Fifth Sunday of Easter. -Year B - Sunday, 28 April 2024 (EPISODE:476)

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 Illustration ID: 2308668371 - Jesus Teaches on the Mountain. Illustration Contributor: Vuk Kostic
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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, 28 April 2024 - by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-fifth-sunday-of-easter-year-b-episode-476/s-QNq0JOxIRmU  
(EPISODE:476)
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Homily: Fifth Sunday of Easter.Year B- Sunday, 28 April 2024

One of my all-time favourite images in the New Testament writings, is this concept of us "abiding"  or living in God,  and God abiding and living in us…..   It is mentioned several times, including in John's Gospel but also in John's letters and other New Testament letters*

Can we picture a more deep 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 the profound concept of communion in the widest sense of that word.   
Inspired by these wonderful readings this weekend…..
To me, 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 and openly and regularly look back at our decisions, our actions and our values and see how they match with God's love. 
Stillness, to allow God to be present to us and speak to our listening and attentive hearts......
Oneness, we are called to unity with God and each other!!

We are all invited to be disciples and friends of Jesus…… 
The word "Disciple" means "one who learns"…… which is really
a very good thing. 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 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…… we abide in each other……. 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 can bear much fruit, by God working in and through our lives………
The connection of this image of the vine and branches… can't help but highlight the importance of Eucharist. In Eucharist, Jesus comes to us in the form of food and drink…. we take Jesus in and he becomes part of us….. so that we may become more like Christ in our words and actions. and lives…
At this time, many young ones all around the world are preparing in their parishes to receive their first holy communion …..
this Gospel we heard today is very special because it shows us that we are all connected the Our Lord.....   We are friends and members of  Jesus.

Whenever we gather at Mass, we come together as disciples and friends of Jesus and we do as Our Lord taught us to do...  we take and eat the bread of life... and we drink of the chalice of  the Lord's blood.  And we believe that this is not just a SIGN of our connection to Jesus, but it actually joins us to Jesus...  like the branches are necessarily joined to the vine..........  We also believe by receiving Jesus in this way.....  God renews us, forgives us, unites us and commissions us… we believe that Jesus comes to us in this receiving of his body and blood in Eucharist......, that Jesus is really present in this sacrament, and that Jesus comes into our hearts and we become more and more part of Jesus' life…. (we become the branches of a heavenly plant… and Jesus is the life-giving and living vine)……..and then we go out into our daily lives to live his commandments to show God's love and care for each other in practical ways…

"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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References:

Fr Paul W. Kelly

* https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Abiding-In-Christ 

Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Illustration ID: 2308668371 - Jesus Teaches on the Mountain. Illustration Contributor: Vuk Kostic


Fifth Sunday of Easter.  Year B  -(Sunday, 28 April 2024)  (EPISODE:476)
The Lord be with you.
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{{May God's Spirit of  Wisdom and Awe abide in you.}} welcome everyone, we gather -  To offer or praise, prayers and intercessions to our loving God On this Fifth Sunday of Easter.

As we begin the Holy Eucharist, let us acknowledge our sinfulness, so as to worthily celebrate the sacred mysteries.
option two on the cards Have mercy on us, O Lord. For we have sinned against you. Show us, O Lord, your mercy. And grant us your salvation.
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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Ps 22:26-27, 28+30, 31-32. "I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people."

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.
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PREFACE: Easter 4
Eucharistic Prayer 2
(theme variation: theme 2 )

(post version: v2-long)

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{9. heartfelt thanks to you all ,for uniting in prayer and for reflection, upon God's overflowing goodness and care.}

2. Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.

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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:  https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

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.

"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.

"Quiet Time."  Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.

Sound Engineering and editing - P.W. Kelly.

Microphones: - Shure Motiv MV5 Digital Condenser. And (2024+) Rode Nt-1 + AI-1 Sound Mixer.

Editing equipment:    -- MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software v10.49 (NCH Software).

NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 17.63 (NCH Software)

Sound Processing:  iZotope RX 10 Audio Editor (Izotope Inc.)

[Production -  KER -  2024]

May God bless and keep you.
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