“Remain in me, as I also remain in you.” – John 15:4

       My father passed away in October 2012. A year and a half later, I would still cry whenever I share about him during a talk or a recollection. I’d be surprised to find that I still hadn’t gotten over his death. Then I heard someone on a TV show say, “When someone you love passes away, they stay with you forever. You don’t get over it, you just get through it.”

       The significant things that happen to us in life affect us forever. The high or low of the moment will pass, but after we experience them, we have been changed for good. Although Dad is gone, he will always be with me. Everything I’ve learned from him, all the love he showed me, all the time we spent together — they will always be a part of my life.

       It’s the same with Jesus. I once tried to run away from Him, but it didn’t work. I found myself all the more embraced by His mercy as I broke down in tears on my bathroom floor, feeling His forgiveness and grace.

       Once we allow God to enter our lives, His love makes its home in our hearts. Even if we turn our back on Him and try to forget Him, we can never get rid of His stubborn love. It will remain with us forever. George Tolentino Gabriel (george.g@svrtv.com)

Reflection: Have you ever tried to run away from God’s love? Did you succeed?

Sts. Marian and James, pray for us.

To what degree should a Christian convert follow the Jewish law? A dispute like this can tear the new Christian faith and divide it along Gentile/Jew lines. However, Paul’s argument will win the day. After all, what is the use of old practices in a new faith? It is time for new wineskins as the Gospel teaches us.

1 Some who had come down from Judea were instructing the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice, you cannot be saved.” 2 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. 3 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. 4 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. 5 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.” 6 The Apostles and the presbyters met together to see about this matter.

Psalm 122:1-2, 3-4, 4-5

R: Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

1 I rejoiced because they said to me, “We will go up to the house of the Lord.” 2 And now we have set foot within your gates, O Jerusalem. (R) 3 Jerusalem, built as a city with compact unity. 4 To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord. (R) According to the decree for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. 5 In it are set up judgment seats, seats for the house of David. (R)

Jesus reminds us that God is like a gardener. He prunes and shapes us that we may bear much fruit. He wants us to be fruitful for His Kingdom. That is why we need to bear with the pain of pruning. In the heart of this text are the haunting words, “Without Me, you can do nothing!”

Remain in me, as I remain in you, says the Lord; whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.

1 Jesus said to his disciples: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. 2 He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. 3 You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. 4 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. 5 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. 6 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. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”

think: God wants us to be fruitful for His kingdom.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Joshua 1-4

A WINE OF DELIGHT TO OTHERS

I enjoy listening to my friend’s stories every time I visit him at his vineyard in Australia. I am always amazed at his passion for good and well-maintained vines. He understands the need to prune well and to destroy the vines that are of no use for the produce. You can see sadness in his eyes at the waste of dead vines that produce nothing.

       Jesus is knowledgeable about His heavenly Father. The Father is the Vinedresser, the one who takes care of the vineyards, and Jesus Himself is the true vine. Any branch that bears no fruit, He cuts away. This is very important for the vinedresser because a fruitless branch can easily spread disease and spoil the goodness of the vine. The pruning bears more fruit. If a good branch remains on the vine, good fruit is produced — luscious and juicy, sweet, full grapes! Using this analogy, Jesus goes further to say that you and I are the branches. If we remain connected to the vine, we produce good fruit, in plenty to the extent we remain in the vine. A diseased branch is collected and thrown into the fire.

   See how Jesus desires to connect with us through an intimate relationship. Our oneness with Him produces fruit. Jesus is the one who produces the fruit within if we obey Him. The fruit He talks about is a life of goodness, righteousness and justice. Healthy, good and tasty fruit comes from abiding in Him and listening to His words and doing His will. The grapes are then removed from the branches, harvested and crushed so as to produce tasty wine served for the pleasure of all. We are to be like those grapes, harvested and crushed through our trials and triumphs so as to produce the wine of our lives, spreading joy and love to those we meet. As someone once said, what can one lousy grape do? Imagine, as a lousy grape, you can produce cheer and delight in many lives around you. Fr. Brian Steele, MGL

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Are you connected to the Lord? Do you need cleansing from the disease of sinfulness, bad habits and evil intent?

Lord, may I abide in You and ask of You the grace to bear good fruit in plenty. Amen.