5th Easter B

Welcome to our

Bible Study

5th Sunday of Easter B

3 May 2015

In preparation for this Sunday’s Liturgy

In aid of focusing our homilies and sharing

1st Reading: Acts 9:26-31 26 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the

disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27 Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles, and he reported to them how on the way he had seen the Lord and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem, and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists, but they tried to kill him. 30 And when the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him on his way to Tarsus. 31The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the holy Spirit it grew in numbers.

1st Reading: Acts 9:26-31 26 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the

disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27 Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles, and he reported to them how on the way he had seen the Lord and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem, and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists, but they tried to kill him. 30 And when the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him on his way to Tarsus. 31The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the holy Spirit it grew in numbers.

The focus is on Paul speaking boldly.

1st Reading: Acts 9:26-31Paul

26 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27 Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles, and he reported to them how on the way he had seen the Lord and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.

28 He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem, and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists, but they tried to kill him. 30 And when the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him on his way to Tarsus.

The church

31The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the holy Spirit it grew in numbers.

A simple outline!

1st Reading: Acts 9:26-31

Paul

26 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27 Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles, and he reported to them how on the way he had seen the Lord and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.

28 He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem, and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He also spoke and debatedwith the Hellenists, but they tried to kill him. 30 And when the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him on his way to Tarsus.

Commentary

Paul, being a convert, now believer in Christ, feels he belongs to the community (v.26)

The community, human as it is, is afraid of Paul, because he was their former persecutor. They were not updated of his conversion. (v.26)

It takes Barnabas to assure them that he belongs to them now: the Lord spoke to him and he boldly spoke about Jesus (v.27)

Now Paul goes with the disciples in their preaching ministry.

He again speaks boldly about Jesus. (v.28)

He even debates with the Hellenists (Greek speaking Jews) (v. 29)

Result of his boldness: they try to kill him

In v.30, the brethren help him escape from Jerusalem to Caesaria (Maritima) along Mediterannean and to Tarsus, his hometown.

1st Reading: Acts 9:26-31The church

31The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the holy Spirit it grew in numbers.

The church is present in all of Palestine (Judea, Galilee and Samaria = 3 regions).

The church is founded and walks in the fear of the Lord (Risen Lord) (v.31)

It is growing in numbers through the Holy Spirit. (v.31)

More and more are joining the church.

Reflections on the 1st reading

Acceptance to a group is not automatic, even if you think you are somebody, especially if they know your past.

Someone, like Barnabas, who guarantees your good conduct, can help you in.

If you join the group of committed Christians, it does not mean, you are free from danger.

Mission has its own troubles. Some people will come and get you.

When they seek your life, you may for a while get lost and wait for the opportune time.

God will make use of you later on, like St. Paul.

Resp Psalm: Ps 22:26-27. 28. 30.31-32

R. (26a) I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.

26b I will fulfill my vows before those who fear the LORD.

27 The lowly shall eat their fill; they who seek the LORD shall praise him: "May your hearts live forever!"

28 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD; all the families of the nations shall bow down before him.

30 To him alone shall bow down all who sleep in the earth; before him shall bend all who go down into the dust.

31 And to him my soul shall live; my descendants shall serve him.

32 Let the coming generation be told of the LORD that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born the justice he has shown.

Resp Psalm: Ps 22:26-27. 28. 30.31-32

R. (26a) I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.







Resp Psalm: Ps 22:26-27. 28. 30.31-32R. (26a) I will praise you, Lord, in the

assembly of your people.







Commentary

Ps 22 is classified as an individual lament.

But in v.26, the focus is not so much on lament but the fulfillment of vows or making promises.

The vows seem to be:

To feed the lowly, v.27

To help all people turn to the Lord, v.28

To help all who are going to die to bow down before the Lord, v.30

To dedicate the psalmist’s life to God, including his/her descendants, v.31

To proclaim justice even to a generation not yet born, v.32

Reflections on the Psalm

Part of our conversion is to make promises.

Some Christians are afraid to make vows or promises for fear of breaking them.

Those people should be helped psychologically. Without building their self-esteem and self-confidence, they can’t become priests or religious; they can’t contract marriage; they can’t get a stable job. They cannot be holy. They cannot commit to anything.

We Christians must realize the importance of making promises.

Without promises, we cannot change ourselves. We cannot help others change.

When we promise in the context of prayer, like the psalmist, we become determined to do not only small things for ourselves, but also big things for others.

We make big difference in our lives and in the lives of others if we are dead serious and sincere in our promises, unlike most of the politicians.

2nd Reading: 1 John 3:18-24

18 Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. 19 (Now) this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth and reassure our hearts before him 20 in whatever our hearts condemn, for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything. 21 Beloved, if (our) hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in God 22 and receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23 And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us. 24 Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit that he gave us.

The focus is on remaining in God / in people.

2nd Reading: 1 John 3:18-24 18 Children, let us love not in word or

speech but in deed and truth.

19 (Now) this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth and reassure our hearts before him 20 in whatever our hearts condemn, for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.

21 Beloved, if (our) hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in God 22 and receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments

and do what pleases him.

23 And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his

Son, Jesus Christ,

and love one another just as he commanded us.

24 Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit that he gave us.

Commentary

In v.18, the author exhorts the Christians to show love concretely (existentially). Lip-service is unacceptable.

How do we know we belong to the truth (to God)? (vv.19-20) Confidence in God (v.21)

We receive what we ask (v.21)

What are our efforts to show we love in concrete?

