Fifth Sunday of Easter
May 3, 2015
Gospel (Jn 15:1-8)
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 (1) so that it
bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to
you. Remain (2) 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. 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. 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. By this is my Father glorified (3), that you bear much fruit and become my
disciples.”
The difficult
words
(1) To prune is to cut back branches so that a tree or plant grows
faster and produces more fruit.
(2) To remain means to stay.
(3) To be glorified is to be given honor, praise, and splendor.
This week’s
spotlight
Saint John’s letters
John wrote one of the
Gospels and possibly the Book of Revelation (the last book of the Bible). We
also think he (or one of his disciples) wrote three letters. These letters were
written for believers living in that part of the world which is now called
Greece, Turkey, and Syria. John, who knew Jesus, reminds them that followers of
Jesus must live by the law of love. Doing so brings them into a new
relationship with God - the covenant. It is up to each person to engrave this
law of love on his or her heart.
The blood of Christ
During the offertory,
before he consecrates the bread and wine, the priest takes the chalice into
which he or the deacon has poured wine and a little water. He raises the
chalice up to God and asks that we may be united with Christ in the same way
the water blends with the wine. We believe that God sends his Holy Spirit upon
this offering so that the wine truly becomes the blood of Christ. The body and
blood of Jesus is fully present in both the consecrated bread and the wine.
Even if we only receive the host at communion, we still receive both Christ's
body and blood, and share in his death and resurrection.
Reflection
My friend
Jesus
During his life on earth, Jesus chose the disciples he
would live with. As the months went on, they became friends. But today, how can
one be friends with Jesus when he is in heaven? To build a friendship with
Jesus, there are many things you can do. One way to get close to him is by
reading and listening to the Gospel. This is where Jesus tells us so many
things about his life and his love for all people. In the Gospels, you can get
to know Jesus in the same way that you make a new friend, and ask many
questions about his or her life. However, some things in the Gospel are
difficult to understand. God himself helps us understand when we ask priests or
catechism teachers our questions. The more effort we make, the more the Gospel
becomes clear and simple. The words of Jesus in the Gospels nourish our spirits
just like food nourishes our bodies. His word gives us strength to live like
Christ. Living in Jesus means telling him: Lord, I want to live and to love
just like you lived and loved! I want to do this for me, but even more, I want
to do it for you and for others!
Discussion questions
1.According to the
Gospel, who is the true vine?
2.Who is the vine
grower?
3.Who is the branch?
4.Why does the branch
need to remain in the vine?
5.What happens to the branch
that not remains in the vine?
6.What are the rewards
for those who remain in Jesus?
7.What do you think is
the best way to stay connected to God?
Praying after Communion
After receiving Holy Communion, you can say this prayer silently to yourself. If you
have not yet
received your First Communion, you can still say this prayer because of your desire to
receive Jesus.
Father, through Jesus, in communion with the whole
Church, I thank you for coming into my heart. You have nourished me with the
body and blood of your Son, Jesus. Help me to live out this communion with
Jesus by loving others as he did. Help all people to believe in you and to live
by your law of love.
Crossword Puzzle
