Fifth Sunday of Easter
Lectionary: 53
Lectionary: 53
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.
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.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 22:26-27, 28, 30,
31-32
R. (26a) I
will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will fulfill my vows before those who fear the LORD.
The lowly shall eat their fill;
they who seek the LORD shall praise him:
"May your hearts live forever!"
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
All the ends of the earth
shall remember and turn to the LORD;
all the families of the nations
shall bow down before him.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
To him alone shall bow down
all who sleep in the earth;
before him shall bend
all who go down into the dust.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
And to him my soul shall live;
my descendants shall serve him.
Let the coming generation be told of the LORD
that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born
the justice he has shown.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will fulfill my vows before those who fear the LORD.
The lowly shall eat their fill;
they who seek the LORD shall praise him:
"May your hearts live forever!"
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
All the ends of the earth
shall remember and turn to the LORD;
all the families of the nations
shall bow down before him.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
To him alone shall bow down
all who sleep in the earth;
before him shall bend
all who go down into the dust.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
And to him my soul shall live;
my descendants shall serve him.
Let the coming generation be told of the LORD
that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born
the justice he has shown.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Reading 21 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.
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.
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 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."
"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."
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 - a deformed state of spiritual growth and moral decline. 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).
One must be firmly rooted in the "Tree of
Life"
When Jesus calls himself the true vine he makes clear that no one can grow in spiritual fruitfulness and moral goodness unless they are rooted in God and in his life-giving word. Religious affiliation or association with spiritually minded people is not sufficient by itself - one must be firmly rooted in the "Tree of Life" (Revelation 22:1-2, Genesis 2:8-9) who is the eternal Father and his only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus makes a claim which only God can make - he is the true source of life that sustains us and makes us fruitful in living the abundant life which God has for us. It is only through Jesus Christ that one can be fully grafted into the true "vineyard of the Lord".
When Jesus calls himself the true vine he makes clear that no one can grow in spiritual fruitfulness and moral goodness unless they are rooted in God and in his life-giving word. Religious affiliation or association with spiritually minded people is not sufficient by itself - one must be firmly rooted in the "Tree of Life" (Revelation 22:1-2, Genesis 2:8-9) who is the eternal Father and his only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus makes a claim which only God can make - he is the true source of life that sustains us and makes us fruitful in living the abundant life which God has for us. It is only through Jesus Christ that one can be fully grafted into the true "vineyard of the Lord".
Bearing the fruit of righteousness, peace, and joy
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).
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 healing and transforming power to give you the abundant life and fruit
of his heavenly kingdom?
"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.
"So the world - life enslaved by
carnal passions - can no more receive the grace of the Spirit than a weak eye
can look at the light of a sunbeam. First the Lord cleansed his disciples'
lives through his teaching, and then he gave them the ability to both see and
contemplate the Spirit. He says, 'You are already made clean by the word I have
spoken to you' (John 15:3). Therefore 'the world cannot receive him, because it
neither sees him nor knows him... You know him, for he dwells with you' (John
14:17). Isaiah says, 'He who settled the earth and the things in it; and gives
breath to the people on it, and Spirit to them that tread on it' (Isaiah 42:5).
From this we can learn that those who trample earthly things and rise above
them become worthy to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (excerpt from ON THE HOLY SPIRIT 22.53)
5th Sunday of Easter – Cycle A
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading - Acts 6:1-7
A new section of the Acts of the Apostles begins with our reading for today. We are introduced to two groups in the early community, identified by their background prior to conversion – the Hellenists, and the Hebrews. From this chapter onward, Christians are referred to as “disciples”; this term is no longer applied only to the apostles and to those who were adherents to Jesus during His life on earth – all the baptized are now disciples. Jesus is the Lord of His Church and the Teacher of all: after His ascension into heaven He teaches, sanctifies and governs Christians through the ministry of the apostles initially, and after the apostles’ death, through the ministry of their successors, the Pope and the Bishops, who are aided by priests.
Hellenists were Jews who had been born and lived for a time outside Palestine. They spoke Greek and had synagogues of their own where the Greek translation of Scripture (the Septuagint) was used. The Hebrews were Jews born in Palestine; they spoke Aramaic and used the Hebrew Bible in their synagogues. This difference of backgrounds naturally carried over into the Christian community during its early years.
This chapter relates the establishment by the apostles of “the seven”: this is the second identifiable group of disciples entrusted with a ministry in the Church, the first being “the twelve”. It is clear that the seven have been given a public role in the community, a role which extends beyond distribution of relief; Philip and Stephen preach and baptize as well.
Saint Luke uses the term diakonia but he doesn’t call the seven “deacons” (diakonoi). Nor do later ancient writers imply that these seven were deacons in the sense of the word today, constituting with priests and bishops the hierarchy of the Church. It is possible that the ministry described in the Acts of the Apostles for these diakonia played a part in the instituting of the diaconate proper.
1:1 [A]s the number of disciples continued to grow, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.
