030 5th Sunday of Easter

Readings

Cycle B 5th Sunday of Easter

Second Reading: 1John 3:18-24

First Reading: Acts 9: 26-31

Gospel: John 15:1-8

Psalm: Psalm 22: 26-28, 30-32

Homily Theme

Fruitful

In the first reading this week, we hear of St. Paul who has begun to allow Jesus to live in him and through him in order to convert others to be fruitful in spite of the hesitation of those who were not yet sure of him. In the second reading today, St. John tells us that if we keep Jesus command to love one another He will remain in us So that we also can be fruitful. This week, I have chosen to concentrate on the Gospel passage for our Sunday meditation. Jesus often spoke in parables so that we would better understand a specific teaching that He wants us to remember and put into practice. This Sunday, Jesus tells us to remain in Him so that He can remain in us in order for us to be fruitful.

Think of all the electrical appliances that we have and use in our modern homes. If the plugs do not remain in the electric outlet the electricity can not remain in the appliance. What would we do with any electrical appliance that didn’t work when it was plugged into the electric current? We will check it out to see if it can be repaired and if it can, we give it another chance, or it will be discarded. What will we do to light bulbs when they don’t give light even though they are plugged into the electric outlet? We disconnect them and we throw them into the trash? Jesus is our power without which we can not be fruitful. We must remain in Him so that He can be the power for us to be a light to the world. We are far more important to God than a light bulb or electrical appliance. He does give us many more chances than we do to a dead light bulb or our electrical appliance that ceases to be reliable for our uses. Jesus is our infinite source of power and if we open ourselves to His power we can become more than a mere light bulb we can become a great searchlight that pierces the heavens and lights up the world, only when Jesus is our power.

In the Gospel this Sunday, Jesus tells us. “I am the true vine and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does He prunes so that it bears more fruit.” Jesus continues, “You are already pruned because of the word 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 in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me.” He reminds us that He is the vine and we are the branches. The Vine grower, God the Father, will come looking for fruit on the branches. We are those branches. What will He do to those branches when He comes and finds they have no grapes on them and that they are not fruitful

Can you think of a time that you knew that the power of Jesus was operating in you to cause others to join His Church like the first Christians did? Does Jesus live in you and you in Him? If so, you are fruitful.