Deacon Tom Anthony

Fifth Sunday of Easter
Lectionary: 53

Reading 1 Acts 9:26-31

When Saul arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples,
but they were all afraid of him,
not believing that he was a disciple.
Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles,
and he reported to them how he had seen the Lord,
and that he had spoken to him,
and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.
He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem,
and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord.
He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists,
but they tried to kill him.
And when the brothers learned of this,
they took him down to Caesarea
and sent him on his way to Tarsus.

The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace.
It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord,
and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit it grew in numbers.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32

R. (26a) I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will fulfill my vows before those who fear the LORD.
The lowly shall eat their fill;
they who seek the LORD shall praise him:
"May your hearts live forever!"
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
All the ends of the earth
shall remember and turn to the LORD;
all the families of the nations
shall bow down before him.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
To him alone shall bow down
all who sleep in the earth;
before him shall bend
all who go down into the dust.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
And to him my soul shall live;
my descendants shall serve him.
Let the coming generation be told of the LORD
that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born
the justice he has shown.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2 1 Jn 3:18-24

Children, let us love not in word or speech
but in deed and truth.
Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth
and reassure our hearts before him
in whatever our hearts condemn,
for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us,
we have confidence in God
and receive from him whatever we ask,
because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
And his commandment is this:
we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,
and love one another just as he commanded us.
Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them,
and the way we know that he remains in us
is from the Spirit he gave us.

Alleluia Jn 15:4a, 5b

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain in me as I remain in you, says the Lord.
Whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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 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."

My Brothers and Sisters,

 A conversion experience does not happen once in a lifetime. We all have the potential to encounter these continuously if we keep Jesus Christ central in our lives. These can be considered constant maintenance which will then lead to a more fulfilling life. A singular experience with Jesus Christ cannot lead to a perfect life or constant joy. The focus must be daily experiences with corrections and adjustments throughout. The closer we come to Jesus, the more temptations and obstacle we will encounter as opposition to it. Each of these negatives can actually be turned into a positive as they are overcome with the help of Jesus.

Take Paul for example. On the Road to Damascus, he encountered Jesus Christ and was transformed. Eventually, he went up to Jerusalem to join the disciples but was rejected. They did not trust him and were afraid of him. To many, this could have been considered an insurmountable situation. No one believed him. He was considered unworthy and was alienated. Loneliness leads to despair which can then lead to defeat. It was Barnabas who interceded on his behalf and brought him to the Apostles. Jesus does put people in our lives to guide us to hope and victory. Each encounter we have, as small as it may seem to be, has the capability to lead to something greater through Jesus Christ. Nobody and nothing is considered insignificant when Jesus Christ is at its center. We just need to trust that we will be guided correctly. Small corrections are to key to a greater ideal and enlightenment.

Jesus describes us as branches and God as the vine grower. As branches, as we start to grow in our faith, we all have the potential to bear fruit if are just open to what is being offered to us which is the Love of God. The nourishment comes from Sacred Scripture, worship, and a readiness to be loved. This fruit is our own reaction to what is being presented to us. If we resist it, like many before us, then we will eventually wither and die. If we accept it, we will then yield a bountiful harvest. From these fruits we bear, other people will feed off of us and will then bear their own fruit in a shared experience. There is no rejection here. There is no judgment or pre-selection. Every branch is treated equally and given the same opportunity to grow. The nourishment flows through the vine and the vine grower cares for everything with a tenderness that nothing else can match.

When we find ourselves affected by the presence of Jesus Christ in our lives, it is only the beginning. We will be challenged as the war between the Spirit and the Flesh rages within us. With Jesus Christ, we have the greatest champion on our side. He encourages us, advises us, and defends us when we fall. He is always ready to pull us back to our feet if only we take His hand when it is being offered to us. It is through these challenges that we are able to become stronger in our faith and can come to a true understanding of this pure love that surrounds us. This love is what enables us to live a new life and throw away all of our old ways doing things.

 Just like cleaning out a basement or fixing up an old house, nothing is accomplished overnight. And just like the growth of a branch, it does not bear fruit in an instant. These things take time and dedication. Even though this is the case, the changes can be seen day by day, hour by hour, and minute by minute. Just like watching the sun rise or set, the entire process takes time but all of it can be experienced and enjoyed.

Deacon Tom