Fifth Sunday of Easter - Year B - 29th April 2018
Jesus says in today’s gospel that if we are cut off from him we can do nothing.
He compared himself to a vine and we are the branches.
Our climate is generally too cold for grapes to grow on the vine tree But we can see the green leaves appearing on the branches of the trees. The cherry blossom and the white colours are everywhere. It is Spring time.
We received a share in God’s life at our baptism.
This gift from God helps me and you to live a life like Jesus.
But Jesus reminds us that we have to be united to him.
Otherwise we can do nothing.
How do we stay united to Jesus?
BY PRAYER—By experiencing the Mercy of God in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, by receiving Jesus in Holy Communion. By caring for members of my family and other people who need my care and love.
The leaves appear on the trees through the power of Nature—created by God. If I want to do anything for God I have to have his life strong in me. God wants us all to be His witness.
He gives us the strength to accept our humanity, our joys and disappointments that we experience in life.
The vocation of a Christian is to be ‘another Christ’.
Anything that we have, anything that we do in our lives is a GIFT FROM GOD.
St Therese of Lisieux was generous with God. Am I?
The challenge for me is to submit to God—to let him take over in my life.
St Ignatius of Loyola use to say—’Do everything as if it depends on you but leave the results to God’.
I think it is all about trusting God.
Fr. Noel Travers C.M.