Readings: Acts 9:26-31, Ps. 22:26-28,30-32, 1 John 3:18-24, John 15:1-8
“I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit because apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
Last Sunday, we celebrated our Lord Jesus Christ as our Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for us, his sheep. Without Jesus guiding and guarding us, we would become prey to the thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy. (John 10:10). Today, Jesus emphasises our dependence on Him by describing himself as the Vine that sustains us, the branches. As branches of Jesus, the Vine, our survival depends on our ability to remain connected to Jesus. Today’s Psalm praises God in acknowledging His great deeds in our lives. When we reflect on our dependence on God, we praise Him.
Life is all about connection. No human being can survive entirely on their own. No one is an island. Just as we need to remain connected to Jesus to stay alive spiritually, we also need to be connected to our fellow human beings to remain alive. In today’s First Reading, Barnabas saved Saul from disaster by removing him from an environment of distrust. Barnabas believed in him when other disciples feared associating with Saul. We all need someone who can stand for us when the world rejects us. We need good friends. As St. John explains in today’s Second Reading, we need friends who love not merely with words but with action. There are so many lessons contained in today’s readings:
1. Without Jesus, we are Nothing.
Just as branches die off when cut from the tree, without Jesus, we are nothing. Jesus says: “Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” (John 15:6). Without a healthy spirituality, without a solid relationship with Jesus, everything falls apart in our lives. We cannot be successful without Jesus, be it in business, marriage, school, pastoral ministry, or name it. Without Jesus, we are like dry grass in the field, lifeless and unproductive. Someone might ask: “Father, what about those who don’t know Jesus? What about those developed countries that are not as religious as Nigeria? Are they not doing better?” I recently saw a video mocking Africans for their religiosity.
It is important to clarify this point: Prayer does not take the place of work; it only adds to it. Prayer cannot replace work (the effective use of one’s reasoning faculties). If God has given you the ability to think, you will insult Him by refusing to think just because you have prayed. We do not pray because we cannot work (or do not want to work). Rather, we pray because we want God to bless our work. We do not pray because we lack creativity but because we want God to help us maximise our natural endowments. We pray because we know human efforts without God’s divine touch are useless. “The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps.” (Proverbs 16:9). “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6). Jesus is the Vine, we are the branches. Branches depend on the tree but do not leave all the work for it; they work just as hard as the tree.
2. The Secret to Answered Prayers is abiding in the Word
Jesus says: “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (John 15:7). There is power in the daily study of God’s Word. This is why God instructed Joshua: “This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act by all written in it. You shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful. (Joshua 1:8). It is not enough that we pray; we must study the Bible daily. Jesus emphasises abiding in the Word. This means reading it over and over again. Do not say: “I have finished reading the Bible; I know everything in it.” This is like saying: “I will not eat anymore since I already know how food tastes.” Have you ever noticed how you read a passage you have read before, and it suddenly strikes as if you are reading for the first time? Do not play with God’s Word; the connecting pipe joins us (branches) with the tree. To be cut off from Jesus the Vine is to stay a whole day without reading or meditating on God’s Word.
3. To Abide in Jesus is to Love Your Neighbour as Yourself.
St. John would say: Whoever says, “I am in the light,” while hating a brother or sister is still in the darkness. … Whoever hates another believer is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know how to go because the darkness has brought on blindness.” (1 John 2:9-11). In another passage, John says: “No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. By this, we know that we abide in him and he in us.” (1 John 4:12-13) How can we claim to be branches of Jesus (who is love) when we hate one another? Can a bitter leaf branch grow out of a pawpaw tree? Can we carry bitterness and hatred in our hearts and come forward to receive the body and blood of Jesus, who died forgiving His enemies?
Today’s First Reading shows us that not all Christians in the early Church were branches of Christ. 1. Those who almost ended Paul’s missionary enterprise by their poor reception and suspiciousness. 2. Those who could not forgive Paul because of his past even though God had already forgiven him. 3. Those who thought he was pretending. 4. Those who argued with him, hoping to provoke him (trigger the past). 5. Those who conspired to kill him. Sadly, we still have people like this in church today. If you hate your fellow Christians and wish them evil, you are not Christ’s branch; you are just answering a name that is not yours.
4. Every Paul Needs A Barnabas
Barnabas behaved as a true branch of Jesus the Vine because He knew Paul had the potential and zeal of an evangelist. Barnabas introduced Paul to the Apostles. When Paul’s life was at stake, after disputing with the Hellenists (the same group that accused the Hebrews of unfair distribution of food to their widows), the apostles arranged for Paul to be whisked away to Tarsus. Barnabas would later go to Tarsus to bring Paul with him to Antioch. (Cf. Acts 11:25). I pray for you today: May you have a friend like Barnabas – a friend who knows everything about you but sees beyond your past and your limitations, a friend who will save you when others (fake Christians) are trying to kill you, a friend who will teach you and then, allow you to shine. Do you notice that after Barnabas and Paul set out on a journey in Acts 13, not much is heard about Barnabas again? Paul’s name appears in every chapter from Acts 16-28, and more than half of the New Testament, from Romans to Philemon, came from Paul’s handwriting.
I am sure St. John referred to Barnabas when he wrote today’s Second Reading. “Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. And by this, we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him.” (1 John 3:18-19). Action speaks louder than words. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus teaches us that it is not enough for us to feel pity for others; we must do something! Saying sorry is useless if you are not going to help.
5. To Abide in Jesus is to Believe and Obey His Commandments.
Still, in our Second Reading, John writes: “All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them.” (1 John 3:24). We cannot sin while assuming we are connected to the Vine. Have you noticed a dryness in your heart whenever you are not in a state of grace? Whenever you sin, you feel ashamed like Adam and Eve, and you want to hide from God (skip prayer or avoid going to church). This happens because you have cut yourself from the Vine at that moment. Like a branch on the ground thinking it can do without the Tree, we may lie to ourselves that we don’t need God. However, the reality will soon dawn on us like the Prodigal Son. We soon realise that we have lost our source of nutrients and life. If this message speaks to your heart, it is time to reconnect. Return to Jesus; forget your past like Saul, who did not allow his past to disturb his call. Stay with Jesus.
Let us pray: Almighty, ever-living God, cut off from me everything and anything that takes me away from you. Wash me from all taint of bitterness, malice and hatred. Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen
Remember, amid all challenges, choose to be happy. Live with a positive mindset and believe in God’s plan for you. God bless you abundantly. (5th Sunday of Easter. Bible Study: Acts 9:26-31, Ps. 22:26-28,30-32, 1 John 3:18-24, John 15:1-8).
@Rev. Fr. Evaristus E. Abu