Deacon Greg's Homily 4-29-18
Homily – April 29, 2018 (Fifth Sunday Easter - B)
Well... The new Avengers movie is out, and like the 18 before it, its a movie packed with subtle clues as to what’s really going on with the Batman and all the gang. What... Batman is not an Avenger? I guess I’ve got a few movies to watch or comic books to read, don’t I?
Anyway, I think it’s fair to say that there's a certain fascination in our story-telling with ongoing trilogies and subtle back stories. Movies that revolve around cracking that secret code, or figuring out the mysterious riddle of it all, sometimes also have shifty and powerful entities spending a lot of time hiding various treasures, so that when they are discovered, they offer cryptic clues that are to be deciphered and put together, under a special light of course, revealing the fantastic truths and messages, that when viewed in a mirror, would spell out secret phrases like, "purple elephants do indeed fly south for the winter," sending us off on exciting journeys to the southern most fringe of a distant jungle, only to find that the secret treasure is in the hands of the bad guys, who need to be battled and conquered, eventually allowing the hero to return said treasure to its rightful place... Allowing ALL to live happily ever after!
The treasure and wisdom within the Gospel are not so secretly hidden or buried on some remote island beach, rather they are spoken out in the open, for all to hear, and some to know. The Gospels tell us that Jesus spoke in Parables and that these were only understood by those who were inside a certain circle, but they remained riddles to everyone outside that circle. Today's Gospel of John shares the last of Jesus’ seven “I Am” statements, which you could say is very much like a Parable. In just a few weeks, we’ll be celebrating The Ascension of the Lord, where Christ ascends, promising us the Holy Spirit, and the beginnings of a new Church that will call on us to be disciples, and share the Good News. Today’s Gospel takes place just after the Last Supper, as John uses this moment for Jesus to deliver a somewhat lengthy farewell to his disciples, offering advice, encouragement, and guidance on how they are to conduct themselves when he is no longer with them, using one of the more recognizable images in scripture as he proclaims that “I am the vine, you are the branches.”
So in the spirit of our fascination with solving mysteries, let's call this one “The Jesus Code”... But don't worry, as it's not that hard to decipher... Jesus is the vine, we are the branches, and God is the vine grower. And if you want to add in a little secret nugget to it all, the Catechism adds that the Holy Spirit is that sap running through it all, allowing our branches to bear much fruit (cf. CCC 1108), which is clearly defined in our second reading, when John tells us to "love not in word or speech, but in deed and truth." Such love becomes real when we keep God's Commandments, which are straight to the point and very clear: Believe in the Lord Jesus and love one another in the same manner as he loves us, knowing that whoever remains in Christ will bear much fruit!
I'll seize an opportunity to quote our late Bishop Emeritus David Foley. I tend to use this quote when its my turn to lead our monthly Baptismal Prep Classes. He told me once during one of our Spiritual Direction Sessions, "A life in Christ, is a life lived, with Christ living through us!" Meaning that from the first day of our Baptism, we begin to grow as that branch, growing off the vine, destined to bear much fruit, seeking to allow Christ to live and work through us, day after day!
I don't think that's very cryptic, or too difficult to understand, do you?
But there is a somewhat challenging reality to consider when discussing vines and branches bearing good fruit, and that is pruning...
God is the vine grower, so from time to time, the image demands that we must be pruned. If we’re talking about a grapevine, it's the only way that fruit can truly grow to its ripest and fullest potential! Remember... Parables are not just analogies, as they are so much more than just explanations of the Good News. The analogy of the vine and branches simply illustrates that Jesus is the main link, the one consistency, the direct line that takes us back to the beginnings of his command for us branches to love one another as He loves us, and share the Gospel. But just like a Parable, if you’re “in the know,” you would piece together the unspoken reality that as a vine grower, there are necessary steps (not included in the words of the analogy) that need to be taken to maximize the usage of a vine. In this case, pruning means that branches are cut back, so as to produce more fruit in the next season... If they are not cut back, they eventually become useless, or as the Gospel says, “wither and die,” only to be removed and thrown into the fire. Yes... that fire! You see... That’s the example of how a Parable speaks to something greater than what lies in the written analogy. You’re in the know, and you get the message...
So today, let’s allow God to care for us as he warrants, knowing that as branches, we don’t prune ourselves. We place ourselves in the hands of the vine grower, and allow ourselves to be prepared to do what we have been called to do since our birth... To Be Christ for others!
One last not-so-subtle reality about pruning is that we are brought back closer to the vine... Closer to Christ himself, allowing us to grow again, but this time into a stronger branch than ever before. Take St. Paul, for example, as he’s as depicted in today’s first reading. He once persecuted the very people he sought to become connected with. God chose him, to prune and prepare for the task of bearing the fruit of the Gospel all across the region, speaking boldly in the name of Jesus! Going from persecutor, to Apostle takes some major pruning, and willingness on Paul’s part to be pruned. May we be open to the significant changes that might be necessary for us to do the same. In a human sense, pruning and being changed, does involve surprise, effort, discomfort, and even some wondering if it’s all worth it, or necessary. So it really boils down to trust... Can you trust that as a branch, the vine connects you, and the sap empowers you, and the vine grower has your best interest in mind? This is why we’re all encouraged to keep active in our participation at Mass, or consistent in our learning of the faith through classes after Confirmation or RCIA, via Adult Ed. or Scripture Study… Let God work on you!