This most likely refers to the day-to-day survival effort by the unworldly, enthusiastic Christian community rather than to any assistance program to the Jewish society at large. You can easily imagine why widowed immigrants faced special economic hardships and why they might be “overlooked” in a food distribution run by the native contingent.
2 So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table.
Could possibly mean to keep accounts in the dole to the poor.
3 Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task,
This seems to conform to the Old Testament model (Deuteronomy 1:13; Exodus 18:21) where Moses chose helpers.
4 whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
In contrast to “serving at table”. Nevertheless, we later find both Stephen and Philip engaged in this “apostolic” activity of preaching and baptizing.
5 The proposal was acceptable to the whole community, so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the holy Spirit, also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
The seven names are all Greek.
6 They presented these men to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them.
The Jewish ritual which expresses both transfer of function and bestowal of powers (see Numbers 27:18-23). This is also an ecclesiastical practice of Luke’s own time (1 Timothy 4:14; 5:22; 2 Timothy 1:6). This graphically expresses the subordination of this originally independent Hellenistic leadership to Jesus’ chosen apostles.
7 The word of God continued to spread, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly; even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith.
This minor summary of Luke’s marks the further progress of the Word of God. Members of many Jewish priestly families were obedient to the faith. A difference is to be noted between the role of the converted priests in the Christian Church and the clearly defined roles of priests and Levites.
2nd Reading - 1 Peter 2:4-9
The newly baptized are like babies recently born to a new life of grace. Just as little children clamor for their food, Christians should long for the spiritual nourishment that lies in the Word of God and the sacraments. Baptism makes us members of the Church. Saint Peter uses the idea of constructing a building to explain that Christians together go to make up the one, true people of God.
4 Come to him,
Join fully in the community of the New Israel by joining yourself to Christ.
a living stone, rejected by human beings but chosen and precious in the sight of God,
The words of Psalm 118:22 (revised with inclusive language) are applied to the Risen Christ, who was rejected but whose precious quality in God’s sight is found in the new life He shares with those who come to Him.
5 and, like living stones,
In contrast to the inanimate blocks used in pagan temples those who are “alive in Christ” are living stones. By sharing the life of the Risen Lord, Christians become with Him a household formed by the Holy Spirit.
“This is how Peter describes the way in which those who have been accepted by God are integrated into the Church. It is by sharing a common origin, and by being in harmony with one another, by thinking and saying the same things, by having the same mind and the same thoughts, that we are built into one house for the Lord.” [Theodoret of Cyr (ca. A.D. 430), Catena]
let yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Christians, viewed corporately as a body of priests, present their lives of faith and love as a sacrifice to God (see Romans 12:1; Ephesians 5:2; Philippians 4:18).
“The temple which Christ built is the universal (catholic in Greek) Church, which He gathers into the one structure of His faith and love from all the believers throughout the world, as it were from living stones.” [Saint Bede the Venerable (ca. A.D. 416), Homilies on the Gospels, 2,24]
6 For it says in scripture: “Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion, a cornerstone, chosen and precious, and whoever believes in it shall not be put to shame.”
An adapted form of the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament dating from 200 B.C.) Isaiah 28:16.
7 Therefore, its value
“Value” reflects “precious” in the previous verse.
is for you who have faith, but for those without faith: “The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”
Quotes Psalm 118:22
8 and “A stone that will make people stumble, and a rock that will make them fall.”
Quotes Isaiah 8:14
They stumble by disobeying the word, as is their destiny.
The unbelievers are destined by God to “stumble”. In the context used here, these are the pagan persecutors.
9 But you are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises”
The first three titles (chosen race, royal priesthood, a holy nation) are titles promised to Israel prior to the sin of the golden calf (Exodus 19:6). The final title (a people of his own) is a combination of Isaiah 43:21 and Malachi 3:17. Christians have become God’s possession by the shedding of the precious blood of Christ.
“All who have been born again in Christ are made kings by the sign of the cross and consecrated priests by the anointing of the Holy Spirit.” [Pope Saint Leo (The Great) I (after A.D. 461), Sermons, 4]
of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
This most aptly applied to converts from paganism [see 1 Peter 1:18 (3rd Sunday of Easter, Cycle A)].
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading - Acts 6:1-7
A new section of the Acts of the Apostles begins with our reading for today. We are introduced to two groups in the early community, identified by their background prior to conversion – the Hellenists, and the Hebrews. From this chapter onward, Christians are referred to as “disciples”; this term is no longer applied only to the apostles and to those who were adherents to Jesus during His life on earth – all the baptized are now disciples. Jesus is the Lord of His Church and the Teacher of all: after His ascension into heaven He teaches, sanctifies and governs Christians through the ministry of the apostles initially, and after the apostles’ death, through the ministry of their successors, the Pope and the Bishops, who are aided by priests.
Hellenists were Jews who had been born and lived for a time outside Palestine. They spoke Greek and had synagogues of their own where the Greek translation of Scripture (the Septuagint) was used. The Hebrews were Jews born in Palestine; they spoke Aramaic and used the Hebrew Bible in their synagogues. This difference of backgrounds naturally carried over into the Christian community during its early years.
