Whoever Remains in me Will Produce Much Fruit. We can produce the fruit of the Spirit if we remain with Christ. This is the main theme of the gospel today. The second reading draws our attention to another point. Our faith is manifested by works of love. These ensure that we possess the life of God. The first reading tells us of Paul who, in spite of all difficulties, misunderstandings and suspicions, remained in union with Christ and with his disciples.

FIRST READING

“He declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord.”
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 9:26-31)

In those days: When Saul had come to Jerusalem he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists; but they were seeking to kill him. And when the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him off to Tarsus. So the Church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was built up; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit it was multiplied.

The word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM Ps 22:26b-27.28 and 30.31-32 (R. 26a)

R/. You are my praise, Lord, in the great assembly.
Or: Alleluia.

My vows I will pay before those who fear him.
The poor shall eat and shall have their fill.
They shall praise the Lord, those who seek him.
May their hearts live on forever and ever! R

All the earth shall remember and return to the Lord,
all families of the nations worship before him.
They shall worship him, all the mighty of the earth;
before him shall bow all who go down to the dust. R.

And my soul shall live for him, my descendants serve him.
They shall tell of the Lord to generations yet to come,
declare his saving justice to peoples yet unborn:
“These are the things the Lord has done.” R.

SECOND READING

“This is his commandment, that we should believe. . . and love one another.”
A reading from the first Letter of Saint John (1 John 3 : l b-24)

Little children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth, and reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. All who keep his commandments abide in him, and he in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given us.

The word of the Lord.

ALLELUIA John 15:4a.5b

Alleluia. Abide in me, and I in you, says the Lord; he who abides in me bears much fruit. Alleluia.

GOSPEL

“He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (John 15: 1-8)

At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burnt. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL

Christ is our Way, Truth and Life.

PRIEST: My brothers and sisters we pray to God our Father for all the graces for the Church and the world, through Christ, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

READER: FOR THE CHURCH, THE SIGN OF SALVATION, (pause), may she always point the way to the world. Pause, Lord, hear our prayer; through Christ, Your Son we pray Oh Lord.

FOR THE LEADERS OF OUR SOCIETY, (pause), may they never consider themselves as the most important members of society, but see themselves rather as servants in the world of which Christ alone is Lord. Pause, Lord, hear our prayer; through Christ, Your Son we pray Oh Lord.

FOR THOSE WHO ARE WORRIED, OR IN GREAT DISTRESS, (pause) may Christ’s words in today’s gospel, “do not let your hearts be troubled, trust in God still and trust in me” console and encourage them in their time of trial. Pause, Lord, hear our prayer; through Christ, Your Son we pray Oh Lord.

FOR AN INCREASE OF VOCATIONS, (pause) may young men and women be encouraged to offer themselves as priests and religious for the service of the Church. Pause, Lord, hear our prayer; through Christ, Your Son we pray Oh Lord.

In silence, we pray to our heavenly Father for our own spiritual intentions.

PRIEST: Father, may we be one with you by following your Son, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Today’s Reflection (Homily)

The risen Lord made Saul, once a persecutor of Christians, the apostle of the nations. This is the story of a tyrant oppressor turned into a loving follower. In this is Scripture fulfilled that ‘with God, all things are possible’ (Matt 19:26). We can observe how great things happen when God mixes with us. It is not surprising that the disciples were afraid of Saul and, because of his former way of life, doubted the possibility of him becoming one with them. Barnabas instead makes himself a bridge of reconciliation between Paul and the disciples, which is the attitude of a true Christian. Forgiveness, rooted in love for one another, is one of the good fruits we have to bear if we are to remain as branches of the true Vine. May we not allow the past lives of others to determine our present relationship with them.

Today’s Saint

SAINT ATHANASIUS, Bishop and Doctor of the Church: Saint Athanasius, an Egyptian bishop and theologian, played a very important role in the strengthening of the Christian faith against Arianism. This heresy (which originated with Arius, a priest from Alexandria) and which denied the divinity of Christ, spread quickly throughout the Church. As bishop of Alexandria for 45 years, Athanasius did his best to fight this heresy and uphold the divinity of Christ. He even suffered exile five times on account of his stand,. He died in 373.

Personal Devotional: Day 2 May Devotion

Our Mother Mary stayed close to God all through her life and she bore fruits for Him who chose her to be the Mother of His only begotten Son.

We have different roles to play for God in this life and if we are going to play it well and bear good fruits for Him like our Mother Mary did, we must stay close to Jesus and draw our strength, wisdom and inspiration from Him. We stay close to Him in the liturgy of the word and the Eucharist.

Meditation: 

John 15:5

Prayer:

Oh God, you called me to stay close to your Son everyday so that I will bear fruits that will last, help me to disconnect from every unfruitful attachment in my life so that I will bear the fruit that will be pleasing to you as the Blessed Virgin Mary did. Amen.

May Devotion