Author: admin

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Gospel: John 15: 12-17

Jesus said to his disciples:
“This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I no longer call you slaves,
because a slave does not know what his master is doing.
I have called you friends,
because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you
and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.
This I command you: love one another.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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There are two essential truths found in today’s Gospel, drawn from Christ’s final night on earth. 

First, it is not we who have chosen him; rather, it is Christ who has chosen us. God, in his infinite mercy, calls us to life – not only here and now, but in the life to come.

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Secondly, the Lord no longer calls us slaves, but his friends. This is a radical shift in our understanding of God. In the Old Testament, to be considered a slave, or servant, of God was a title of the highest honor.

For example, Moses – one of the greatest prophets – is referred to as the “slave,” or servant, of the Lord. So is his direct successor, Joshua. Even King David, the greatest of Jewish kings before Christ, calls himself God’s servant.

Saint Paul uses the same title in the New Testament in reference to ministry. 

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And yet, the Lord says to us today, “I no longer call you slaves, but friends.”

This word, friend, had a very particular meaning during Christ’s lifetime. Roman emperors gifted this title – friend of the emperor – to a very select few who ranked higher than his own servants, advisors, even his generals.

“Friends” of the emperor were granted unlimited access. They could enter his bedchamber before sunrise. They were his inner circle and, ultimately, had access to his heart.

This is the type of intimacy which Jesus offers.

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More than Moses, Joshua, even King David, we who call upon the name of the Lord in faith at any hour of the day will be heard, “for whatever you ask in my name,” Jesus says, “I will do it” (John 14: 13-14).

We are his friends.

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Image credits: (1) Pinterest (2) Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet, Ford Madox Brown (3) The Hope Filled Road

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Gospel: John 15: 9-11

Jesus said to his disciples:
“As the Father loves me, so I also love you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,
just as I have kept my Father’s commandments
and remain in his love.

“I have told you this so that
my joy might be in you and
your joy might be complete.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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One of the more interesting books I’ve read lately is titled, A Rabbi Talks With Jesus, by Jacob Neusner, an influential Jewish voice in America today.

In his book, Rabbi Neusner imagines himself dialoging with Jesus throughout the Lord’s public ministry as he tries to answer for himself, “Are you the long-awaited Messiah?”

In the end, Neusner follows Jesus to the entrance of Jerusalem, knowing that the Lord is about to be crucified. But he cannot go any further.

Neusner concludes his book with the words, “I wished him well, and I went home.” He sees Jesus as a great moral teacher, but not as the Messiah.

How many of our contemporaries are like him? They’ve heard the heart of the Gospel message, but remain unconvinced of its power to save.

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In today’s Gospel, Jesus urges his followers to “remain” in his love. What does that command mean for us, and what impact might it have on others?

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There are two dimensions.

The first is contemplative. The Lord calls his followers to strengthen the inner sanctuary of their own hearts – that place where we dialogue with him, sharing our questions, concerns, doubt, and, yes, love for him.

We must strengthen our own faith while sharing it with others. As the old saying goes, “You cannot give what you do not have.”

That personal intimacy with Christ thrusts us out into the world, showing others who Jesus is by word and deed, revealing what difference he’s made in our own lives.

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If we “remain” with the Lord by studying his Word, praying daily, and nourishing our hearts with the Eucharist, then we will draw others to Christ.

Even people like Rabbi Neusner – people of good will and deep faith, but who long to see an authentic Christian witness.

Try to be that person. As the old saying goes, “Preach always. Only when necessary, use words.”

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Image credits: (1) Road to Emmaus, Fritz von Uhde (2) All Israel News (3) SweetwaterNOW

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Gospel: John 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 everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.
You are already pruned because of the word that 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 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,
that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Today’s Gospel offers two simple lessons in the spiritual life:

Bear fruit, and be pruned.

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The first is the easier of the two: bear fruit. 

Do good in the world. Love. Forgive. Be generous, kind, compassionate, merciful. Follow the teachings of Christ.

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The second is more challenging: be pruned.

Most plants have two types of branches – those that are fruitful and those that are withering.

Withering branches are the dark, limp ones. They must be pruned because they sap energy from the vine while bearing no fruit. It’s a fascinating truth: withering branches take energy to die.

I’m sure we can all find a withering branch or two in our hearts, which must be nipped: a grudge, anger, jealousy, selfishness, a certain temptation, or an unhealthy relationship. Things that sap our energy without giving anything back.

Christ, the Divine Gardener, wants to prune these through prayer and the Sacraments.

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Then there are fruitful branches. Even these must be pruned in order to bear more fruit. Meaning, sometimes we have to give up things that are “good” for things that are “great.”

For example, sometimes we need to trim our social or sports schedules in order to make more time for Mass and personal prayer. 

We may need to cut back on household expenses in order to give more away. 

We may need to nip our appetites to remind ourselves of our deepest hungers.

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Bear fruit. Be pruned.

May Jesus, the Divine Gardener, continue working on our hearts today.

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Image credits: (1) Today Daily Devotional (2) Sword of the Spirit (3) The Artist’s Garden, Claude Monet