This chapter relates the establishment by the apostles of “the seven”: this is the second identifiable group of disciples entrusted with a ministry in the Church, the first being “the twelve”. It is clear that the seven have been given a public role in the community, a role which extends beyond distribution of relief; Philip and Stephen preach and baptize as well.
Saint Luke uses the term diakonia but he doesn’t call the seven “deacons” (diakonoi). Nor do later ancient writers imply that these seven were deacons in the sense of the word today, constituting with priests and bishops the hierarchy of the Church. It is possible that the ministry described in the Acts of the Apostles for these diakonia played a part in the instituting of the diaconate proper.
1:1 [A]s the number of disciples continued to grow, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.
This most likely refers to the day-to-day survival effort by the unworldly, enthusiastic Christian community rather than to any assistance program to the Jewish society at large. You can easily imagine why widowed immigrants faced special economic hardships and why they might be “overlooked” in a food distribution run by the native contingent.
2 So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table.
Could possibly mean to keep accounts in the dole to the poor.
3 Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task,
This seems to conform to the Old Testament model (Deuteronomy 1:13; Exodus 18:21) where Moses chose helpers.
4 whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
In contrast to “serving at table”. Nevertheless, we later find both Stephen and Philip engaged in this “apostolic” activity of preaching and baptizing.
5 The proposal was acceptable to the whole community, so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the holy Spirit, also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
The seven names are all Greek.
6 They presented these men to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them.
The Jewish ritual which expresses both transfer of function and bestowal of powers (see Numbers 27:18-23). This is also an ecclesiastical practice of Luke’s own time (1 Timothy 4:14; 5:22; 2 Timothy 1:6). This graphically expresses the subordination of this originally independent Hellenistic leadership to Jesus’ chosen apostles.
7 The word of God continued to spread, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly; even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith.
This minor summary of Luke’s marks the further progress of the Word of God. Members of many Jewish priestly families were obedient to the faith. A difference is to be noted between the role of the converted priests in the Christian Church and the clearly defined roles of priests and Levites.
2nd Reading - 1 Peter 2:4-9
The newly baptized are like babies recently born to a new life of grace. Just as little children clamor for their food, Christians should long for the spiritual nourishment that lies in the Word of God and the sacraments. Baptism makes us members of the Church. Saint Peter uses the idea of constructing a building to explain that Christians together go to make up the one, true people of God.
4 Come to him,
Join fully in the community of the New Israel by joining yourself to Christ.
a living stone, rejected by human beings but chosen and precious in the sight of God,
The words of Psalm 118:22 (revised with inclusive language) are applied to the Risen Christ, who was rejected but whose precious quality in God’s sight is found in the new life He shares with those who come to Him.
5 and, like living stones,
In contrast to the inanimate blocks used in pagan temples those who are “alive in Christ” are living stones. By sharing the life of the Risen Lord, Christians become with Him a household formed by the Holy Spirit.
“This is how Peter describes the way in which those who have been accepted by God are integrated into the Church. It is by sharing a common origin, and by being in harmony with one another, by thinking and saying the same things, by having the same mind and the same thoughts, that we are built into one house for the Lord.” [Theodoret of Cyr (ca. A.D. 430), Catena]
let yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Christians, viewed corporately as a body of priests, present their lives of faith and love as a sacrifice to God (see Romans 12:1; Ephesians 5:2; Philippians 4:18).
“The temple which Christ built is the universal (catholic in Greek) Church, which He gathers into the one structure of His faith and love from all the believers throughout the world, as it were from living stones.” [Saint Bede the Venerable (ca. A.D. 416), Homilies on the Gospels, 2,24]
6 For it says in scripture: “Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion, a cornerstone, chosen and precious, and whoever believes in it shall not be put to shame.”
An adapted form of the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament dating from 200 B.C.) Isaiah 28:16.
7 Therefore, its value
“Value” reflects “precious” in the previous verse.
is for you who have faith, but for those without faith: “The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”
Quotes Psalm 118:22
8 and “A stone that will make people stumble, and a rock that will make them fall.”
Quotes Isaiah 8:14
They stumble by disobeying the word, as is their destiny.
The unbelievers are destined by God to “stumble”. In the context used here, these are the pagan persecutors.
9 But you are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises”
The first three titles (chosen race, royal priesthood, a holy nation) are titles promised to Israel prior to the sin of the golden calf (Exodus 19:6). The final title (a people of his own) is a combination of Isaiah 43:21 and Malachi 3:17. Christians have become God’s possession by the shedding of the precious blood of Christ.
“All who have been born again in Christ are made kings by the sign of the cross and consecrated priests by the anointing of the Holy Spirit.” [Pope Saint Leo (The Great) I (after A.D. 461), Sermons, 4]
of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
This most aptly applied to converts from paganism [see 1 Peter 1:18 (3rd Sunday of Easter, Cycle A)].
