Sunday Lectionary: Remain In Me

Continuing my attempts to produce these Lectionary Notes in under four hours…

Fifth Sunday of Easter: 6th May, 2012

The Readings this week focus around life in Christ.

We begin with an account of St. Paul’s failed attempts in Jerusalem to commune with Christ’s Body, the Church. Strangely enough, it turns out that people tend to be a bit stand-offish if you’ve previously tried to kill them! In our Gospel Reading, Jesus teaches his disciples using the metaphor of the vine, showing us that union with Him is essential if we are to live. He gives us a warning too, that if we do not produce fruit, we will be cut off from Him and deprived of His Divine life. St. John restates this sentiment in the Second Reading, exhorting his readers to “love not in word…but in deed”. 

Let us come to Mass this week thirsty for the grace of Christ which is communicated through His Church. Let us drink deeply, returning to the world refreshed, ready to share the life of Christ and to bear fruit which will last.

 

Reading I: Acts 9:26-31

St. Paul is known as the great Christian evangelist and he is responsible for a sizable portion of the New Testament. However, before he became St. Paul, he was simply Saul, a Pharisee, and a zealous persecutor of a new sect of Judaism known as “Christianity”…

We first encounter Saul in the Acts of the Apostles at the stoning of St. Stephen. Not only did Saul approve of Stephen’s death, he also began to directly persecute the Church himself, “going from house to house, [and] dragged off both men and women and put them in prison”  (Acts 8:4). However, on the road to Damascus, Paul encounters the risen Christ and he converts to Christianity. He then tries to join the Christians in Jerusalem. Here’s what happened…

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. Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles, and he reported to them how 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. He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem, and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord. He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists, but they tried to kill him. And when the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him on his way to Tarsus.

The 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.

Questions:

• What do you know about Saul/St. Paul? What’s his background? What has been his story up until this point?
• Why are the disciples afraid of Saul?
• How are their fears allayed?
• What did Paul do next? Who were the Hellenists? How did that go? What happened afterwards?
• How does the final paragraph describe Church life at the time? What can we learn from this?

Commentary:

When Saul arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples…

After being a persecutor of the Church, Saul encounters Christ on the Road to Damascus and becomes a believer in Christ. He immediately starts preaching in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. He then spends three years in Arabia (Galatians 1:15-21) before returning to Damascus. The Jews in Damascus then try to kill him so he escapes from the city under the cover of darkness. He then travels to Jerusalem and tries to join the Christians there…

…but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

They thought it was some kind of trap!

This reaction was to be expected. Years later Saul would write to the congregation at Philippi and describe his former treatment of the Church:

“…in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church“ – Philippians 3:5-6

It’s hardly surprising that the disciples in Jerusalem were reticent about accepting Saul.

Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles, and he reported to them how 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.

We encounter “Barnabas” earlier in Acts, just before the incident with Ananias and Sapphira:

Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet – Acts 4:36-37

The fact that the text mentions the meaning of Barnabas’ name suggests that it was a name well-deserved. Barnabas would later become a missionary partner with St. Paul, together with Luke and Barnabas’ cousin Mark.

He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem, …

Barnabas vouches for Saul and this seems to resolve the matter.

…and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord.

He would continue to do this until His death in Rome.

He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists, but they tried to kill him.

Paul really had a knack for annoying people! The “Hellenists”  were the same kind of Jews who had argued with St. Stephen:

Opposition arose, however, from…Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen – Acts 6:9-10

The “Hellenists”  were Jews who came from other parts of the Roman world and who had embraced the Greek culture and language. There were often tensions between these Greek-speaking “Hellenists”  and the “Hebrews”, the natives of Palestine who spoke Aramaic.

And when the brothers learned of this, …

The word “brothers” refers here to other Christians. We find this term used 28 times in the Acts of the Apostles.

…they took him down to Caesarea and sent him on his way to Tarsus.

Here is a map of Saul’s movements:

Since Saul’s life was in danger the Christians of Jerusalem sent him back to his home town. Paul would remain here until Barnabas collected him and took him to Antioch in order to support the Gentile mission (Acts 11:22-26) .

The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. 

The Church appears to have enjoyed peace for a while. This stands in contrast to the persecution which arose after the stoning of Stephen (Acts 8:1-3).

Here is a map of the regions mentioned:

The word “church”  is used here in the broader sense rather than simply referring to individual congregations.

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 grew in holiness (“fear of the lord”) and in size (“grew in numbers”).

