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.”
“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 Psalm122:1-2, 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.”
For the readings of the Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima,
please go here.
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)
WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, JOHN 15:9-17
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.
Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima
The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared six times in the small village of Fatima in Portugal to three shepherd children: Lucia, 9, and her cousins Francisco, 8, and his sister Jacinta, 6, between May 13, and October 13, 1917. Our Lady repeatedly emphasized the necessity of praying the rosary daily, of wearing the brown scapular of Mount Carmel and of performing acts of reparation and sacrifice on the Five First Saturdays of five consecutive months. Our Lady requested the solemn public consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart. In the last apparition she revealed her name: “I am the Lady of the Rosary.” That same day, 70,000 people had turned out to witness the apparition. They saw the sun make three circles and move around the sky in an incredible zigzag movement in a manner which left no doubt about the veracity of the apparitions. By 1930 the Church approved the apparitions as authentic. The assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II in 1981 took place on May 13, the 64th anniversary of the apparitions. The Holy Father attributed his escape from certain death to the intervention of Our Lady. Two of the children, Jacinta and Francisco Martos, died shortly after the apparitions. Pope Francis presided over their canonization. Sr. Lucy Dos Santos, the eldest of the three, died after a long illness at the age of 97 on February 13, 2004. The case for her canonization is still being studied.
Wednesday 13 May 2020
Our Lady of Fatima
Acts 15:1-6. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the
Lord – Psalm 121(122):1-5. John 15:1-8.
I am the vine, you are the branches
It’s a constant battle sweeping up the dying leaves and keeping
the area clean around the grapevine. While it’s past time to cut it back I am
always a little reluctant. It seems so sad – a reminder that winter is well on
its way. Yet the pruning is essential if it is to bear good fruit in the
summer. I know that as long as the main vine stays strong then I’m assured of
fruit and shade. Today’s Gospel tells me that if I stay strong with the main
vine that is Jesus – praying, keeping the faith and his Word – then I can be
assured of the fruit of his love.
Our Lady of Fatima
Saint of the Day for May 13
The Story of Our Lady of Fatima
Between May 13 and October 13, 1917, three Portuguese
children–Francisco and Jacinta Marto and their cousin Lucia dos Santos–received
apparitions of Our Lady at Cova da Iria near Fatima, a city 110 miles north of
Lisbon. Mary asked the children to pray the rosary for world peace, for the end
of World War I, for sinners, and for the conversion of Russia.
Mary gave the children three secrets. Following the deaths of
Francisco and Jacinta in 1919 and 1920 respectively, Lucia revealed the first
secret in 1927. It concerned devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The
second secret was a vision of hell. When Lucia grew up she became a Carmelite
nun and died in 2005 at the age of 97.
Pope John Paul II directed the Holy See’s Secretary of State to
reveal the third secret in 2000; it spoke of a “bishop in white” who was shot
by a group of soldiers who fired bullets and arrows into him. Many people
linked this vision to the assassination attempt against Pope John Paul II in
St. Peter’s Square on May 13, 1981.
The feast of Our Lady of Fatima was approved by the local bishop
in 1930; it was added to the Church’s worldwide calendar in 2002.
Reflection
The message of Fatima is simple: Pray. Unfortunately, some
people—not Sister Lucia—have distorted these revelations, making them into an
apocalyptic event for which they are now the only reliable interpreters. They
have, for example, claimed that Mary’s request that the world be consecrated to
her has been ignored. Sister Lucia agreed that Pope John Paul II’s public
consecration in St. Peter’s Square on March 25, 1984, fulfilled Mary’s request.
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith prepared a June 26, 2000,
document explaining the “third secret.”
Mary is perfectly honored when people generously imitate her
response “Let it be done to me as you say” (Luke 1:38). Mary can never be seen
as a rival to Jesus or to the Church’s teaching authority, as exercised by the
college of bishops united with the bishop of Rome.
Lectio Divina: John 15:1-8
Lectio Divina
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Easter Season
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 plentiful 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 plentiful 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 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."
3) Reflection
• Chapters 15 to 17 of the Gospel of John present us with 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 on 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.
Jn 15:18 to 16:4a: Advice on 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 tomorrow present part of the
reflection of Jesus around the parable of the vine. To understand the
significance of this parable, it is important to carefully study the words used
by Jesus. It is also important to closely observe a vine, or any other plant,
to see how it grows: how the trunk and branches become united, and how the
fruit springs from each.
• John 15:1-2: Jesus presents the analogy 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 what 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 vine dresser. 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. God does the pruning in us through His word which comes
to us from the Bible, from trials in our life (Rom 5:4; Heb 12:6), 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 to produce fruit,
the branch 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 on 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 want and you will get it!”, because what the Father wants most is
that we become disciples of Jesus and that we bear much fruit. And what is it
that we should want? If we are to be like Jesus, it is the same as what the
Father wants, and that He grants.
4) Personal questions
• What have been the various pruning, or difficult, moments in
my life which have helped me to grow? What have been the pruning or difficult
moments that we have had in our community which have helped us to grow?
• What keeps life unified and alive, capable of bearing fruit, is the sap which goes through it. What is the sap which goes through our community which keeps it alive, capable of bearing fruit?
• Are those things that I ask of the Father consistent with His will and desire, or my own?
• What keeps life unified and alive, capable of bearing fruit, is the sap which goes through it. What is the sap which goes through our community which keeps it alive, capable of bearing fruit?
• Are those things that I ask of the Father consistent with His will and desire, or my own?
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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