St. Augustine of Canterbury Parish
Theme:
“I am the vine, you are the branches.
Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit,
because apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
It is often said when luck is at your side, everything will work well for you. In the same
vein, when God is at our side, everything will go well for us. When the Spirit of God is at
our side, we might bear much fruit in the inspirations of the Spirit. During this Fifth week
of Easter, Jesus reminds us that we are made to bear fruits if we abide in him, and if he
abides in us: “I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them
bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). This is amazing
invitation of Jesus to all of us to bear fruit in him. This call to bear fruits is precisely
enunciated in the words of the preparation of the gifts during the daily Mass in order to
re-active this solemn invitation of the risen Christ:
“Priest:
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
for through your goodness we have received
the bread we offer you:
fruit of the earth and work of human hands,
it will become for us the bread of life.
People: Blessed be God forever
Priest:
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
for through your goodness we have received
the wine we offer you:
fruit of the vine and work of human hands,
it will become our spiritual drink.
People: Blessed be God for ever.” (Roman Catholic Mass, Preparation of the gifts)
But the question is, do we allow Jesus to be the vine so that we might be branches in
order to bear the right fruits? Do we allow Jesus to be the tree so that we might be his
branches? Do we allow God to guide our growth as the vinegrower? What will happen if
plants, trees and flowers decide they do not need soil or earth to grow? How are we going
to celebrate Mass if the vine does not produce win, and if the wheat does not produce the
fruits for the bread? This is why Jesus reminds us:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower.
He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit.
Every branch that bears fruit
he prunes to make it bear more fruit.
You have already been cleansed
by the word that I have spoken to you.
Abide in me as I abide in you.
Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself
unless it abides in the vine,
neither can you unless you abide in me.” (John 15:1-4)
What will happen if plants, trees and flowers decide that they longer need the rain, the
sunshine and good soil to grow? In this case, the food chain will be a disaster. So if ever
we try to bear fruit in life without God, let us remember that God provides the best
spiritual soil, context and conditions to bear favorable fruits. If ever we prefer to bear
fruit without the risen Christ, let us remember that the risen Christ is the vine or the tree
on which our growth is fruitful. Yes, the risen Christ is the tree of the cross that won for
us the fruit of redemption. The risen Christ is the new tree on which the temptations of
the serpent of the garden of Eden have been defeated. The risen Christ is the tree of the
garden of the resurrection with regard to the garden of Eden. If ever we try to bear fruit
without the risen Christ, let us remember that our life might wither in the course of time,
or we might throw away our precious life:
“I am the vine, you are the branches.
Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit,
because apart from me you can do nothing.
Whoever does not abide in me
is thrown away like a branch and withers;
such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” (John 15:5-6)
During this Fifth week of Easter, the risen Christ invites us to allow his words to abide in
us so that his words might nourish our growth. The risen Christ invites us to be his
disciples so that we might glorify God in the fruits we bear:
“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you,
ask for whatever you wish,
and it will be done for you.
My Father is glorified by this,
that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.” (John 15:7-8)
What will happen if orange trees decide to bear false fruits of potatoes? What will happen
if lettuce decides to grow onions? What will happen if the vine decides to bear
dandelions, and if the wheat decides to yield ragweed? In this case, everything will be
upside down. During this Fifth week of Easter, the readings summon us to grow in love
of God in truth and action so that we bear authentic fruits such that our hearts might not
condemn:
“Little children, let us love,
not in word or speech, but in truth and action.
And by this we will know that we are from the truth
and will reassure our hearts before him
whenever our hearts condemn us;
for God is greater than our hearts,
and God knows everything.
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us,
we have boldness before God;
and we receive from him whatever we ask,
because we obey his commandments and do what pleases God.” (1 John 3:18-22)
During this Fifth Sunday of Easter, the readings encourage us to obey the teachings of
Jesus Christ and to believe in his name so that his spirit might guide us:
“And this is God’s commandment,
that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ
and love one another, just as he has commanded us.
All who obey his commandments abide in him,
and he abides in them.
And by this we know that he abides in us,
by the Spirit that he has given us.” (1 John 3:23-24)
During this Fifth week of Easter, the readings encourage us to be like Barnabas so that
we might take away suspicion, fear, doubt, and disbelief whenever we proclaim the
words of God:
“When Saul had come to Jerusalem,
he attempted to join the disciples;
and they were all afraid of him,
for they did not believe that he was a disciple.
But Barnabas took him,
brought him to the apostles,
and described for them how on the road he had seen the Lord,
who had spoken to him,
and how in Damascus Saul had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.” (Acts 9:26-27)
This Fifth week of Easter, the readings encourage us to protect the growth of the
community in peace, in the comfort of the Spirit, and in reverence:
“So Saul went in and out among them in Jerusalem,
speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.
He spoke and argued with the Hellenists;
but they were attempting to kill him.
When the believers learned of it,
they brought Saul down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
Meanwhile the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria
had peace and was built up.
Living in the fear of the Lord
and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit,
it increased in numbers.” (Acts 9:28-31)
If ever we prefer to bear fruit without the risen Christ, let us remember that the risen
Christ is the vine or the tree on which our growth is fruitful. Yes, the risen Christ is the
tree of the cross that won for us the fruit of redemption. The risen Christ is the new tree
on which the temptations of the serpent of the garden of Eden have been defeated. The
risen Christ is the tree of the garden of the resurrection in contrast to the garden of Eden.
During this Fifth week of Easter, let us ensure that our community of the people of God
increase in numbers in the comfort of the Spirit so that we might bear authentic fruits. Let
us allow God to be the foundation and background of our growth so that we might bear
fruits in truth and action. Let the risen Christ be the tree on which we grow as branches so
that we might bear the right fruits of his resurrection.