Again and again in the Acts of the Apostles, emphasis is placed on the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church and this passage is no different, noting that the Church was encouraged by the Holy Spirit (“consolation of the Holy Spirit”).

This peace was something of an aberration. The Church had previously been persecuted and she would be persecuted again soon. Over the coming years these persecutions would increase in frequency and in magnitude. As Christians in 21st Century this is worth remembering when we speak about our own “persecution”.

 

 

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32

Our Responsorial Psalm this week comes from the end of the psalm quoted by our Lord on the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”. Although that opening line paints a picture of sorrow and defeat, the psalm itself ends with a declaration of victory…

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

I will fulfill my vows before those who fear the LORD. The lowly shall eat their fill; they who seek the LORD shall praise him: “May your hearts live forever!”

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

all who sleep in the earth; before him shall bend all who go down into the dust. And to him my soul shall live;

my descendants shall serve him. 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.

Questions:

• What are the themes of this psalm?
• When is this psalm quoted in the New Testament? What can we learn from this?

Commentary:

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

The psalmist promises to praise the Lord before all the people of God worshiping in His sanctuary.

I will fulfill my vows before those who fear the LORD. The lowly shall eat their fill; they who seek the LORD shall praise him: “May your hearts live forever!”

The psalmist promises to be faithful and describes the faithfulness of God.

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

A glimpse of the global nature of God’s love. All people, not just Israel, will come to worship the Lord.

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

Everyone: rich, poor, blessed, oppressed, living, dying. They will all know the Lord.

And to him my soul shall live; …

The psalmist’s life is oriented around God.

…my descendants shall serve him. 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.

Both the psalmist and his descendants will proclaim the greatness of God. I think there is an allusion here to a passage in Deuteronomy which is also part of the Sh’ma:

 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. – Deuteronomy 6:4-7

Teaching future generations about Yahweh was very important to the Jews. We find evidence of this in the liturgical celebrations and in the festivals of the Jewish Calendar. For example, as part of the commemoration of Passover, the youngest child asks a series of questions which will be used to explain the meaning of the celebration (“Why is this night different from all other nights?”, “Why do we…” etc.)

 

 

Reading II: 1 John 3:18-24

In our Second Reading we continue our way through the first epistle of St. John. Last week we read about how we are children of God. This week St. John examines the demands of this adoption – love of God and love of neighbour.

Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.

Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth and reassure our hearts before him in whatever our hearts condemn, for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in God and receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 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. 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 he gave us.

Questions:

• What have been the themes in John’s epistle so far?
• Why does John call his recipients “children”?
• What might be another way of saying “love not in word or speech but in deed and truth”?
• What does John say about those living an upright life?
• What are the commandments John said Jesus gave us?
• How does John describe those who “remain in [Jesus]”?

Commentary:

Children, …

As we have seen in previous weeks, this is a term of endearment often used by John to express spiritual fatherhood and paternal
love and care.

…let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth

John calls for consistency between what we say and what we do:

“It is not enough to have good intentions. You must also put them into effect with genuine willingness and a happy heart.” – Saint John Chrysostom (ca. A.D. 388), Catena

A modern paraphrase might be “You can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk?”

Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth and reassure our hearts before him in whatever our hearts condemn…

How shall we “know that we belong to the truth”? How shall we “reassure our hearts”? The answer is that we shall do this by doing what John said in the previous sentence: “love not in word or speech but in deed and truth”. We know that we belong to the truth when our words and deeds are in accord.

A heart “condemns” when it convicts the Christian of sin. An over-active conscience may be calmed by knowing that God has said that active love is evidence of salvation. Even though we may be conscious of our shortcomings, we may stand before God confident in the greatness of His mercy

…for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.

God knows the truth, even when our hearts are deceived.

Beloved, …

Again, another term of endearment.

…if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in God and receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

In living a life which is rightly ordered, the beliver should have confidence in his prayer to God. The implication here is that a
sinful life is an impediment to prayer.

And his commandment is this:

John now goes on to list the commandments we must keep…

…we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, …

Love of God.

(In recent weeks we have seen a reference to “the name of…”. It means the person and everything that person is and represents. Belief is not simply mental assent but commitment.)

…and love one another…

Love of neighbour.

…just as he commanded us.

These were the commandments given by the Lord Himself. These verses show the interrelationship between faith and love.

Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them

Again, the theme of obedience is raised.

Those who remain obedient remain in Him. We find very similar language in this week’s Gospel in Jesus’ metaphor of the vine.

…and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us.

The witness of the Holy Spirit.

