DAILY- HOMILY

May 17, 2017 – WEDNESDAY, 5th Week of Easter

White

Acts 15: 1- 6 / Jn 15: 1 - 8

FROM THE 1ST READING:     Acts 15: 3

     Paul and Barnabas were sent on their way by the Church. As they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria they reported how the non-Jews had turned to God, and there was great joy among all the brothers and sisters.

FROM THE GOSPEL READING:     Jn 15: 1 - 6

     Jesus said to his disciples, "I am the true vine and my Father is the vinegrower. If any of my branches doesn't bear fruit, he breaks it off; and he prunes every branch that does bear fruit, that it may bear even more fruit.

     "You are already made clean by the word I have spoken to you; live in me as I live in you. The branch cannot bear fruit by itself but has to remain part of the vine; so neither can you if you do not remain in me.

     "I am the vine and you are the branches. As long as you remain in me and me in you, you bear much fruit; but apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not remain in me is thrown away as they do with branches and they wither. Then they are gathered and thrown into the fire and burned."

REFLECTION

     In the Gospel reading from Jesus' discourse after the Last Supper, Jesus uses images of the vinegrower, the vine and its branches to clarify the relationships among his heavenly Father, himself and his followers and believers.

     The Father is the vinegrower: in so many parables Jesus used to picture the Kingdom of God, the Father was the landowner or the master of the household. Jesus, his Son and messenger, our Savior, is the main vine and we, his disciples and followers, the branches of the main vine.

     Clearly we have life with and from Jesus only if, like the branches of the vine, we remain with him and follow his words and teachings. If we have life with Jesus, like the branches and the main vine, we will bear fruit. If some branches of the main vine die, they are cut off and thrown away. Branches which bear fruit are pruned so that they may bear even more fruit. Similarly followers who stray away may be separated from Christ and die away from him. Followers who are fruitful are challenged and grow even stronger in their faith and in their fruitfulness for Christ.

     In the first reading we hear about Peter and Barnabas being sent off to Rome to clarify whether following Jewish law and practices such as circumcision for males is necessary for non-Jews and the Gentiles to whom Paul and Barnabas had been preaching the Good News.

     It is in union with Christ and with the help of his divine grace that we remain with Christ and his Father and become fruitful not only in living the Gospel message but also in bringing this message to all the world.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     DR. FLORANTE GONZAGA

     JESUS M. PINEDA, JR. 

     JOHANN STANLEY DYCO

OTHER INTENTIONS:

For the successful procedure and complete healing of Renan Lacida.

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most. 

Have a good day!

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   |  The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the

   |  priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish

   |  distributed free and for personal use only.  

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