Thursday, May 3, 2012

Fifth Sunday of Easter :B

"I AM THE VINE , YOU ARE THE BRANCHES"

First Reading: Acts 9:26-31
Second Reading : 1 Jn 3:18-24
Gospel Reading: Jn 15:1-8

   * First Reading is from the Acts of the Apostles. It gives an account of how Paul is among the Christians whom he had persecuted. Paul was a known persecutor of the Church at Jerusalem and he was feared by Christians. After his conversion he tried to join the Christian community and try to preach the word but he was rejected by them. But Barnabas , a man of standing in the church in Jerusalem was convinced that Saul has truely accepted Christ. He therefore introduced him to the Apostles telling them about Saul's on the road to Damascus and how he boldly preached the Risen Lord.

   * Second readng is from the first letter of St. John . The beloved disciple John urges Christians to believe firmly in Jesus Christ the Son of God . Their love of neighbour should be a practical demonstration of their faith in Jesus. He exhorts them that if we wish to live as God wants, we must keep his commandments, especially the commandment to love one another.

Today's Gospel speaks of the vine and branches in the context of fruitfulness of being a disciple of Jesus. This in the background of Jesus' last days in this world. Jesus compares his relationsip with disciples to that of a Vine and its branches. Unless the branches are united with the Vine, the cannot produce fruits. The branches receive nourishment from the Vine. If the branches are cut off from the Vine, they dry up. So also the disciples have to united with Jesus to be fruitful. Without his help we cannot produce the fruits for that we have to keep his commandments especially the commandment of Love.
This Gospel passage also gives us the message of tremendous intimacy between Jesus and disciples. Our relationship wit te Lord is deeper than mere professing that Jesus is our saviour and Lord. He lives in us and we live in him. The poof that we are living in him and he is living in us is that he has given us a share in his Spirit , wh is the bond of union between us and Jesus.
Jesus wants us that we are branches of the Vine and that we should live in a community of love. We need to love and care for one another.

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