Gospel - John 14:1-12
Today’s reading takes place at the Last Supper – just after Judas has left and Jesus has told the remaining eleven that He must soon depart too. This reading has been called “Jesus is the way to the Father”. The reading opens and closes with the commands to believe in God and believe in Jesus. It makes the claim that, if one will not believe Jesus’ words, then his “works” should provide the grounds for knowing the Jesus and the Father are one.
Jesus said to his disciples: 14:1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled.
Jesus begins His teaching with reassurance in view of the fact that His preceding words about His departure had saddened the disciples.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
Jesus has never hesitated to put Himself on the same level with the Father in the common work of salvation, thus He and the Father are equally the object of faith. To be a Christian, you must have faith in God and faith in Christ, who is God.
2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.
This is usually interpreted (even in ancient times) to mean the heavenly kingdom to which Jesus is returning (although there are no grounds for understanding “many” to mean “many kinds” or “many degrees”). However, John probably means another sense as well: In one way, after all, Christ has never left heaven and consequently need not return. The Father’s house is where God is, and whoever is with God is in His house; one of Paul’s favorite metaphors for the Church is this “House of God”. In this sense, the “many” would refer to the many members of the Church on earth, where Christ will also be (this too is an ancient interpretation).
If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
Though He has told the disciples that He will join them only later, Jesus has just reassured them that there is ample room where He will be. Therefore, they need have no fear that they will not find a place for them in His company.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.
These words could refer to the parousia – the end of time – but could also refer to Christ’s invisible return through the Spirit.
4 Where (I) am going you know the way.”
The way here, is of Jesus Himself. The term “The Way” is also a designation of Christianity in Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22.
5 Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?”
Although Jesus has repeatedly told the disciples that He is going to the Father, and in what way, through His sacrificial death, which the model that all must take if they would follow Him, Thomas reflects the ignorance of all the disciples. The disciples have shown themselves to be as obtuse as Jesus’ Jewish opponents – what saves them is their good will.
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life.
Truth in John is the divinely revealed reality of the Father manifested in the person and works of Jesus. The possession of truth confers knowledge and liberation from sin (John 8:32).
No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jesus is not just a guide to salvation, the map of the heavenly geography, He is the source of life and truth; the only way. “Unless you eat My Flesh and drink My Blood ...”
7 If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
With the glorification of Christ and the coming of the Spirit, their understanding will be made perfect; even though they don’t understand now.
8 Philip said to him, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
The incomprehension is such that Philip asks for some kind of extraordinary manifestation. He is asking for a theophany like Exodus 24:9-10; 33:18.
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
Jesus repeats almost word-for-word what he has stated on other occasions (John 7:16; 8:28; 10:38).
The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. 12 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these,
It follows from this that the Christian will also perform the works of God, even as Christ has done on the same principle. These words, as addressed to the first apostles, refer not only to the fact that the works of the Christian believer are performed within the supernatural order, but, first and foremost, to the Church as possessing and continuing Christ’s divine power for salvation. Performance of greater deeds doesn’t refer primarily to miracles, though these will continue, but to the far greater scope, geographically and numerically within which the Church will exercise its salvific power.
because I am going to the Father.
The condition of this activity is Christ’s glorification and the giving of the Holy Spirit.
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church,
Picayune, MS http://www.scborromeo.org
FIFTH SUNDAY
OF EASTER
SUNDAY, APRIL 29, JOHN 15:1-8
(Acts 9:26-31; Psalm 22; 1 John 3:18-24)
SUNDAY, APRIL 29, JOHN 15:1-8
(Acts 9:26-31; Psalm 22; 1 John 3:18-24)
KEY VERSE: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower" (v.1).
TO KNOW: Few cultivated crops are richer in symbolism in the bible as the vine. The prophet Isaiah used this metaphor when he spoke of Israel as a vineyard that had been nurtured and cared for by God, the vinedresser, yet failed to bear fruit. Jesus used the image of the vine and the branches to talk about the community he had founded. The vine and the branches need one another. Just as a branch gets its sap from the tree, so we derive our life from God. Jesus declared himself to be the true vine whose Father was the vinegrower. Jesus' Church would be the new Israel who would bear good fruit only when united to him. Withered branches, which separated themselves from the vine, would be cut off; they were only good for fuel for the fire. Good branches would be pruned in order to increase their yield. Jesus spoke this discourse at the Last Supper. The "fruit of the vine" that Jesus gave us is his life-giving presence in the saving cup that nourishes the faithful.
TO LOVE: Is my ministry in the Church fruitful or unproductive?
TO SERVE: Risen Lord, prune any dead wood in my life so I may eternally abide in you.
Sunday 29 April
2018
Week I
Psalter. Fifth Sunday of Easter.
Acts
9:26-31. Psalm 21(22):26-28, 30-32. 1 John 3:18-24. John 15:1-8.
I will
praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people—Psalm 21(22):26-28, 30-32.
