John 15:1-8
"For apart from Christ you can do nothing."
Chapter 15 of John's gospel clearly teaches who we are in relation to Christ: He is our Lord and our Life, and we are His followers. He is the Vine, and we are the branches. A branch can produce fruit abundantly only if it lives connected to the vine. So it is with our Christian life. If we live in Christ, and He in us, we can produce good works, that will make our life or vocation pleasing to both God and man.
The vine-branches imagery presented in John 15:1-8 was also reflected upon by the French missionary, St. Louis-Marie de Montfort in his book "True Devotion to Mary". In True Devotion #68, he writes:
"...the Holy Spirit compares us to branches of the vine of which Jesus is the stem, and from whom we yield good grapes."
This "good grapes" are our "good works". And our good works, according to Montfort, belong to God, who created us for that very purpose. "Jesus is the sole source and must be the sole end for all our good works".
Although our goal in life is to make our life, person and works fruitful and abundant in all that is good and right (for God, the common good, and our own personal good), there will be times in our life when fruitlessness and barrenness seem to dominate. It is a truth and a fact of life. But the counsel in today's gospel will help us overcome those situations. As long as we call on the Lord for His help, set our heart right, and never depart from Him, then in time, He will make all that we worked hard for produce a good harvest. The key is to remain steadfast with the Lord - to have faith in His Word and thank Him always for His blessings in our prayers and in the celebration of the Sacraments.
Sunday, May 06, 2012
Sunday, April 29, 2012
"There shall be one flock then, one shepherd."
John 10:11-18
"There shall be one flock then, one shepherd."
"There shall be one flock then, one shepherd."
Chapter 10 of John's gospel, is Jesus' "good Shepherd" discourse. The chapter tells us what a Good Shepherd is through Jesus good example. Jesus uses shepherd imagery that is familiar to His audience as a platform for good leadership. And for Jesus', good leadership, like the Good Shepherd does not leave His flock at the "sight of the wolf". He does not abandon the sheep and leave them to be scattered. Only a hired hand does that. But as the good Shepherd, Jesus gathers His sheep into one fold, and readies Himself to lay down His very life for them. We are the Lord's sheep, and He is always ready to be at our side whenever danger arises.
Probably the best example for our generation of one who imitated the Lord well is Bl. John Paul II. During his long papal vocation, Bl. John Paul II was able to gather into one flock the world's religious leaders of various faith denominations and lead them to pray for peace in Assisi, Italy. He was able to shepherd into one flock those who believe in the universal values of prayer and peace. Bl. John Paul II exemplified well Christ's role as the Good Shepherd, by completing his papal term until the end, despite the difficulties he experienced in his health.
"There shall be one flock then, one shepherd."
Probably the best example for our generation of one who imitated the Lord well is Bl. John Paul II. During his long papal vocation, Bl. John Paul II was able to gather into one flock the world's religious leaders of various faith denominations and lead them to pray for peace in Assisi, Italy. He was able to shepherd into one flock those who believe in the universal values of prayer and peace. Bl. John Paul II exemplified well Christ's role as the Good Shepherd, by completing his papal term until the end, despite the difficulties he experienced in his health.
"There shall be one flock then, one shepherd."
This prophecy in the gospel began to be realized by the many missionary journeys Bl. John Paul did to promote the gospel of peace. He not only called the Church to be one, holy, Catholic and apostolic, but also called others who do not belong to the Catholic flock. The Catholic Church has always been working for Christian unity and interreligious dialogue since the Second Vatican Council. The example of Bl. John Paul and the Lord's prayer for unity (also found in the gospel of John) is an example and a prayer each of us, in his own way, can include in his way of life and work. Not only big things, but even small things count. If each person were to work for unity in their respective states of life and in the secular settings of family and work, then each one can contribute very well to the fruition of our Lord's prayer for "one flock" that prays and works for the cause of peace in the world.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
"Recall those words I spoke to you when I was still with you."
Luke 24:35-48
"Recall those words I spoke to you when I was still with you."
This gospel passage from Luke presents a second appearance of Jesus to His followers. In this second appearance, the two disciples on the way to Emmaus were also present with the others. The two "Emmaus" disciples were sharing their experience to the bigger community, when Jesus appeared again to all of them. All of them were frightened because they thought Jesus was a ghost. But when Jesus showed them His wounds and asked for food, this reassured them and dispelled all their fear. The Lord Jesus then said: "Recall those words I spoke to you. He continued to explain the prophecies concerning His passion, death and resurrection, and opened their minds to the understanding of the Scriptures."
Bible scholar Jerome Neyrey, author of "The Resurrection Stories", says that gospel-writer Luke likes to structure sections of his gospel in "two's":
"Recall those words I spoke to you when I was still with you."
This gospel passage from Luke presents a second appearance of Jesus to His followers. In this second appearance, the two disciples on the way to Emmaus were also present with the others. The two "Emmaus" disciples were sharing their experience to the bigger community, when Jesus appeared again to all of them. All of them were frightened because they thought Jesus was a ghost. But when Jesus showed them His wounds and asked for food, this reassured them and dispelled all their fear. The Lord Jesus then said: "Recall those words I spoke to you. He continued to explain the prophecies concerning His passion, death and resurrection, and opened their minds to the understanding of the Scriptures."
Bible scholar Jerome Neyrey, author of "The Resurrection Stories", says that gospel-writer Luke likes to structure sections of his gospel in "two's":
there are two annunciation stories (to Zechariah and to Mary),
two birth narratives (John the Baptist and Jesus),
two trials of Jesus (before the Sanhedrin and before Pilate),
and also two stories on Jesus' appearances to His followers (to the Emmaus disciples and to the apostles).
As regards the two risen appearances of Jesus, Neyrey says there is an added difference to the 2nd resurrection story: Jesus formally commissions His followers to preach the words He spoke to them. They are to preach the word for the remission of sins beginning in Jerusalem and then to all nations. ("Recall those words I spoke to you when I was still with you.")
The Risen Lord's commission to preach the gospel was given not only to the apostles and His disciples but to all in the Church. Since the majority of Catholics are lay people and do not preach in the manner of the clergy, it is by virtue of one's baptismal consecration that all can contribute to the mission of bringing the gospel everywhere. The clergy cannot do this, especially in the secular settings were the lay people work: small business, in the retail industry, banks, telecom and tech corporations, and in logistical operations. But the spirit of the gospel can be brought to these very settings by the laity. When lay people commit themselves to following Christ, they can show generosity, kindness and mercy. Forgiving each others' offenses is probably the most "gospel" of all the actions we can do to one another.
The Risen Lord's commission to preach the gospel was given not only to the apostles and His disciples but to all in the Church. Since the majority of Catholics are lay people and do not preach in the manner of the clergy, it is by virtue of one's baptismal consecration that all can contribute to the mission of bringing the gospel everywhere. The clergy cannot do this, especially in the secular settings were the lay people work: small business, in the retail industry, banks, telecom and tech corporations, and in logistical operations. But the spirit of the gospel can be brought to these very settings by the laity. When lay people commit themselves to following Christ, they can show generosity, kindness and mercy. Forgiving each others' offenses is probably the most "gospel" of all the actions we can do to one another.
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