FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER (John 15:1-8) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

READING OF THE DAY

First reading from the Acts of the Apostles

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.

Second reading from the First Letter of John

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.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to John

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."

FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER - (John 15:1-8)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

In God's Word today, God the Father calls on all humanity: to follow the example of Jesus Christ, and how He was close with God the Father. Today, facing the powerful temptation of Satan, God the Father calls mankind to unite with Him through holding tightly to the Words of Jesus Christ, the Word that brings eternal life to mankind.

God the Father was pleased with the faith of the early apostles. Even though they encountered difficulties, trials, were persecuted, condemned, and killed, they remained faithful in following Jesus Christ; and maintained their faith in His death and resurrection. And always firmly believe that: thanks to His resurrection, mankind can live forever.

Therefore, thanks to the power of the apostles' love for the Divine Teacher, God made the primitive community grow stronger, and more numerous believers who followed Jesus Christ. This is the power to defeat Satan when people have unity, love, and obedience to all the Words of God the Father; when people believe absolutely in the only Son of God the Father descending down to earth as a human, believing in the sacrifice, death, and His resurrection to save all humanity.

In God's Word today, God the Father also calls all humanity: to cling tightly to His teachings, which will bring eternal life to humans. Just as Jesus himself was intimately linked, becoming one with God the Father. So today, God the Father calls mankind to firmly hold onto Jesus Christ like a grape branch attached to the grapevine. In order to bear many fruits, grape branches and grapevines must unite, must become one, must have strong linkage, and exchange mutual support.

On the other hand, for the grape branches to be healthy and bring good fruit, the grape grower must know how to fertilize the grape stems, providing the necessary food, and enough for the grape vines to grow and be full of life. The Word of God today wants to tell humanity: that the vine grower is the image of God the Father. God the Father is the One who gives blessings to humans and to all creatures He created. Thus, for humans to have eternal life like a branch of a vine receiving sap from it, then humans must receive the sap of life from the body of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is the only Son of God the Father who was sent down to earth as a human to save all humanity. He and God the Father are one. People must hold onto His Word and put it into practice to gain eternal life.

God the Father calls mankind to be alert to Satan's temptations, because they will find every way to separate the branch from the vine, they will find every way to separate people from God the Father; between humans and His Word, Jesus Christ's death and resurrection. God the Father wants people to be aware of their temptations, determined to be loyal to God the Father until the last breath, to hold tightly to His Word and put it into practice. Because the Word is life and is necessary food for humans. Without the nourishing Word of Life, man will wither and die eternally with Satan.