Jesus
employs the metaphor of the vine and branches to describe the intimate
relationship between himself and his followers.
Apart from
the vine, a branch can do nothing but wither and die. So it is for our
spiritual life if we fail to nurture our relationship with Christ.
During
winter, pruners cleanse the dead branches from vines to foster new growth in
the coming season. As with any relationship, our relationship with Jesus can
fluctuate like the seasons. Our hearts can grow cold for various reasons and we
can enter a spiritual winter. Such times are ideal for cleansing, for letting
go of those dead areas of our lives that fail to bear fruit.
God is
ever present and ever inviting. And, like little children, we only to have cry
aloud and God, our loving creator, is there.
Saint Catherine of Siena
Saint of the Day for April 29
(March 25, 1347 – April 29, 1380)
 |
| Painting of Saint Catherine of Siena | Siena Cathedral Choir | photo by Sailko |
Saint Catherine of Siena’s Story
The value Catherine makes central in her short life and which
sounds clearly and consistently through her experience is complete surrender to
Christ. What is most impressive about her is that she learns to view her
surrender to her Lord as a goal to be reached through time.
She was the 23rd child of Jacopo and Lapa Benincasa and grew up
as an intelligent, cheerful, and intensely religious person. Catherine
disappointed her mother by cutting off her hair as a protest against being
overly encouraged to improve her appearance in order to attract a husband. Her
father ordered her to be left in peace, and she was given a room of her own for
prayer and meditation.
She entered the Dominican Third Order at 18 and spent the next
three years in seclusion, prayer, and austerity. Gradually, a group of
followers gathered around her—men and women, priests and religious. An active
public apostolate grew out of her contemplative life. Her letters, mostly for
spiritual instruction and encouragement of her followers, began to take more
and more note of public affairs. Opposition and slander resulted from her
mixing fearlessly with the world and speaking with the candor and authority of
one completely committed to Christ. She was cleared of all charges at the
Dominican General Chapter of 1374.
Her public influence reached great heights because of her
evident holiness, her membership in the Dominican Third Order, and the deep
impression she made on the pope. She worked tirelessly for the crusade against
the Turks and for peace between Florence and the pope.
In 1378, the Great Schism began, splitting the allegiance of
Christendom between two, then three, popes and putting even saints on opposing
sides. Catherine spent the last two years of her life in Rome, in prayer and
pleading on behalf of the cause of Pope Urban VI and the unity of the Church.
She offered herself as a victim for the Church in its agony. She died
surrounded by her “children” and was canonized in 1461.
Catherine ranks high among the mystics and spiritual writers of
the Church. In 1939, she and Francis of Assisi were declared co-patrons of
Italy. Pope Paul VI named her and Teresa of Avila doctors of the Church in
1970. Her spiritual testament is found in The Dialogue.
Reflection
Though she lived her life in a faith experience and spirituality
far different from that of our own time, Catherine of Siena stands as a
companion with us on the Christian journey in her undivided effort to invite
the Lord to take flesh in her own life. Events which might make us wince or
chuckle or even yawn fill her biographies: a mystical experience at six,
childhood betrothal to Christ, stories of harsh asceticism, her frequent
ecstatic visions. Still, Catherine lived in an age which did not know the rapid
change of 21st-century mobile America. The value of her life for us today lies
in her recognition of holiness as a goal to be sought over the course of a
lifetime.
Saint Catherine of Siena is the Patron Saint of:
Europe
Fire Prevention
Italy
Fire Prevention
Italy
LECTIO DIVINA: 5TH SUNDAY OF
EASTER (B)
Lectio Divina:
Sunday, April 29, 2018
The image of the true vine, that is,
Jesus
The pressing invitation to remain in Him
in order to bear the fruit of love
John 15: 1-8
The pressing invitation to remain in Him
in order to bear the fruit of love
John 15: 1-8
1. OPENING PRAYER
Lord, You are! And this is sufficient
for us, to live by, to go on hoping every day, to walk in this world, not to
choose the wrong road of being closed and lonely. Yes, You are forever and from
all time; you are constant, O Jesus! Your being is our constant gift; it is an
ever ripe fruit that feeds and strengthens us in You, in Your presence. Lord,
open our heart, open our being to your being; open us to life with the
mysterious power of your Word. Help us to listen, to eat and savour this food
for our souls, which is indispensable for us! Send us the good fruit of your
Spirit so that He may bring about in us that which we read and meditate about
you.
