May 10, 2009
Today’s comforting Gospel passage by St. John about the vine and the branches also reveals to us the ways that Christ prunes us and helps us come to more abundant in bearing fruit. The first reading tells us how St. Paul was pruned by the Spirit of Jesus – shaping him from a fierce persecutor into the church’s greatest missionary ever. The disciples were likewise pruned. We see them first protecting themselves against what they perceive to be a clever ploy by Paul to cut them off at the root, then walking with Paul freely in Jerusalem, to protecting Paul against the Hellenists and from all those who sought to harm him. Somehow Paul‘s way of life convinced the disciples of his authenticity of being on their side.
We are pruned by the Lord as well, and we feel the pinch against the branches of our body. We don’t often understand that this is going to happen to us when Christ tells us to come and remain with him. Contemporary Jesuits have a saying that helps us understand what Jesus means when he uses the verb “to remain.” We form people to become men and women with and for others. We realize the necessity of being “with” others before we can be “for” them. This word “remain” means becoming more like the one we are with – knowing what the other values, desires, and hopes.
Remaining with Jesus is a loving action, but we have to learn to trust the authority of Jesus’ words and intentions. We respond to authority in our lives cautiously – always testing it to see if it is just – always testing to see if it is safe for us. We only trust authority when they reveal to us that they have considerate concern over us. Think about how you can best hear the message from someone in authority. When you are outright told “no, don’t do something,” you get angry and your freedom is taken away. But if that person outlines her expectations for you and gives you the ability to choose in light of her expectations, you can choose more freely. Placing your choices within a context of a larger set of goals and objectives allows you to choose not only what you want, but you also take the authority’s considerations into your decision. The one in authority needs to use her power justly to build a trusting relationship. As we make our choices in life, we want to know “which is the most beneficial way we can choose to prune another and minimize the pain he or she may feel?” After all, we want those around us to bloom and flourish and produce a bountiful harvest.
Jesus chooses to build a trusting relationship. He says, “Just come be with me. Rest with me. Learn from me. Let your soul be replenished by being with me. Learn to trust that I care for you and will do the best for you, even if it hurts a little. I want you to grow in my freedom.” Once we build trust in that relationship, we can allow Jesus to snip off our wayward branches. He doesn’t do it all at once; he does it with our consent and he realizes that it is a process that takes some time. It is a trusting way that he asks us to conform our will with his own will, and before too long we realizes that we are making choices that are aligned to his will and we do it because it pleases him. We find that we have areas of our lives that begin to blossom in unexpected ways and we relish what we discover about ourselves. We all want to produce good fruit and we don’t do this on our own, we do it because we remain with Jesus who is always working for our good – bringing forth new life.
This Week’s Liturgies
Our scripture from the first readings of the day follow Paul’s work of establishing new Christian communities in the Mediterranean world. We note how it was not all preordained and a smooth action by the Holy Spirit. In fact, Paul faced many hardships in setting up the new churches. People were healed and continued to suffer and many complicated problems needed to be addressed in order to maintain the unity of the community. In the Gospels, Jesus continues to reveal his deep thoughts and wishes for his disciples. He illustrates the complexities of deepening relationships with him. The disciples will gain new wisdom and insights from the Holy Spirit; they will increase in the theological virtues of faith, hope and love; and they will undergo suffering in service of others.
On Tuesday, the church honors three minor saints – St. Nereus and St. Achilleus who were soldiers in the Roman imperial arm that converted to Christianity and suffered martyrdom because they refused to sacrifice to idols, and St. Pancras, a Syrian orphan brought to Rome by his uncle where they were both martyred for becoming Christians. On Wednesday, we celebrate Our Lady of Fatima, on the anniversary of her appearance to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal – one of the most visited Christian pilgrim sites in Europe. Our Lady stressed the necessity of repentance, deeper conversion, and dedication to the Immaculate Heart of Mary with an increased devotion to the Rosary. St. Matthias, the apostle, is celebrated on Thursday, a week before Ascension Thursday. Matthias was chosen to replace Judas after the Resurrection because he had been with Jesus and the disciples from the time of Jesus’ baptism until the resurrection. St. Isidore, the farmer, from Madrid, Spain, labored on an estate, but became known for his generosity and piety. Jesuit Fr. Andrew Bobola is remembered on Saturday for his missionary efforts in Poland and Lithuania during the mid-17th century. He angered the governing authority by converting schismatics back to the Catholic faith.
Two Students Entering the Church
By looking at the saints this week who lost their lives by converting to Christianity, we realize the powerful work of the Spirit as it continues to build up God’s Kingdom On Monday, May 18th, two Cheverus seniors will formally be received into the faith. Please pray for Jake and Justin that they be armed by every spiritual aid that is needed to bolster their faith.
And Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers and to those who have been mother to us sometime in our lives. A big hearty, Thank You.
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