Why? * Specifically, how would you rate yourself on laying down your life for your friends (verse 13)? |
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* As a branch on Christ’s vine, how would you describe the fruit in your life: Grade A-1? Juicy? Green? Wormy? Why?
Sad to say but I feel like all of the above, just depends on when you ask me. The reason would be that I go through my ups and downs spiritually, and I feel that it comes down to how destracted i let myself get with circumstances in my life. I truly desire to stay on fire and zealous 24\7, but sometimes I get lukewarm and discouraged. * Specifically, how would you rate yourself on laying down your life for your friends (verse 13)? This is tough. I would not flench for a second if it came down to my family, but for friends I have not been tested, but I hope that I would follow the example of Christ. |
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Quoted:
* As a branch on Christ’s vine, how would you describe the fruit in your life: Grade A-1? Juicy? Green? Wormy? Why? Sad to say but I feel like all of the above, just depends on when you ask me. The reason would be that I go through my ups and downs spiritually, and I feel that it comes down to how distracted I let myself get with circumstances in my life. I truly desire to stay on fire and zealous 24\7, but sometimes I get lukewarm and discouraged. I think most, if not all, of us can relate to that. I would love to be "on fire" for Christ all the time, but I think it's impossible. Just like the rest of the relationships in our lives go through various phases as they mature, our relationship with Christ changes over time. I think the important thing is to recognize the times when we are on a spiritual low and take measures to correct it. First through prayer - asking God to strengthen our faith and listening to what he says. It may mean attending a conference, making the commitment to more frequent mass and/or adoration, joining a bible study or other group at one's parish, etc. to reignite the spiritual life. If the fruitful vine branches were human lives, what pain would be associated with pruning? What tools? What spiritual fruit?
Some things that come to mind in terms of the pain involved in pruning are "unanswered prayers" and denying oneself. When we pray for something and our prayers seem to go unanswered, it can be painful at the time, it is only later that we realize the greater fruits we receive by following a different path - God's path. Similarly, it can be hard to deny ourselves and serve God by serving others. It is much easier to fall into a pattern of thinking about having our own needs met, and focusing selfishly on ourselves. But when we serve others (which seems difficult at first), we often find that in turn our needs are met. Jesus repeats remain in me, love and bear fruit. How are these words related? What is the “fruit that will remain” (verse 16)?
By loving one another, we preserve our unity with Christ and His Body, the Church, thus we "remain in" Him; these acts of love are the "fruit" that we bear as a part of His Church. Verse 16: It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. CCC 2074 Jesus says: "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." The fruit referred to in this saying is the holiness of a life made fruitful by union with Christ. When we believe in Jesus Christ, partake of his mysteries, and keep his commandments, the Savior himself comes to love, in us, his Father and his brethren, our Father and our brethren. His person becomes, through the Spirit, the living and interior rule of our activity. "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." What is the link between obedience and prayer (verses 7, 16. See John 14:13-14)?
Those who are obedient and live by the commandments will receive whatever they ask from God in the name of Jesus Christ. Maybe I'm wrong here, but I don;t think this means live by the commandments and God will become the infinite vending machine, but rather that by bending your will to God's in your life that you will learn to ask for the things that He wants to give you. So, rather than Him giving you everything you want, you will learn to ask for the things He knows you need. |
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* If the fruitful vine branches were human lives, what pain would be associated with pruning? What tools? What spiritual fruit?
Human suffering. It gets us very close to God if we let it. * Specifically, how would you rate yourself on laying down your life for your friends (verse 13)? Laying down your life requires that you do things that the other person may not like all the time. Someone who truly cares about me will tell me when I'm doing wrong and help me get on the right track, regardless of whether I like it or not. He'll do it simply because he is looking out for my well-being. I need to do that for others and I need to accept correction better. |
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