5th SUNDAY OF EASTER (B)

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.

Jn 15:1-8

The branches that do not bear fruit are cut off so that the nutrients of the vine are not wasted but go to those branches that bear fruit produce more and better fruits.

What are the things that we need to cut off from our lives that are useless? What things in our lives do not help us at all and need to be pruned away?

We may find ourselves carrying emotional baggage. They negative experiences which make us unhappy and keep us from living to the full.

A friend whom we trusted so much might have betrayed us. This betrayal might have hurt us so much that we refuse to trust anyone again.

A love relationship that we treasured so much might have ended and left a deep wound in our heart. For this reason we are afraid to love again because we are afraid of being hurt again.
We might have had an unsatisfactory relationship with our father. This might negatively affect how we see God and how we relate to him.

We need to find a way to let go of this emotional baggage if we want to be happy and if we want to live life to the full.

We form certain beliefs as we were growing up. Some of them are good. Some of them are bad. Some of them are correct. Some of them are downright wrong. We need re-examine our beliefs and let go of those that are bad and wrong.

Some of us may believe that ONLY those things that go against our likes have value in the eyes of God. If this were true, then it means that if I like to sing and if for this reason, I join the Sunday choir, my singing in church on Sundays has no value in God’s eyes. But this is wrong. St. Francis de Sales said that what gives value to what we do is the love which we put into them. Hence, if I join the Sunday choir because I love to sing and because I want to serve God, my singing has value in God’s eyes.

Some of us may believe that EVERY misfortune that comes to us is a pun-ishment that God sends us for the sins we have committed. But this is wrong. Recall the case of the blind man in the gospel of St. John. The disciples asked Jesus whether it was the sin of the parents or the sin of the man himself that was the reason for his blindness. Jesus answered: “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents” (Jn 9:3).

These wrong beliefs might cause us to be afraid of God rather than be trusting toward him. We need to do away with these wrong beliefs.

Sin and sinful habits should be the first to be cut off from our lives. They damage relationships and they make us unlikeable.

If someone likes to talk about the defects and shortcomings of other people, I will certainly not want to become close to this person. Why? Because I would suspect that this person is more likely to talk about my defects and shortcomings before other people. Sinful habits make us unlikeable.

If someone has a short temper and as a result he or she hits his or her spouse and children, should he or she be surprised if they have ill-feelings toward him or her?

Sin damages relationships. For this reason sin and sinful habits need to cut off from our lives.

Emotional baggage, wrong beliefs and sin and sinful habits—these and other similar things need to be pruned from our lives. They prevent us from being happy. They make Christian life something unpleasant rather than something beautiful. They damage our relationships and turn us into people whom others love to hate. The sooner we let go of them the better for us.

GOSPEL EXPLANATION

Jn 15: 1. "I am the true vine.”

Only through Jesus can we belong to God.
He is the one who fulfils the symbols of the OT.

The figure of the vine and vineyard is found in the OT. Israel is a vine.
• Ps 80: 9-17. You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove away the nations and planted it….

But it has gone bad.
• Is 5:7 - The vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his cherished plant.
• Jer 2:21 - I had planted you, a choice vine of fully tested stock; How could you turn out obnoxious to me, a spurious vine?
• Hos 10:1 - Israel is a luxuriant vine whose fruit matches its growth. The more abundant his fruit, the more altars he built; The more productive his land, the more sacred pillars he set up.

Jn 15:2. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.

Branches that do not bear fruit must be cut away so that the nutrients go to the branches that bear fruit and thus give better fruits.

Fruit refers to the faith that is lived.

This verse might refer to those Christians who hide their faith because of persecution.
• Jn 12:2-42 - Nevertheless, many, even among the authorities, believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they did not acknowledge it openly in order not to be expelled from the synagogue. For they preferred human praise to the glory of God.

Jn 5:4-6. 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.

This might have reference to the Eucharist.

Jn 5:5. 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.

Christian – Christ = ian = I am nothing.

The necessity of human effort is not denied here. What is affirmed here is that it is Christ who gives the value of eternity to our life. Hence, we may say: “without me you can do nothing of eternal value.”

Jn 5:6. 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.

Those branches which do not bear fruit are cut off and hung on the vineyard walls to dry and later used for fuel.

The unfaithful disciple is excluded from the community of Christ and will not participate in the Kingdom that is to come.