We keep his commandments. Believing in the name of Jesus

Loving one another (v.23)

We do what pleases him (v.22)

Signs of those who keep the commandments We remain in Jesus

Jesus remains in us (v.24)

Reflections on the 2nd reading

As Christians, we cannot escape from loving.

Loving is not empty words and emotionalism.

Love is to be shown concretely. It must be relevant.

The one who has love must be responsible. He must be firmly grounded on love.

Another obligation for Christians is to believe in the name of Jesus and to love one another.

This is the only way we stay connected with the Lord.

Gospel: John 15:1-8

Jesus said to his disciples, 1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. 2 He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. 3 You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. 4 Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.

Gospel: John 15:1-8

Jesus said to his disciples, 1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. 2 He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. 3 You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. 4 Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remainson the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in meand I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.

The focus is on remaining in Jesus.

Gospel: John 15:1-8The Importance of Pruning

Jesus said to his disciples, 1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. 2 He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. 3 You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.

Importance of connection

4 Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.

5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,

What happens if you are disconnected

because without me you can do nothing.

6 Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned.

What happens if you are connected (see also vv.4-5)

7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.

Gospel: John 15:1-8The Importance of Pruning

1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. 2 He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. 3 You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.

Importance of connection

4 Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.

5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,

What happens if you are disconnected

because without me you can do nothing.

6 Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned.

What happens if you are connected (see also vv.4-5)

7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.

Commentary

The metaphors used: Jesus = true vine

Father = vine grower

We = branches

The gospel states the purpose of pruning and connection with the vine: to bear more/much fruit.

To bear fruit means to be productive, to give life to others, to give delight, to satisfy others.

Not to bear any fruit invites the Father to “take you away,” to throw you to fire

There is an extra benefit of being connected: ask what you want and it will be given… (efficacious prayer)

To remain means to stay put, to keep connected, to cling to, to keep alive. Negatively, not to abandon, not to renounce faith in Jesus.

Reflections on the gospel reading

To drive a point, the gospel writer uses metaphors. Metaphors accomplish a lot of things more than using plain language. Metaphors evoke our imagination and feelings.

We, the branches, draw our sustenance from our connection with Jesus, the vine. We cannot survive if we are cut off from him.

We, the branches, are expected to bear much fruit, for the benefit of others.

The Father prunes to make us bear fruits, many fruits, not just some fruits. God is not minimalistic.

God wants something superlative and impressive, God does not want that mediocre results.

The reading reminds us to “remain” in Jesus, not to betray him, not to live independently from him, or to graft ourselves to another plant / person / teacher to infuse ourselves with a different blood (non-Christian culture, non-Christian belief, non-Christian community, non-Christian God and values)

Tying the 3 readings St. Paul, nurtured by his faith in Jesus and connected with

his fellow Christians, speaks boldly in his name. He is

bearing fruit abundantly (1st reading)

The psalmist makes connection with the poor and

humanity by his vows and promises.

St. John advices the Christian believers to love in deeds

(to keep the commandments of love) to be

interconnected with Jesus and fellow Christians.(2nd

reading)

The gospel enjoins Christians to remain connected with

Jesus to bear much fruit (gospel reading)

How to develop your homily / sharing

Share an experience of disconnectedness(running away from home, break up of relationship, no communication, no load in cellphones, no power, no water, etc) and its consequences.

Recall when there was connection and its benefits (can do a lot, easy to get things done, happy always to communicate, not feeling deprived, etc.)

Now develop the importance of being connected(to remain) with Jesus according to the readings.

We are connected with God through his words.

The gospel says we have to remain in Jesus to

bear much fruit.

We allow ourselves to be taken care of by the

Father. He is the vine grower.

We submit to his way of making us productive.

We don’t insist on our own.

The second reading says our faith

(connectedness with Jesus) must be shown in

concrete loving one another.

We remain connected with Jesus by keeping

God’s commandments.

The third reading demonstrates Paul

bearing fruit because of his connection with

Jesus.

Now he is boldly preaching his name even

in the midst of opposition and threats.

Through his conversion, Paul is also

connected with his fellow believers.

His fellow Christians are sympathetic to him

when he is in danger.

This is the by-product of his connectedness

with his brothers.

We Christians are called to establish

connections (relationships).

We improve our relationship with God to be

more productive, so with our fellow believers.

We cannot do much if we are isolated from

others.

If we cut ourselves off from our community, we

will stagnate and disappear in oblivion.

Cutting off from the vine (from Christ and the

Church) means no updating, no involvement,

detached from the life of the community, no

commitment, no growth, no glory.

The psalm which is a prayer helps us in being connected with God and with one another.

In the form of this prayer, we seek relationship with God and fellow people.

In this psalm, we are helped to be relevant in our prayer and in our relationships.

We become liberative.

We are led to promise and to vow to be committed and to be engaged

helping the poor, giving justice to all and praise to God.

The eucharist is the sacrament of our

relationship with God.

In the eucharist, we connect ourselves with

Christ and vice versa.

Through the participation of the eucharist,

we connect ourselves with one another.

When we come to the eucharist, we fulfill

our vows to be holy.

In this eucharist, Jesus comes to nourish us.

We cannot be productive in the vineyard of

the Lord if we are cut off from the eucharist.

Our Context

Isolated

Has his/her own world

No community life

No friends

No authority

Trying to prove oneself

Not docile

Abuse of technology

Wrong connections

Unable to commit

Coordination

Linkages

Frequent communion

Open communications

Improved communications

Speech or hearing defect,

overcome

Use of high technology to

connect

Confident and unafraid,

mature

With word of honor

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5th Easter B