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May 21, 2014

Today’s Gospel has a very mystical tone to it. The reality that Christ
is describing – the oneness of the Christian with Christ, the Christian
living in Christ – is a mystical reality, which we can neither fully
describe nor explain. Christ has revealed to us the fact of our
mystical oneness with him. And with this metaphor, he tries to give us
some insights into what that oneness involves.

In a wondrous manner, while maintaining his individuality and his
personal identity, the Christian remains one with Christ, as the branch
is one with the vine; the Christian lives in Christ, has his being in
Christ, as the branch lives and has its being in the vine. When the
branch produces fruit, it is the vine that is fruitful. So also when
the Christian acts, by some mysterious alchemy of divine Providence, it
is, in reality, Christ who is acting. And as the branch cannot bear
fruit if it is not in the vine, the Christian can bear no fruit unless
he is in Christ.

But these are all merely empty words. We should not approach a reality
of the life of the Christian in Christ, by way of intellect and reason.
We are reminded to go to prayer in the hope that doing so, God will
give us the grace to intuitively comprehend this mystery.

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 30, Issue 3

<< Wednesday, May 21, 2014 >>

St. Christopher Magallanes

Acts 15:1-6
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Psalm 122:1-5

John 15:1-8
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BEAR FRUIT

"My Father has been glorified in your bearing much fruit and becoming My disciples." —John 15:8

Jesus proclaimed that He is the true Vine and His Father is the Vinegrower (Jn 15:1). Before completing His thought by calling His disciples the branches on the Vine (Jn 15:5), Jesus interjected some comments on barren branches and fruitful ones (Jn 15:2-4). Jesus can't wait to proclaim the necessity of our bearing fruit abundantly (Jn 15:5). He is preoccupied with our fruitfulness. He insists we bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit and of holiness (see Gal 5:22-23), and demands that we bear the fruit of evangelization.

Jesus loves the world so much that He does not want His sacrificial death on the cross to be in vain (see 1 Cor 1:17). He wants to light a fire on the earth (Lk 12:49) so that all will "be saved and come to know the truth" (1 Tm 2:4). He made us His witnesses (e.g. Acts 1:8) and we must be willing to become the slaves "of all so as to win over as many as possible" (1 Cor 9:19). Jesus' love is so great, and His salvation so necessary that He threatens to throw us into the fire and burn us forever if we refuse to try to bear abundant fruit (Jn 15:6).

Love Jesus and be fruitful.

Prayer: Father, may I be willing to die to lead others to Jesus.

Promise: "The church saw them off and they made their way through Phoenicia and Samaria, telling everyone about the conversion of the Gentiles as they went. Their story caused great joy." —Acts 15:3

Praise: St. Christopher and his twenty-four companions in Mexico, three laymen and the rest being priests, chose eternal life by giving up their earthly lives in martyrdom.