2. READING
a) To place the passage in its context:
These few verses are part of the great
discourse of Jesus to his disciples during that intimate moment of the last
supper and they begin with verse 31, chapter 13, and proceeding up to the end
of chapter 17. This passage has a very tight, deep and inseparable unity,
unequalled in the Gospels and sums up the whole of Jesus' revelation in his
divine life and in the mystery of the Trinity. It is the text that says that
which no other text in the Scriptures is capable of saying concerning Christian
life, its power, its tasks, its joys and pains, its hopes and its struggle in
this world in the Church. Just a few verses, but full of love, that love to the
very end that Jesus chose to live for his disciples, for us, even to this day
and forever. In the strength of this love, the supreme and definitive gesture
of infinite tenderness, which includes all other gestures of love, the Lord
bequeaths to his disciples a new presence. A new way of being. By means of the
parable of the vine and its branches and the proclamation of the wonderful verb
remain, repeated several times, Jesus initiates his new story with each one of
us called indwelling. He is no longer with us, because he is going back to the
Father, yet he remains within us.
b) To assist us in the reading of the
passage:
vv. 1-3: Jesus reveals himself as the
true vine, which brings forth good fruit, excellent wine for his Father, who is
the vinedresser and who reveals to us, his disciples, the braches, that we must
remain united to the vine so as not to die and so as to bear fruit. The
pruning, which the Father accomplishes on the branches by means of the Word, is
a purification, a joy, a chant.
vv. 4-6: Jesus passes on to his
disciples the secret of being able to continue to live in an intimate
relationship with him; that is by remaining. As He lives in them and remains in
them and is no longer external to them or with them, so also they must remain
in Him, inside Him. This is the only way to be completely consoled, to be able
to hold on to this life and bear good fruit, that is, love.
v. 7: Once more, Jesus bequeaths the
gift of prayer in the heart of his disciples, that most precious and unique
pearl, and he tells us that by remaining in Him, we can learn true prayer, the
prayer that seeks insistently the gift of the Holy Spirit and knows that it
will be granted.
v. 8: Once more, Jesus calls us to
Himself, asks us to follow him, to be always his disciples. The remaining
brings forth mission, the gift of life for the Father and for the neighbour; if
we really remain in Jesus, then we shall also really remain in the midst of our
brothers and sisters, as gift and as service. This is the glory of the Father.
c) The text:
1-3: "I am the true vine, and my
Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes
away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more
fruit. You are already made clean by the word that I have spoken to you.
4-6: Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear
fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you
abide in me. 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. If a
man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the
branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned.
7: If
you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall
be done for you.
8: By
this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my
disciples.
3. A MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER
As a branch, I now remain united to the
vine, my Lord, and I abandon myself to Him, I allow myself to be overtaken by
the sap of his silent and deep voice, which is like living water. Thus I remain
in silence and stay close.
4. A FEW QUESTIONS
to help me remain, to discover the
beauty of the vine, Jesus; to lead me to the Father, to allow Him to take over
and labour in me, certain of His good labour as loving vinedresser; and to urge
me to enter into the life blood of the Spirit to meet him as the only necessary
thing that I must seek untiringly.
a) "I am": it is beautiful
that the passage begins with these words, which are like a song of joy, of the
victory of the Lord, that He loves to sing all the time in the life of each one
of us. "I am": He repeats this infinitely, every morning, every
evening, at night, while we sleep, even though we are not aware of this. In
fact, He really is at our disposal; He is turned towards the Father, towards
us, for us. I meditate these words and not only listen to them but allow them
to penetrate me, my mind, my innermost memory, my heart, all my feelings and I
ruminate on and absorb his Being into my being. In this Word, I now understand
that I am not, unless I am in Him and that I cannot become anything unless I
remain in Jesus' being. I try to enter into the depths of my being, overcoming
fear, crossing the darkness that I find there and I gather those parts of my
being, of myself, that are most lifeless. I take them delicately and bring them
to Jesus and I hand them over to his "I am".
b) The vine recalls to mind wine, that
precious and good fruit, and also recalls to mind the covenant that nothing and
no one will ever be able to break. Am I willing to remain in that embrace, in
that continuous yes of my life thus woven into his? Together with the Psalmist,
shall I too raise the chalice of the covenant, calling on the name of the Lord
and saying to him, yes, I too love you?
c) Jesus calls his Father the
vinedresser, a very beautiful term that carries all the force of the love
dedicated to working the land. It expresses a bending over the earth, a drawing
close of body and being, a prolonged contact, a vital exchange. This is
precisely the Father's attitude towards us! However, St. Paul says: "The
farmer who has done the hard work should have the first share of the
harvest" (2 Tim 2: 6) and St. James reminds us "See how patient a
farmer is as he waits for his land to produce precious crops" (Jas 5: 7).
