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To make the improving of our own character our central aim is hardly the highest kind of goodness. True goodness forgets itself and goes out to do the right thing for no other reason than that it is right.
- Lesslie Newbigin (1909-1998), Christian Freedom in the Modern World
(As the old saying goes, "the enemy of the best is the good." Therefore, "seek first the reign of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given as well." Mt. 6:33) |
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Acts 15:1-6; Ps 122:1-2, 3-4ab,
4cd-5
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 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."
USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture |
“He prunes away every barren branch, but the fruitful ones He trims clean to increase their
yield.” —John 15:2 A glance at Scripture paints a picture of the Lord as a rather inconsistent Farmer. First, He goes crazy with the pruning shears, snipping off everything in sight, both fruitful and barren branches (Jn 15:2). In the next scene, the Lord cuts nothing at all. He refuses to cut weeds which threaten the fruitfulness of the adjoining wheat (Mt 13:29-30). Then the Lord allows an
unproductive fig tree to go yet another year without fruit, so that it can have one more year of extra-special care (Lk 13:8ff). Next, He curses a fig tree without fruit, so that it instantly withers up (Mt 21:19). Finally, He allows unfruitful tenant farmers to treat Him with contempt for years, kill His messengers and even His Son (Mt 21:34ff). The main point in these seemingly incongruous
Scriptures is that the Father is the Vinegrower (Jn 15:1). God knows the proper actions to take in each situation and in each person’s life. If we are being painfully pruned, it’s tempting to compare our situation to others whom God treats with tolerance (cf Mt 20:12). We do better to respond with gratitude for His every action, painful or gentle. We do well to rejoice whenever God shows patience and compassion to those less fruitful than ourselves. We should praise Him instantly when He treats
others more mercifully, praying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever” (Ps 136:1ff). “Trust in Him at all times” (Ps 62:9). Prayer: Father, I will trust in You with all my heart and rely not on my own intelligence (Prv 3:5). Promise: “He who lives in Me and I
in him, will produce abundantly, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” —Jn 15:5 Presentation Ministries
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-Readings from Jesus Alive in Our Lives, by Philip St. Romain. Ave Maria Press, 1985. Contemplative Ministries, Inc. 2011. Part One, Chapter 5: Courage to Live - Selected
quotes Belief in the resurrection can go quite far in helping us overcome our fear of death. We must not stop at that point, however. The prospect of our own individual resurrection should make us bold in living life in the here and now. The reticence and mediocrity spawned by the fear of death must be swept away now, for there is really nothing to fear. If we really
believe in the resurrection, we must become more willing to lay down our lives for the sake of love, truth and justice in this world now.
Christians who have made a committed effort to live close to Christ actually claim to experience an ever-deepening intimacy with God throughout the years. Their belief in life after death and a fuller life in Christ becomes a conviction so strong as to dispel
almost completely all fear and insecurity from their hearts. Gradually, death might even be anticipated, the joys of heaven bringing consolation even in this life. For the Christian, the resurrection of Jesus shows that nothing—not even death—can separate the believer from the love of God poured out in Jesus Christ (Rm 8:38-39).
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