 

 

Gospel: John 15:1-8

The Gospel this week comes from St. John, the same author behind our Second Reading. This Reading contains probably my favourite metaphor used by Jesus, the “vine”. It beautifully encompasses so many truths taught by our Lord. It beautifully depicts Christ’s union with His Church and our utter dependence upon Him. In the writings of St. Paul, the metaphor of the ‘body” is used in a similar way.

Jesus said to his disciples: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. 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. 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. 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. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”

Questions:

• Explain the metaphor that Jesus uses here. What is Jesus trying to express?
• What do the following represent: “vine”, “vine grower”, “branch”, “fruit” and “fire”?
• How might the Holy Spirit be represented in this metaphor?
• What happens to the branches which bear no fruit? What does this mean?
• What happens to the branches which do bear fruit? What does this mean?
• How would you rate the quality of fruit in your life? Succulent and abundant or sour and sparse?
• What promise is made?
• What is the end result of “bearing fruit”?

Jesus said to his disciples: …

This sermon takes place just after the Last Supper. It is speculated that this sermon is delivered either at the Temple Gates (which happened to contain engravings of grapes and vines) or in a vineyard near the Kidron Valley as they traveled to the Garden of Gethsemane.

“I am…”

This echo’s the words of Exodus:

God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”– Exodus 3:14

In John’s Gospel Jesus gives seven descriptions of Himself which begin with those words: “I am…the bread of life…light of the world…the gate for the sheep…the good shepherd…the resurrection and the life…the way, the truth and the life…the true vine”.

“…the true vine, …”

The “vine”, is an image used many times in the Old Testament for Israel. For example, Jeremiah said that God had planted Israel “as his choice vine” (Jeremiah 2:21) and Isaiah described the house of Israel as “the vineyard of the Lord” (Isaiah 5:7).

Jesus says that He is the vine. However, he’s not just a vine, but “the true” vine. When the vine imagery is used in the Old Testament it is usually used to illustrate Israel’s deficiencies. However, there is nothing lacking in Christ.

“…and my Father is the vine grower”

God the Father is the one who overseers the vineyard.

“He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit…”

The Father cuts off every “branch” who does not bear fruit. Each “branch” here represents a Christian:

He says this as being the Head of the Church, of which we are the members, …; for the vine and the branches are of the same nature  – St. Augustine

…and the “fruit” represents a godly life and virtuous character. The teaching here is clear – if a Christian ceases to be “fruit[ful]”, he will be cut off from Christ. We must produce fruit. This teaching is echoed in St. John’s letter in our Second Reading (“let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth”).

This is a useful passage to reference when speaking to Protestants who believe in “Once Saved, Always Saved”, sometimes known as “Eternal Security”, the belief that salvation cannot be lost. The above passage makes it clear that one can lose one’s salvation and therefore in direct contradiction with this doctrine. When I have brought up this passage with those who believe in “Eternal Security”, they have said that those who are cut off are not, in fact, ever Christians. In response I ask: how can one be connected to Jesus, in the same way a branch is connected to a vine, and not be considered a Christian?

“…and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit”

The Father “prunes” those vines which produce fruit so that they may produce even more fruit. This “prun[ing]” takes place in the trials in life:

 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything – James 1:2-4

As the Father trims away our pride, our love is invigorated, producing more fruit:

…even the best of men require the work of the … He alludes here to the tribulations and trials which were coming upon them, the effect of which would be to purge, and so to strengthen them. By pruning the branches we make the tree shoot out the more – St. John Chrysostom

This idea finds an echo in the Old Testament as well:

 “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,  because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son. – Proverbs 3:11-12

This verse is itself quoted in the letter to the Hebrews (Hebrews 12:5-11) which also talks about fatherly correction.

“You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you”

The “word” refers to Jesus’ teaching:

For Christ’s Word in the first place cleanses us from errors, by instructing us (cf. Titus 1:9)…secondly, it purifies our hearts of earthly affections, filling them with desire for heavenly things…; finally, his Word purifies us with the strength of faith, for “he cleansed their hearts by faith (Acts 15:9)” – St. Thomas Aquinas

(The same Greek word “katharos” means both “prune” and “clean”)

In hearing Jesus’ words the hearers have been brought to repentance.

And who is there in this world so clean, that he cannot be more and more changed? Here, if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. He cleans then the clean, i.e. the fruitful, that the cleaner they be, the more fruitful they may be. Christ is the vine, in that He said, My Father is greater than I; but in that He said, I and My Father are one, He is the husbandman; not like those who carry on an external ministry only; for He gives increase within. 

