Wednesday
of the Fifth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 287
Lectionary: 287
Some
who had come down from Judea were instructing the brothers,
“Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice,
you cannot be saved.”
Because there arose no little dissension and debate
by Paul and Barnabas with them,
it was decided that Paul, Barnabas, and some of the others
should go up to Jerusalem to the Apostles and presbyters
about this question.
They were sent on their journey by the Church,
and passed through Phoenicia and Samaria
telling of the conversion of the Gentiles,
and brought great joy to all the brethren.
When they arrived in Jerusalem,
they were welcomed by the Church,
as well as by the Apostles and the presbyters,
and they reported what God had done with them.
But some from the party of the Pharisees who had become believers
stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them
and direct them to observe the Mosaic law.”
The Apostles and the presbyters met together to see about this matter.
“Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice,
you cannot be saved.”
Because there arose no little dissension and debate
by Paul and Barnabas with them,
it was decided that Paul, Barnabas, and some of the others
should go up to Jerusalem to the Apostles and presbyters
about this question.
They were sent on their journey by the Church,
and passed through Phoenicia and Samaria
telling of the conversion of the Gentiles,
and brought great joy to all the brethren.
When they arrived in Jerusalem,
they were welcomed by the Church,
as well as by the Apostles and the presbyters,
and they reported what God had done with them.
But some from the party of the Pharisees who had become believers
stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them
and direct them to observe the Mosaic law.”
The Apostles and the presbyters met together to see about this matter.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 122:1-2, 3-4AB, 4CD-5
R.
(see 1) Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
AlleluiaJN 15:4A, 5B
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Remain in me, as I remain in you, says the Lord;
whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain in me, as I remain in you, says the Lord;
whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 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 everyone 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.”
“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 everyone 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.”
Meditation: "Abide in me, and I in you"
Why does Jesus speak of
himself as the true vine? The image of the vine was a rich one for
the Jews since the land of Israel was covered with numerous vineyards. It had
religious connotations to it as well. Isaiah spoke of the house of Israel as "the
vineyard of the Lord"(Isaiah 5:7). Jeremiah said that God had planted
Israel "as his choice vine" (Jeremiah 2:21). While
the vine became a symbol of Israel as a nation, it also was used in the
scriptures as a sign of degeneration. Isaiah's prophecy spoke of Israel as a
vineyard which "yielded wild grapes" (see Isaiah
5:1-7). Jeremiah said that Israel had become a"degenerate and wild
vine" (Jeremiah 2:21). When Jesus calls himself the true
vine he makes clear that no one can claim their spiritual inheritance
through association with a particular people or bloodline. Rather, it is only
through Jesus Christ that one can become grafted into the true "vineyard
of the Lord".
Jesus offers true life -
the abundant life which comes from God and which results in great fruitfulness.
How does the vine become fruitful? The vine dresser must carefully prune the
vine before it can bear good fruit. Vines characteristically have two kinds of
branches - those which bear fruit and those which don't. The non-bearing
branches must be carefully pruned back in order for the vine to conserve its
strength for bearing good fruit. Jesus used this image to describe the kind of
life he produces in those who are united with him - the fruit of "righteousness,
peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17). Jesus says
there can be no fruit in our lives apart from him. The fruit he speaks of here
is the fruit of the Holy Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23).
There is a simple truth
here: We are either fruit-bearing or non-fruit-bearing. There is no in-between.
But the bearing of healthy fruit requires drastic pruning. The Lord promises
that we will bear much fruit if we abide in him and allow him to purify us. Do
you trust in the Lord's abiding presence with you?
"Lord Jesus, may I
be one with you in all that I say and do. Draw me close that I may glorify you
and bear fruit for your kingdom. Inflame my heart with your love and remove
from it anything that would make me ineffective or unfruitful in loving and
serving you as my All."
Daily Quote from the
early church fathers: Cleansed by Jesus' word, by Basil the
Great, 329-379
A.D.
"The world, that
is, life enslaved by the affections of the flesh, can no more receive the grace
of the Spirit than a weak eye the light of a sunbeam. But the Lord, who by his
teaching bore witness to purity of life, gives to his disciples the power of
now both beholding and contemplating the Spirit. For 'now,' he says, 'you are
clean through the word that I have spoken to you,' wherefore 'the world cannot
receive him, because it does not see him... but you know him. For he dwells
with you.' And this is what Isaiah says, 'He who spread forth the earth and
that which comes out of it; he who gives breath to the people on it, and Spirit
to them that trample on it' (Isaiah 42:5). For those who trample down earthly
things and rise above them are shown to be as worthy of the gift of the Holy
Spirit." (excerpt from ON THE HOLY SPIRIT 22.53)
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, JOHN
15:1-8
Easter Weekday
(Acts 15:1-6; Psalm 122)
Easter Weekday
(Acts 15:1-6; Psalm 122)
KEY VERSE: "I am the vine, you are the branches" (v.5).
