WEDNESDAY, FIFTH WEEK OF EASTER
Acts 15: 1-6 Ps 122: 1-5 Jn 15: 1-8
BEING BRANCHES OF CHRIST THE VINE
The readings of today remind us that Jesus alone makes us whole. Against the argument of the men from Judaea in the first reading about the necessity of the physical sign of circumcision for salvation, in the Gospel passage Jesus affirms that we become God’s children not through external signs but through communion with Him. His living Word grafts us into God’s family. Jesus offers us the beautiful image of interconnected vines – lush, life-giving, and mutually sustaining. He is the true Vine; we are the branches. What matters is believing His words, trusting their power, and surrendering to their transformative grace.
God seeks not outward signs but authentic heart transformation. The apostles exemplify this after the Resurrection – their fears overcome, their lives remade. This “circumcision of the heart” (Romans 2:29) signifies the spiritual renewal God desires for us all. Like pruned branches, we’re called to yield spiritual fruit through our God-given gifts. The warning is loud and clear: unfruitful branches face pruning. Yet this is not about punishment but divine cultivation; in other words, it is an invitation to deeper communion. Unlike the first reading’s preoccupation with technicalities, our call is simpler: to remain joyfully attached to Christ, the source of all meaning.
The imagery of the vine and branches reveals a profound sacramental reality: our connection to Christ is as tangible as sap flowing through living wood. Just as vines share one lifeblood, we receive divine life through the Eucharist – the “sap” of grace nourishing our souls. Our world, parched for authentic love, desperately needs vines heavy with Gospel fruit. In His vine, no branch is superior; all are equal in His binding love. Each branch, whether hidden in cloisters or extending into workplaces, matters equally in God’s vineyard. As we abide in Christ through prayer and the Eucharist, we become living sacraments of His abiding presence. The harvest depends on our willingness to remain in His love.
Response: Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord
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