Readings for Fifth Sunday of Easter. Year B
FIRST READING: Acts 9:26-31
Ps 22:26-27, 28+30, 31-32. "I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people."
SECOND READING: 1 John 3:18-24
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (John 15:4a+5b). Alleluia, alleluia! Live in me, and let me live in you, says the Lord. My branches bear much fruit.
GOSPEL: John 15:1-8
Image Credit: Shutterstock licensed stock vector ID: 402647986 -Floral corner frame with grapevine, grape clusters on a vine tree with a cross, By Thoom
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Please listen to the audio-recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for Fifth Sunday of Easter. Year B - Sunday, May 2, 2021 by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/easter-5b-2020-episode-296/s-gudgsAiuCla (EPISODE: 296)
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* Abiding in God and God Abiding in Us.
The Easter Season continues this weekend. We see the wonderful boldness of the disciples, who fearlessly preach God's word, even in the face of opposition. And we see what a true leader is like. A shepherd cares for and knows their flock, and would give their life for them.
Can we picture a deeper connection than being united with God by means of God dwelling in our hearts and making a home in us, and us in him? This is such a profound concept of communion in the widest sense of that word.
We are all invited to be disciples and friends of Jesus. The word "Disciple" means "one who learns" - Our role is to learn from Jesus. To get to know him, to learn something about his words and his teaching to observe reverently what he nurtures as his deeply-embedded attitudes and values; so that we might capture and nurture that same Spirit, that same inner strength and drive as our teacher possesses by his very nature.
Our Gospel this weekend is that great image of the Vine and the branches. It shows the profound and deep connection we have, and are called to have, with Jesus.
We are called to not only observe and learn about Jesus, but to allow Jesus' and his presence, his message, his attitudes, to become so much part of us that Jesus lives in us, and we live in God and we also, through Christ, abide in one other's hearts. Further, we gain our source, our meaning and our fruitfulness FROM that connection to Christ.
Without Jesus, our efforts are misdirected and fruitless. Connected to Jesus, our actions and efforts bear much fruit, by God working in and through our lives.
The connection of this image of the vine and branches, cannot help but highlight the importance of Eucharist. In Eucharist, Jesus comes to us in the form of food and drink. We take Jesus into our very selves, and Jesus becomes part of us. In turn, we become more and more like Christ in our words and actions and lives.
Inspired by these wonderful readings this weekend, the following things would be a wonderful rule of life, they should constantly be in our thoughts and prayers:
Prayer, and connection to God
Attention to what God is doing in our lives.
Reflection on our lives and actions; to honestly, openly, and regularly look back at our decisions, our actions and our values, in order to see how these match up with God's love.
Stillness, to allow God to be present to us and within us, and speak to our listening and attentive hearts.
Oneness, we are called to unity, (oneness), and communion, with God and one another !!
"I am the vine, says the Lord, and you are the branches…. whoever abides in Jesus and Jesus abides in them, will bear much fruit in their lives."
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Homily – Fr Peter Dillon – Homily- 5th Sunday Easter B 2021
The readings of the Easter season give us statements of identity, our Creed, who God is, who we are, what we believe. Lent was a time for conversion, turning back to God. Easter season is a time for discovering the effects of Jesus' resurrection in our lives.
Christ wrote no books. He left no buildings or monuments behind. Yet he did something far greater and more necessary. He built a community. This was his "monument". His suffering death and ultimate rising, had a profound impact on Christ's disciples. We see them come to a much more confident faith in him as a constant presence in their lives. They form a tightly knit community around the risen Christ. They accepted his challenge, "as the Father sent me, so I send you..." which is the foundation of the mission of the church.
Thomas was the model of the faithful doubter, who sought a resolution for his doubts, and finally came to understand where his questioning led him when he said, 'My Lord and My God'. Last Sunday we discovered Christ as 'the Good Shepherd' offering the model of selfless pastoral care.
Today he offers us a new image, 'I am the true vine, my father is the vine grower, and you are the branches". These metaphors for how we are to live have survived to this day, mainly because we can picture what he was teaching the disciples. More than words, they are images that seem real and relevant in any age. His image of the community as a vine was a simple but profound illustration of unity, closeness and interdependence.
I was fortunate to grow up in an area where the growing of grapes was a large local industry. On many orchards around the town there were vineyards and fruit trees. In fact, my grandfather had a large vineyard and I was very aware of the hard work involved in pruning and preparing the vines for harvesting. Pruning the vines, or 'chipping' as it was called, was a delicate job, because to cut too deeply or carelessly could completely sever a branch from the root, resulting in the withering and ultimate death of the branch. No branch, no fruit.
In spring the branches of the vine teemed with life in the form of leaves and tiny berries, with no resemblance of what they would become in a very short time. In autumn they were loaded with grapes, the fully formed fruit, reading for picking. It was always a time of excitement to see how much could be produced from what had appeared months before to be bare branches.
But just as the branches needed the vine to produce the nourishment, so too the vine needed the branches to produce the fruit. We are those branches which means that Christ also needs us. Together we form a unity. From this we see how great is the trust that Jesus placed in his disciples, and also has placed in us. As inadequate as we might feel, we must never forget that we are attached to that sturdy vine.
One thing I noticed back then was not every vine produced the fullest and juiciest fruit. Some vines were less productive than others. While they all produced some fruit they were of varied quality. My grandfather explained that the less productive vines would get more attention next year. They needed a little more nourishment and fertilising. But he was always hopeful and rarely did he completely remove the vine. This perhaps is a good reminder that Christ didn't ask everyone to be successful, but fruitful. Each of us has some gift, something productive. By developing, using, and sharing that gift with others we become fruitful. It is up to God, the vine to make us fruitful whether we see it or not. If Christ prunes us through trials it is only to make us more fruitful. When we are pruned by suffering, we produce fruit of understanding and compassion.
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References:
homily – fr peter Dillon
Prologue- Fr Paul W. Kelly
https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Abiding-In-Christ
Image Credit: Shutterstock licensed stock vector ID: 402647986 -Floral corner frame with grapevine, grape clusters on a vine tree with a cross, By Thoom
Fifth Sunday of Easter. Year B (Sunday, May 2, 2021) (EPISODE: 296 )
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (or/ The Lord be with You)
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{{May God's Spirit of Knowledge and reverence}}
As we prepare to celebrate the great Sacramental feast of Gods love, let us pause, recall our sins, and trust in Gods infinite mercy.
Lord Jesus, you are mighty God and Prince of peace. Lord have mercy
You are Son of God and the Son of Mary. Christ have mercy
You are Word made flesh, the splendour of the Father. Lord have mercy.
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation
2. When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
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PREFACE: Easter IV
EP II
Communion side. pwk: LH
(theme variation: 3 )
(pre+post variation: 3)
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{My heartfelt thanks to you, for your participation in this time of reflection, prayer and praise. }
Go forth, the Mass is ended.
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Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com
To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here.
NB - It is often a week or so Ahead: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address: paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly
Prayers and chants — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)
Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)
"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins publishers.
Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993) . (Sydney Australia).
Sung "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" - By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The Gloria, Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org.
- "Faith, Hope and Love" theme hymn - in memory of William John Kelly - Inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.
"Quiet Time." Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.
- "Today I Arise" - For Trisha J Kelly. Original words and music by Paul W. Kelly. Inspired by St Patrick's Prayer. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.
[ Production - KER - 2021]
May God bless and keep you.
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