Go back to my outlandish introduction, describing the cryptic secrets and the hidden treasure buried on the fringe of the jungle, where the flying purple elephants roam free. That makes for a good movie... But the Good News today is that this treasure is buried within our own hearts, and this connection to the vine that pulses life into our lives is the Lord God, and His Son Jesus Christ, resurrected and dwelling with us at this Eucharistic table. We are God’s people, the fruit of the vine, and the work of his hands...
Alleluia, Alleluia... The Easter Season is still upon us my friends, so let us bear that fruit and boldly share the Gospel in the name of Jesus Christ! AMEN!
The treasure and wisdom within the Gospel are not so secretly hidden or buried on some remote island beach, rather they are spoken out in the open, for all to hear, and some to know. The Gospels tell us that Jesus spoke in Parables and that these were only understood by those who were inside a certain circle, but they remained riddles to everyone outside that circle. Today's Gospel of John shares the last of Jesus’ seven “I Am” statements, which you could say is very much like a Parable. In just a few weeks, we’ll be celebrating The Ascension of the Lord, where Christ ascends, promising us the Holy Spirit, and the beginnings of a new Church that will call on us to be disciples, and share the Good News. Today’s Gospel takes place just after the Last Supper, as John uses this moment for Jesus to deliver a somewhat lengthy farewell to his disciples, offering advice, encouragement, and guidance on how they are to conduct themselves when he is no longer with them, using one of the more recognizable images in scripture as he proclaims that “I am the vine, you are the branches.”
So in the spirit of our fascination with solving mysteries, let's call this one “The Jesus Code”... But don't worry, as it's not that hard to decipher... Jesus is the vine, we are the branches, and God is the vine grower. And if you want to add in a little secret nugget to it all, the Catechism adds that the Holy Spirit is that sap running through it all, allowing our branches to bear much fruit (cf. CCC 1108), which is clearly defined in our second reading, when John tells us to "love not in word or speech, but in deed and truth." Such love becomes real when we keep God's Commandments, which are straight to the point and very clear: Believe in the Lord Jesus and love one another in the same manner as he loves us, knowing that whoever remains in Christ will bear much fruit!
I'll seize an opportunity to quote our late Bishop Emeritus David Foley. I tend to use this quote when its my turn to lead our monthly Baptismal Prep Classes. He told me once during one of our Spiritual Direction Sessions, "A life in Christ, is a life lived, with Christ living through us!" Meaning that from the first day of our Baptism, we begin to grow as that branch, growing off the vine, destined to bear much fruit, seeking to allow Christ to live and work through us, day after day!
I don't think that's very cryptic, or too difficult to understand, do you?
But there is a somewhat challenging reality to consider when discussing vines and branches bearing good fruit, and that is pruning...
God is the vine grower, so from time to time, the image demands that we must be pruned. If we’re talking about a grapevine, it's the only way that fruit can truly grow to its ripest and fullest potential! Remember... Parables are not just analogies, as they are so much more than just explanations of the Good News. The analogy of the vine and branches simply illustrates that Jesus is the main link, the one consistency, the direct line that takes us back to the beginnings of his command for us branches to love one another as He loves us, and share the Gospel. But just like a Parable, if you’re “in the know,” you would piece together the unspoken reality that as a vine grower, there are necessary steps (not included in the words of the analogy) that need to be taken to maximize the usage of a vine. In this case, pruning means that branches are cut back, so as to produce more fruit in the next season... If they are not cut back, they eventually become useless, or as the Gospel says, “wither and die,” only to be removed and thrown into the fire. Yes... that fire! You see... That’s the example of how a Parable speaks to something greater than what lies in the written analogy. You’re in the know, and you get the message...
So today, let’s allow God to care for us as he warrants, knowing that as branches, we don’t prune ourselves. We place ourselves in the hands of the vine grower, and allow ourselves to be prepared to do what we have been called to do since our birth... To Be Christ for others!
One last not-so-subtle reality about pruning is that we are brought back closer to the vine... Closer to Christ himself, allowing us to grow again, but this time into a stronger branch than ever before. Take St. Paul, for example, as he’s as depicted in today’s first reading. He once persecuted the very people he sought to become connected with. God chose him, to prune and prepare for the task of bearing the fruit of the Gospel all across the region, speaking boldly in the name of Jesus! Going from persecutor, to Apostle takes some major pruning, and willingness on Paul’s part to be pruned. May we be open to the significant changes that might be necessary for us to do the same. In a human sense, pruning and being changed, does involve surprise, effort, discomfort, and even some wondering if it’s all worth it, or necessary. So it really boils down to trust... Can you trust that as a branch, the vine connects you, and the sap empowers you, and the vine grower has your best interest in mind? This is why we’re all encouraged to keep active in our participation at Mass, or consistent in our learning of the faith through classes after Confirmation or RCIA, via Adult Ed. or Scripture Study… Let God work on you!
Go back to my outlandish introduction, describing the cryptic secrets and the hidden treasure buried on the fringe of the jungle, where the flying purple elephants roam free. That makes for a good movie... But the Good News today is that this treasure is buried within our own hearts, and this connection to the vine that pulses life into our lives is the Lord God, and His Son Jesus Christ, resurrected and dwelling with us at this Eucharistic table. We are God’s people, the fruit of the vine, and the work of his hands...
Alleluia, Alleluia... The Easter Season is still upon us my friends, so let us bear that fruit and boldly share the Gospel in the name of Jesus Christ! AMEN!
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