5TH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Psalter: Week 1 / (White)
Ps 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32
I will praise you, Lord,
in the assembly of your people.
1st Reading: Acts 9:26-31
When Saul came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples there, but they were afraid of him, because they could not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He recounted to them how Saul had seen the Lord on his way and the words the Lord had spoken to him. He told them, also, how Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.
Then Saul began to live with them. He moved about freely in Jerusalem and preached openly in the name of the Lord. He also spoke to the Hellenists; and argued with them. But they wanted to kill him. When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
Meanwhile, the Church had peace. It was building up throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, with eyes turned to the Lord, and filled with comfort from the Holy Spirit.
2nd Reading: 1 Jn 3:18-24
My dear children, let us love, not only with words and with our lips, but in truth and in deed. Then, we shall know that we are of the truth, and we may calm our conscience in his presence. Every time it reproaches us, let us say: God is greater than our conscience, and he knows everything.
When our conscience does not condemn us, dear friends, we may have complete confidence in God. Then, whatever we ask, we shall receive, since we keep his commands and do what pleases him.
His command is, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and that, we love one another, as he has commanded us.
Whoever keeps his commands remains in God and God in him. It is by the Spirit God has given us, that we know he lives in us.
Gospel: Jn 15:1-8
I am the true vine and my Father is the vine grower. If any of my branches doesn’t bear fruit, he breaks it off; and he prunes every branch that does bear fruit, that it may bear even more fruit.
You are already made clean by the word I have spoken to you. Live in me as I live in you. The branch cannot bear fruit by itself, but has to remain part of the vine; so neither can you, if you don’t remain in me.
I am the vine and you are the branches. As long as you remain in me and I in you, you bear much fruit; but apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not remain in me is thrown away, as they do with branches, and they wither. Then they are gathered and thrown into the fire and burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask whatever you want, and it will be given to you. My Father is glorified when you bear much fruit: it is then that you become my disciples.
Lectio Divina
Read: Christ wins Saul over and Saul becomes a firm believer. John invites all Christians to love in truth and deed. If we abide in Jesus, the true vine, we shall become his branches and produce fruit worthy of God.
Reflect: Unlike many other plants, the vine and its branches share a special, unique relationship – you can never identify where the stem of the vine ends and a branch begins. It is as if the stem is the branch. Hence, the metaphor of vine and the branches brings out a unique relationship between Jesus and us: for those who abide in him, one can never know where Christ ends and they begin. The truth is, in those who truly abide in Christ, it is Christ all the way. With Paul, they can sing, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal. 2:20).
Pray: Lord Jesus, abide in me so that I become you.
Act: Draw up an image that captures your present relationship with Christ. How far or near is that image from the relationship between vine and the branches?
Daily Reflection 2018
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Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL
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