TO KNOW: Isaiah used the metaphor of a vineyard to describe Israel's relationship with God, who was imaged as the vine grower (Is 5:1-7). Although Israel was tenderly nurtured by God, it failed to produce fruit. Jesus declared that he was the "true vine" that had been planted in his Father's vineyard. The life of the Father flowed through Jesus who in turn gave life to those who were united to him. Those who chose to separate themselves from him became like withered branches, which were only good for fuel for the fire. The good branches would be pruned so as to increase their yield. In union with Jesus, the Church would be the "new Israel" that glorified God when its members led fruitful lives.
TO LOVE: Do I produce good fruit in my life as a testimony to my union with Christ?
TO SERVE: Risen Lord, continue to nourish your Church to produce good fruit.
Wednesday April 27 2016
Wed 27th. (St Louis Grignion de Montfort).
Acts 15:1-6. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the
Lord—Ps 121(122):1-5. John 15:1-8.
Hold on to Jesus.
When faith stumbles and fades, when worries and doubt
overwhelm the faintest thought of God in daily life, when God seems silent and
hidden, a far-fetched idea, so seemingly irrelevant to this time and place, so
easily forsaken; Jesus invites us to keep a foot in the door, to cling to him,
the vine, however small and hidden he may seem. We have but to hold on and
remain, and he will do the rest. No matter how little faith we have or how far
our footsteps have carried us from the vine, if we keep the door open, he shall
make us fruitful. He will take the weakened branch and make it sprout, the
dying flame and make it burn, the drying spring and make it gush forth; for he
can make the barren as fruitful as the fertile, and the withered branch as
strong as the healthy one.
MINUTE
MEDITATIONS
|
Love is an Action
|
The essential, overarching principle of recovery is rigorous
honesty. And that means going to the people we’ve harmed, if any, and offering
to make them whole. Love is an action, not an emotion.
April
27
St. Zita of Lucca
(1218-1278)
St. Zita of Lucca
(1218-1278)
Zita is a good saint
for those of us who sometimes lose a chance to do some good by waiting to do
something better.
St. Francis of Assisi
was still living when Zita was born to poor, devout Italian parents. From the
age of 12 until her death, she worked as a servant for the Fatinelli family in
Lucca. She was a hard worker, pious and generous. Although that dedication
provoked jealousy on the part of some other servants, Zita won them over by her
patience.
As the years passed,
she became famous for helping the sick, the poor and the imprisoned. She was
regarded locally as a saint soon after her death; that title was officially
given to her in 1696. Zita is the patroness of domestic workers.
Comment:
"You can’t take it with you," we say. Yet often people are afraid to perform the corporal works of mercy because they fear depleting their resources—time, money or energy. Zita is honored as a saint largely because of her charity. She might have compared herself with others having greater resources and excused herself from aiding Christ’s poor. She lived out Jesus’ story about the widow’s mite (see Luke 21:1-4).
"You can’t take it with you," we say. Yet often people are afraid to perform the corporal works of mercy because they fear depleting their resources—time, money or energy. Zita is honored as a saint largely because of her charity. She might have compared herself with others having greater resources and excused herself from aiding Christ’s poor. She lived out Jesus’ story about the widow’s mite (see Luke 21:1-4).
Quote:
"Let us then have charity and humility; let us give alms since this washes our souls from the stains of [our] sins (see Tobit 4:11; 12:9). For people lose everything they leave behind in this world; but they carry with them the rewards of charity and the alms which they gave, for which they will have a reward and a suitable remuneration from the Lord" (St. Francis, Second Version of the Letter to the Faithful).
"Let us then have charity and humility; let us give alms since this washes our souls from the stains of [our] sins (see Tobit 4:11; 12:9). For people lose everything they leave behind in this world; but they carry with them the rewards of charity and the alms which they gave, for which they will have a reward and a suitable remuneration from the Lord" (St. Francis, Second Version of the Letter to the Faithful).
Patron Saint of:
Maids, domestic workers
Servants
Maids, domestic workers
Servants
LECTIO DIVINA: JOHN 15,1-8
Lectio Divina:
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Easter Time
1) OPENING PRAYER
Lord our God, loving Father,
you have given us your Son Jesus Christ
as the true vine of life
and our source of strength.
