The vine and the branches - Part 2

It is now the sixth Sunday of Easter and today's gospel reading is a continuation of last Sunday's from John 15: 1-8 on the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ about the vine and the branches. Our Sunday gospel today comes from John 15: 9-17

9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.

14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit-fruit that will last-and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other."

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Since today's gospel is a continuation of last Sunday's gospel, let me repeat the essence of what Jesus Christ taught us when he said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." It is essential we all remain in the love of Jesus otherwise we would fall astray, no longer linked to the vine and as branches that have withered away, we will just be picked up and burned.

In today's gospel message Jesus tell us: "Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." If you are doing something while reading this, stop for a while and reflect on what Jesus told his disciples.

Imagine Jesus saying: "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." God would be joyful if we remain in his love so that we too can experience a joy that is complete. What a wonderful thought that God would be joyful if we are also joyful!

Then the Lord continues with this command, "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." When he said this to his disciples, I'm sure they were clueless as to what the Lord was trying to tell them. Sure it is easy enough to understand these words, but the disciples did not realize that our Lord Jesus was talking about his coming passion and death on the cross, despite the reality that he was innocent of the charges hurled against him. In fact, we know that Jesus was God, but human just like us except in sin. Yet, he came into this world to die so that we shall all live in eternal bliss with God in heaven.

Finally, our Lord Jesus said, "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit-fruit that will last-and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you." Indeed, God chooses those whom he wishes to serve him, even the weakest among us because as he said: "It is when we are weak that we are strong!" Indeed if God is with you and you are with God, even if you are weak, you will still be strong!

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