Will I, the land, disappoint the patience of the Father who cultivates me every
day, turns me over, gets rid of the stones, nourishes me with good fertiliser
and builds a hedge all round me to protect me? To whom do I give the fruits of
my existence, of my heart, of my mind, of my soul? For whom do I exist, for
whom do I decide and choose to live every day, every morning, when I wake up?
d) I follow the text carefully and
underline two verbs, which occur frequently: "to bear fruit" and
"to remain". I understand that these two realities are a symbol of
life itself and are woven together, each depending on the other. Only by
remaining is it possible to bear fruit and, really, the only true fruit that we
as disciples can bear in this world is precisely to remain. Where do I remain
every day, all day? With whom do I remain? Jesus always makes the connection of
this verb with that wonderful and enormous particle: "in me". Do I
console myself with these two words "in me", that is am I inside, do
I live in the depth, do I dig in search of the Lord as one digs for a well
(cfr. Gn 26: 18) or for treasure (Pr 2: 4), or else am I outside, always lost
among the ways of this world, as far as possible from intimacy, from a
relationship from contact with the Lord?
e) Twice Jesus reminds us of the reality
of his Word and reveals to us that it is his Word that makes us pure and it is
his Word that leads us to true prayer. The Word is proclaimed and given as a
permanent presence within us. It also has the ability to remain, to make its
dwelling place in our heart. However, I must ask myself, what ears do I have to
listen to this proclamation of salvation and goodness, which the Lord addresses
to me through his Words? Do I allow room to listen in depth to that which the
Scripture speaks to me all the time, in the Law, the Prophets, the Psalms and
the apostolic Writings? Do I allow the Word of the Lord to find me and overtake
me in prayer, or do I prefer to trust in other words, lighter, more human and
more like my words? Am I afraid of the voice of the Lord who speaks to me
urgently and all the time?
5. A KEY TO THE READING
As a branch, I seek to be ever more one
with my Vine, that is, the Lord Jesus. Here and now, I drink of his Word the
good sap, seeking to penetrate ever deeper so as to absorb the hidden
nourishment that transmits to me real life. I pay attention to the words, the
verbs, the expressions Jesus uses and which recall other passages of divine
Scripture and, thus, I let myself be purified.
The meeting with Jesus, the "I
am"
This passage is one of the texts where
this strong expression appears, an expression that the Lord addresses to us in
order to reveal himself. It is wonderful to walk through the Scriptures in
search of other texts similar to this one, where the Lord speaks of himself to
us directly, of his deepest essence. When the Lord says and repeats infinitely
in a thousand ways, with a thousand nuances "I am". He does not do so
in order to annihilate or humiliate us, but only to stress forcefully his
overflowing love for us, which desires to make us partake of and live that same
life that belongs to Him. When He says "I am", He is also saying
"You are" to each one of us, to each son and daughter who is born
into this world. It is a fruitful and uninterrupted transmission of being, of
essence and I do not wish to let this be in vain. I wish to welcome it and
welcome it inside me. So, I follow the luminous trace of the "I am"
and I try to stop at each step. "I am your shield" (Gen 15: 1),
"I am the God of Abraham your father" (Gen 24: 26), "I am the
Lord who led you and still leads you out of the land of Egypt" (cfr. Es 6:
6) and from the hands of every Pharaoh who will threaten your life, "I am
He who heals you" (Es 15: 26). I allow myself to be enlightened by the
force of these words, which fulfil the miracle they speak of; they fulfil this
miracle to this day, and for me, in this lectio. Then I go on reading in the
book of Leviticus where at least 50 times this affirmation of salvation is
found: "I am the Lord", and I believe these words and hold on to them
with my whole being, my whole heart and say: "Yes, indeed the Lord is my
Lord, He and no other!" I note that the Scriptures probe ever deeper. As
the journey continues, gradually, the Scriptures penetrate me and lead me to an
ever more intense relationship with the Lord. In fact, the book of Numbers
says: "I am the Lord and I live among the people of Israel" (Num 35:
34). "I am" is in the present, He who does not draw apart, does not
turn his back to leave; it is He who cares for us from close by, from the
inside, as only He can do; I read Isaiah and I receive life: 41: 10; 43: 3; 45:
6 etc.
The holy Gospel is an explosion of
being, of presence, of salvation; I run through it letting John lead me: 6: 48;
8: 12; 10: 9. 11; 11: 15; 14: 6; 18: 37. Jesus is the bread, the light, the
gate, the shepherd, the resurrection, the way, the truth, the life, the king;
and all for me, for us, and so I want to welcome him, know him and love him,
and I want to learn, through these words, to say to him: "Lord you
are!" It is this "You" that gives meaning to my I that makes of
my life a relationship, a communion. I know for certain that only here can I
find full joy and live forever.
