The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today underline the connection between the Love of God in Christ and our full life in Christian community.
The reading from the Acts of the Apostles describes The Council at Jerusalem.
* [15:1–35] The Jerusalem “Council” marks the official rejection of the rigid view that Gentile converts were obliged to observe the Mosaic law completely. From here to the end of Acts, Paul and the Gentile mission become the focus of Luke’s writing.
* [15:1–5] When some of the converted Pharisees of Jerusalem discover the results of the first missionary journey of Paul, they urge that the Gentiles be taught to follow the Mosaic law. Recognizing the authority of the Jerusalem church, Paul and Barnabas go there to settle the question of whether Gentiles can embrace a form of Christianity that does not include this obligation. (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 122 is a Song of Praise and Prayer for Jerusalem.
* [Psalm 122] A song of Zion, sung by pilgrims obeying the law to visit Jerusalem three times on a journey. The singer anticipates joining the procession into the city (Ps 122:1–3). Jerusalem is a place of encounter, where the people praise God (Ps 122:4) and hear the divine justice mediated by the king (Ps 122:5). The very buildings bespeak God’s power (cf. Ps 48:13–15). May the grace of this place transform the people’s lives (Ps 122:6–9)! (Psalms, PSALM 122 | USCCB, n.d.)
The Gospel of John declares Jesus as the True Vine.
* [15:1–17] Like Jn 10:1–5, this passage resembles a parable. Israel is spoken of as a vineyard at Is 5:1–7; Mt 21:33–46 and as a vine at Ps 80:9–17; Jer 2:21; Ez 15:2; 17:5–10; 19:10; Hos 10:1. The identification of the vine as the Son of Man in Ps 80:15 and Wisdom’s description of herself as a vine in Sir 24:17 are further background for portrayal of Jesus by this figure. There may be secondary eucharistic symbolism here; cf. Mk 14:25, “the fruit of the vine.”
* [15:2] Takes away,prunes: in Greek there is a play on two related verbs.
* [15:6] Branches were cut off and dried on the wall of the vineyard for later use as fuel. (John, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB, n.d.)
Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries was not available at publication time.
Don Schwager quotes “Cleansed by Jesus' word,” by Basil the Great, 329-379 A.D.
"So the world - life enslaved by carnal passions - can no more receive the grace of the Spirit than a weak eye can look at the light of a sunbeam. First the Lord cleansed his disciples' lives through his teaching, and then he gave them the ability to both see and contemplate the Spirit. He says, 'You are already made clean by the word I have spoken to you' (John 15:3). Therefore 'the world cannot receive him, because it neither sees him nor knows him... You know him, for he dwells with you' (John 14:17). Isaiah says, 'He who settled the earth and the things in it; and gives breath to the people on it, and Spirit to them that tread on it' (Isaiah 42:5). From this we can learn that those who trample earthly things and rise above them become worthy to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (excerpt from ON THE HOLY SPIRIT 22.53) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on John 15:1-8 comments that of course, Jesus glorified his Father perfectly. We can glorify God too, even if we don’t do it perfectly.
In ancient Israel, a rabbi had disciples—people who followed him, were formed by him, and spread his teaching. The goal was that anyone who saw the disciple would immediately recognize the master through that disciple’s words and actions. The same is true for us, followers of the Lord. The more we are conformed to the Son who perfectly reflects the Father, the more we can bring him glory!
God can be glorified in each one of us. So stay close to Jesus. Let him make you more like himself. And let his life shine forth from you today.
“Jesus, help me to glorify my heavenly Father!” (Meditation on John 15:1-8, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler asks the question of the Council of Jerusalem about what do the people who convert become? Perhaps a Jew who believes in Jesus as Messiah? What about observing Mosaic Law? The parable of the Vine and the Fruit in the Last Supper Discourse indicates a choice we have to make. Friar Jude reminds us that if we choose not to be one with God in Jesus, it will not be so.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, considers Francis and Clare of Assisi models of the liberation and joy of letting go.
When we agree to live simply, we put ourselves outside of others’ ability to buy us off, reward us falsely, or control us by money, status, punishment, and loss or gain. This is the most radical level of freedom, but, of course, it’s not easy to come by. Francis and Clare created a life in which they had little to lose, no desire for gain, no debts to pay, and no luxuries they needed or wanted. Most of us can only envy them.
When we agree to live simply, we can understand what Francis meant when he said, “A man had not yet given up everything for God as long as he held on to the moneybag of his own opinions.” [1] Most of us find that this purse is far more dangerous than a money purse, and we seldom let go of it.
When we agree to live simply, we don’t consider people who are immigrants, refugees, or unhoused as a threat or as competition. We’ve chosen their marginal state for ourselves—freely and consciously becoming “visitors and pilgrims” in this world, as Francis puts it (quoting 1 Peter 2:11). A simple lifestyle is quite simply an act of solidarity with the way most people have lived since the beginnings of humanity. (Rohr, n.d.)
We seek the guidance of the Spirit to find the path that opens the experience of the Love of God as expressed by Christ through the Christian community to all God’s people.
References
Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 1, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/15?1
John, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 1, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/15?1
Meditation on John 15:1-8. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved May 1, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/05/01/947008/
Psalms, PSALM 122 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 1, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/122?1
Rohr, R. (n.d.). The Joy of Simplicity. CAC Daily Meditations. Retrieved May 1, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-joy-of-simplicity/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Abide in Me, and I in You. Daily Scripture net. Retrieved May 1, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=may1
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