Fifth Sunday of Easter (B)

 

May 2, 2021                                                              

Readings:

First Reading: Acts of the Apostles 9: 26-31

Psalm 22: “I will praise you, Lorde, in the assembly of your people.”

Second Reading: 1 John 3: 18-24

Gospel reading according to John 15: 1-8

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Homily: 

Last Sunday, (Fourth Sunday of Easter, April 25), Jesus presented himself as Good Shepherd.  This Sunday, Jesus is now presenting himself as “true vine,” while God his Father is the “vine grower,” while we are the “branches” that cling to the vine, to Jesus Christ.  We have all relationships with the Son and the Father [with the Holy Spirit].  He taught his disciples of another reality or persona of God the Father and of himself.  He is the true vine and the Father is the vine grower.   “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 every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit’.” (John 15: 1-2).  We, Jesus’ disciples, he called us branches, are in relation with the vine.  We are attached to him, so we bear much fruit.  But not all branches are attached to the vine, therefore they do not produce fruit.  In order to produce more fruit, the Father cut the branches off in every vine, especially those branches that do not bear fruit, and those branches that bear fruit God prunes them so that they bear much fruit.  The vine grower, God the Father, cuts off the branch that does not produce fruit, meaning if we are like driftwood which no longer produces fruit of good works we are just like waste, trash and useless branches that need to be taken away from the vine.  When we are pruned, we become humble, for we allow others to grow.

Through Jesus’ words of the Father, we are already cleansed the moment we receive his word of life.  If we listened and acted upon what Jesus said to us we are already cleansed, pruned. “’You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you’.” (John 15: 3).  Because of the word spoken to us by Jesus we are trimmed from our sinful inclinations and deafness, instead we are led to goodness and truth.  The word of Jesus gives life and grace. His words made us clean, for it purified our mind, soul and body.  His words made us clean, for his word is Spirit and life.

Jesus, our true vine, is always with us.  He also wanted us to be with him.  The best way to become truthful followers is to continue attaching ourselves to the true vine, Jesus Christ, as he promised, “’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’.” (John 15: 4).  Like the branches of grapes, they cannot produce fruit if they are detached from the vine.  But if the branches are attached or clinging to the vine, there is a possibility that they bear fruit, and when they prune much fruit they will produce. Every achievement we have is useless if it is apart from him. Sometimes, our lives are experiencing many problems, troubles, etc., as if there is heavy rain or typhoons that devastated us, the vineyard; it is natural that the branches are broken and detached to the vine and flown away when natural disasters come in.  Despite heavy rain and/or typhoons (problems and trials of life), by the true vine it wanted the branch to remain on the vine.  

This is the truth that Jesus was teaching to his disciples, “’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’.” (John 15: 5).  Jesus is the vine in our lives, and we are the branches dependent to him.  Without Jesus in our lives, we cannot do anything. We cannot do much according to our own capacity, but with Jesus, nothing is impossible.

Jesus explained to his disciples the importance of lingering in him and those who detach from him.  “’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’.” (John 15: 6-7).  As branches in the vine, we must remain attached to it, otherwise we wither and die and throw away fitted for firewood in the furnace.  Our relationship with God and to Jesus depends upon our loyalty and faithfulness to them.  And this is the fruit of being attached with the vine.  “’By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples’.” (John 15: 8).  The Father is glorified because we bear much fruit and we are true disciples of Jesus Christ, the true vine.