Thus He calls Himself immediately the cleanser of the branches: Now you are clean through the word, which I have spoken to you. He performs the part of the husbandman then, as well as of the vine. But why does He not say, you are clean by reason of the baptism wherewith you are washed? Because it is the word in the water which cleans. Take away the word, and what is the water, which but water. 

Add the word to the element, and you have a sacrament. Whence has the water such virtue as that by touching the body, it cleans the heart, but by the power of the word, not spoken only, but believed? For in the word itself the passing sound is one thing, the abiding virtue another. This word of faith is of such avail in the Church of God that by Him who believes, presents, blesses, sprinkles the infant, it cleanses that infant, though itself is unable to believe.  – St. Augustine

You are clean through the word which I have spoken to you, i.e., you have been enlightened by My doctrine, and been delivered from Jewish error – St. John Chrysostom

“Remain in me, as I remain in you.”

Jesus’ invitation is for His followers to “remain” in Him. Again, this implies that one may be “in Christ” at one point in time and be apart from Him again at a later point in time i.e. salvation can be lost.

“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”

Jesus gives us the reason why we have to remain in Him. Branches need the life given to them by the vine. Life is transmitted to the branches from the vine via sap, which one might see here as representing the Holy Spirit, thus providing us with a complete Trinitarian image.

“I am the vine, you are the branches”

Jesus repeats Himself to add emphasis.

One might see allusions to the cross here.

“Whoever remains in me…

Abide in Me, and I in you: not they in Him, as He in them; for both are for the profit not of Him, but them. The branches do not confer any advantage upon the vine, but receive their support from it: the vine supplies nourishment to the branches, takes none from them: so that the abiding in Christ, and the having Christ abiding in them, are both for the profit of the disciples, not of Christ; according to what follows, As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can you, except you abide in Me. 

Great display of grace! He strengthens the hearts of the humble, stops the mouth of the proud. They who hold that God is not necessary for the doing of good works, the subverters, not the asserters, of free will, contradict this truth. For he who thinks that he bears fruit of himself, is not in the vine; he who is not in the vine, is not in Christ; he who is not in Christ, is not a Christian – St. Augustine

“…and I in him will bear much fruit…”

Jesus reiterates our dependance and need of Him.

All the fruit of good works proceeds from this root. He who has delivered us by His grace, also carries us onward by his help, so that we bring forth more fruit. Wherefore He repeats, and explains what He has said: I am the vine, you are the branches. He that abides in Me, by believing, obeying, persevering, and I in Him, by enlightening, assisting, giving perseverance, the same, and none other, brings forth much fruit – Alcuin

Here are the fruits of the Spirit:

 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control – Galations 5:22-23

“…because  without me you can do nothing”

It’s not that without Him we can’t do anything too great. No, without him we can do “nothing”.

But lest any should suppose that a branch could bring forth a little fruit of itself, He adds, For without Me you can do nothing. He does not say, you can do little. Unless the branch abides in the vine, and lives from the root, it can bear no fruit whatever. Christ, though He would not be the vine, except He were man, yet could not give this grace to the branches, except He were God – St. Augustine

“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.”

Jesus reiterates that those who don’t remain in him with will be thrown away and “burned”, a graphic image of Hell.

And men gather them, i.e., the reapers, the Angels, and cast them into the fire, everlasting fire, and they are burned – Alcuin

For the branches of the vine are as contemptible, if they abide not in the vine, as they are glorious, if they abide. One of the two the branch must be in, either the vine, or the fire: if it is not in the vine, it will be in the fire – St. Augustine

If you remain in me and my words remain in you,

The words of Christ remain in us if we keep His commandments (see Second Reading).

For then may His words be said to abide in us, when we do what He has commanded, and love what He has promised. But when His words abide in the memory and are not found in the life, the branch is not accounted to be in the vine, because it derives no life from its root. So far as we abide in the Savior we cannot will any thing that is foreign to our salvation. 

We have one will, insofar as we are in Christ, another, insofar as we are in this world And by reason of our abode in this world, it sometimes happens that we ask for that which is not expedient, through ignorance. But never, if we abide in Christ, will He grant it us, Who does not grant except what is expedient for us. And here we are directed to the prayer, Our Father. Let us adhere to the words and the meaning of this prayer in our petitions, and whatever we ask will be done for us – St. Augustine

“…ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you”

This is a very similar promise to what we found in the Second Reading. If the words of Christ remain in us (i.e. we do what He
says), we can pray with confidence.

“By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”

The result of all this is that the Father is glorified.

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. – 1 Peter 1:6-7