The vineyard, the true vine and its good
fruit
God's vineyard is Israel, a beloved
vineyard, a chosen vineyard, a vineyard planted on a fertile hill, in a place
where the earth has been cleared afresh, hoed, freed of stones, a protected
vineyard, worked, loved, large and one that God himself has planted (cfr. Is 5:
1ff; Ger 2: 21). So loved is this vineyard that the beloved has never ceased to
sing the canticle of love for her; strong notes yet sweet at the same time,
notes that bear true life, that go across the ancient covenant and come to the
new covenant in even clearer notes. At first it was the Father who sang, now it
is Jesus, but in both it is the Spirit who is heard, as the Song of Songs says:
"The voice of the dove is still heard… and the vineyards spread
fragrance" (Sgs 2: 12ff). It is the Lord Jesus who draws us, who takes us
from the old to the new, from love to love, towards an ever stronger communion,
even to identification: "I am the vine, but you too are in me". Hence
it is clear: the vineyard is Israel, is Jesus, is us. Always the same, always
new, always chosen and beloved, loved, cared for, protected, visited: visited
by rain and visited by the Word, sent by the prophets day by day, visited by
the sending of the Son, Love, who expects love, that is, the fruit. "He
waited for the grapes to ripen, but every grape was sour" (Is 5: 2); in
love, disappointment is always round the corner. I stop here at this reality, I
look inside me, I try to discover the places where I am closed, dry, dead; why
has the rain not come? I repeat this word that echoes often through the pages
of the Bible: "The Lord waits…" (see Is 30: 18; Lk 13: 6-9). He wants
the fruits of conversion (cfr. Mt 3: 8), as he tells us through John, the
fruits of the word that hides the listening, the welcoming and the
self-control, as the synoptics say (cfr. Mt 13: 23; Mk 4: 20 e Lk 8: 15), the
fruits of the Spirit, as Paul explains (cfr. Gal 5: 22). He wants us "to
bear fruit in every good work" (Col 1: 10), but above all, it seems to me,
the Lord waits and desires "the fruit of the womb" (cfr. Lk 1: 42),
that is Jesus, in whom we are truly blessed. In fact, Jesus is the seed that,
dying, bears much fruit within us, in our life (Jn 12: 24) and defeats every
solitude, every closure, opening us wide to our brothers and sisters. This is
the real fruit of conversion, planted in the earth of our bosom; this is to
become his disciples and, finally, this is the true glory of the Father.
Pruning, a joyful purification
In this passage of the Gospel, the Lord
shows me another way of following Him, together with Him. It is the way of
purification, of renewal, of resurrection and new life. It is hidden in the
term "pruning", but I can better discover it, throw light on it
thanks to the Word itself, which is the only master, the only sure guide. The
Greek text uses the term "purify" to point to this action of the
vinedresser in his vineyard. Certainly, it is true that he prunes, cuts with a
knife sharpened by his Word (Heb 4: 12) and, sometimes, wounds us, but it is
even truer that it is his love that penetrates ever deeper in us and thus
purifies, washes, refines. Yes, the Lord sits as washer to purify, to make
splendid and luminous the gold in his hand (cfr. Mal 3: 3). Jesus brings a new
purification, the one promised for so long by the Scriptures and waited for the
Messianic times. It is no longer the purification that took place by means of
cult, by means of the observance of the law or sacrifices, only a temporary
purification, incomplete and figurative. Jesus brings about an intimate, total
purification, one of the heart and conscience, the one sung by Ezekiel: "I
shall purify you of all your idols, I shall give you a new heart…When I shall
have purified you from all you iniquities, I shall bring you back to your
cities and your ruins will be rebuilt…" (Ez 36: 25ff. 33). I also read Eph
5: 26 e Tt 2: 14, beautiful and rich texts, which help me better enter into the
light of grace of this work of salvation, of this spiritual pruning that the
Father works in me.
There is a verse in the Song of Songs
that can help my understanding more, it says, "This is the time for
singing" (Sgs 2: 12), however, it uses a verb that means also
"pruning, cutting" as well as "singing". Thus pruning is
the time for singing, for joy. It is my heart that sings before and in the
Word, it is my soul that rejoices for my faith, because I know that through
this long but magnificent pilgrimage in the Scriptures, I too will take part in
Jesus' life, I too will be united with Him, the pure, the holy, the immaculate
Word and that thus united to Him I shall be washed, purified with the infinite
purity of His life. Not for me alone, not in order to be alone, but to bear
much fruit, to grow leaves and branches that do not wither, to be a branch
together with many other braches in the vine of Jesus Christ.
6. A MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER:
PSALM 1
A meditation on the joy of one who lives
by the Word and, thanks to the Word, bears fruit.
Res. Your Word is my joy, Lord!
Blessed is the man who walks not in the
counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night. Res.
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night. Res.
He is like a tree planted by streams of
water,
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff which the wind drives away. Res.
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff which the wind drives away. Res.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in
the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish. Res.
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish. Res.
7. CLOSING PRAYER
Lord, I still see the light of your
Word. The healing force of your voice still rings in the depth of my being!
Thank you, O my Vine, my sap. Thank you, O my dwelling where I can and wish to
remain. Thank you, O my strength to do, to carry out every task; thank you my
Master! You have called me to be a fruitful branch, to be fruit of your love
for humankind, to be the wine that makes the heart rejoice. Lord, help me to
realise this blessed and true Word of yours. Only thus can I live truly and
live truly as you are and remain. Lord, let me not err so that I wish to remain
a branch in your vine without the other branches, my brothers and sisters. It
would be indeed the sourest and most displeasing fruit.
Lord, I do not know how to pray. Teach
me Yourself and let my most beautiful prayer be my life, transformed into a
bunch of grapes for the hunger and the thirst, for the joy and company of those
who come to the vine, that is, You. Thank you for being the wine of Love!
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