Help us to live his life
as living branches attached to the vine,
and to bear plenty of fruit
of justice, goodness and love.
Let our union with him become visible
in our openness to one another
and in our unity as brothers and sisters,
that he may be visibly present among us
now and for ever.
you have given us your Son Jesus Christ
as the true vine of life
and our source of strength.
Help us to live his life
as living branches attached to the vine,
and to bear plenty of fruit
of justice, goodness and love.
Let our union with him become visible
in our openness to one another
and in our unity as brothers and sisters,
that he may be visibly present among us
now and for ever.
2) GOSPEL READING - JOHN 15,1-8
Jesus said to his disciples: "I am
the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that bears
no fruit he cuts away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes to make
it bear even more. You are clean already, by means of the word that I have
spoken to you.
Remain in me, as I in you. As a branch
cannot bear fruit all by itself, unless it remains part of the vine, neither
can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever
remains in me, with me in him, bears fruit in plenty; for cut off from me you
can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a branch
-- and withers; these branches are collected and thrown on the fire and are
burnt. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for whatever
you please and you will get it. It is to the glory of my Father that you should
bear much fruit and be my disciples.
3) REFLECTION
• Chapters 15 to 17 of the Gospel of
John present to us the diverse teachings of Jesus which the Evangelist has put
together and placed in the friendly and fraternal context of the last encounter
of Jesus with his disciples:
Jn 15, 1-17: Reflections around the
parable of the vine.
Jn 15, 18 to 16, 4a: Advice of how to
behave if we are persecuted.
Jn 16, 4b-15: Promise of the coming of
the Holy Spirit.
Jn 16, 16-33: Reflections on the
farewell and the return of Jesus.
Jn 17, 1-26: The Testament of Jesus in
the form of a prayer.
• The Gospels of today and of tomorrow
present part of the reflection of Jesus around the parable of the vine. To
understand well all the significance of this parable, it is important to study
well the words used by Jesus. And it is also important to observe closely a
vine or any other plant to see how it grows and how it becomes united to the
trunk and the branches, and how the fruit springs from the trunk and the
branches.
• John 15, 1-2: Jesus presents the
comparison of the vine. In the Old Testament the image of the vine indicated
the People of Israel (Is 5, 1-2). The people were like a vine that God planted
with great tenderness on the hills of Palestine (Ps 80, 9-12). But the vine
does not correspond to that which God expected. Instead of producing good
grapes it produces sour fruit which is good for nothing (Is 5, 3-4). Jesus is
the new vine, the true vine. In one phrase alone he gives us the comparison. He
says: “I am the true vine and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me
that bears no fruit he cuts away, and every branch that does bear fruit he
prunes to make it bear even more.” Pruning is painful, but it is necessary. It
purifies the vine, and thus it grows and bears more fruit.
• John 15, 3-6: Jesus explains and
applies the parable. The disciples are already purified. They have already been
pruned by the word that they heard from Jesus. Up until today, God does the
pruning in us through his Word which comes to us from the Bible and from many
other means. Jesus extends the parable and says: “I am the vine, you are the
branches!” It is not a question of two different things: on one side the vine
and on the other the branches. No! The vine does not exist without the
branches. We are part of Jesus. Jesus is the whole. In order that a branch can
produce fruit, it has to be united to the vine. It is only in this way that it
can receive the sap. “Without me you can do nothing!” The branch that does not
bear fruit will be cut down. It dries up and it is ready to be burnt. It is
good for nothing, not even for wood!
• John 15, 7-8: Remain in my love. Our
model is that which Jesus himself lives in his relationship with the Father. He
says: “As the Father has loved me, I have loved you. Remain in my love!” He
insists in saying that we must remain in him and that his words should remain
in us. And he even says: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you
may ask for whatever you please and you will get it!” Because what the Father
wants the most is that we become disciples of Jesus and, thus, that we bear
much fruit.
4) PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• Which has been the different pruning
or the difficult moments in my life which have helped me to grow? Which has
been the pruning or the difficult moments that we have had in our community and
which have helped us to grow?
• What keeps the life united and alive,
capable of bearing fruit, is the sap which goes through it. Which is the sap
which goes through our community and which keeps it alive, capable of bearing
fruit?
5) CONCLUDING PRAYER
Sing a new song to Yahweh!
Sing to Yahweh, all the earth!
Sing to Yahweh, bless his name!
Proclaim his salvation day after day. (Ps 96,1-2)
Sing to Yahweh, all the earth!
Sing to Yahweh, bless his name!
Proclaim his salvation day after day. (Ps 96,1-2)
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