Pruned

Today’s Gospel Text: 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 everyone 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.”  John 15: 1-8 (NAB)

Reflection: All that is required for a surgeon to operate upon a person is a good sterilized blade, which is also a primary instrument of surgery.

In major operations he has only to worry about infections and bleeding while the surgery is being performed and then the post operative care, which normally involves healing of the wound through warding off infections.

Likewise a farmer will use the sickle or the knife instead of a scalpel to prune the branches of any tree and even the vine.

He has to prune them wisely so that they may branch out in many places with new shoots which may subsequently flower and produce more fruit and even fruit in abundance.

Today, instead of the scalpel, blades and knives we have new technologies to handle the techniques of cutting and to make things easier, even though all of them may not have fully percolated down to the farmers.

Laser is one of them, which can do things without going through the knife and is faster and easier, with less chances of infection and other complications.

We have a similar sophisticated technology used in the spiritual realm, in the spirit world that surrounds us.  They keep feeding our minds with words that either prune us to destruction and to be ultimately burnt in the fires of hell or the Word that helps us put on new branches and bear much fruit.

Christ Jesus assures us in the gospel passage that his Word prunes us, If we allow him to speak to us: “You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.” (vs. 3)

For the rest and for healthy recuperation and ultimately in order that we may bear much fruit we need to constantly abide in him.

Prayer: Prune us O Lord as we seek to abide in your great embrace and love. 

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

World’s Peace

Today’s Gospel Text: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, 'I go away, and I will come to you.' If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place, you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me; 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. John 14:27-31

Reflection: What can the world offer?

Some say that there is no such word as impossible and they sincerely believe so with great confidence in themselves and their abilities, which are often based on false hopes.

Among the many hopes that the world offers is also the hope of a concrete happiness and peace:

You give people gifts and they will be glad, in other words, they will be happy with gifts they have received and many may even enjoy a sense of peace because their deep longing for a particular gift is fulfilled.

People are happy when they have that extra wealth or money, because that also offers them the freedom to chose and buy what they want in life.

People are happy when they have power or given the right to exercise authority over others. The recognition gives people the kick to be happy and they are at peace.

One of the greatest of peace is enjoyed when people are able to satisfy their desires, no matter how inordinate it may be.

You can also enjoy a great bounty of peace by New Age techniques and spiritualities or even by adopting psycho –social methodologies which are often based on deceptive philosophies and ideas.

But the effect of fulfilling all these desire, in the long run, is almost always filled with evil and torment and in the ultimate end an eternal damnation filled with torture and unrest.

In all these, peace is a short term outcome of immediate gratification of the deep inner desires and normally lasts till the oncoming of the next cycle of hunger and thirst.  

When Christ Jesus gives us the peace, he seals it with his eternal wisdom and sacrifice based on truth. His precious blood cleanses us of every dead work that brings about unrest and upheaval.  

His peace is lasting and eternal, given to those who ask for it, also by living the gospel way of life.

Prayer: Lord, I need your peace in order to live and act as your instrument.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Love for his Beloved

Today’s Gospel Text:  He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?" 23 Jesus answered him, "If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me. 25 "These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:21-26

Reflection: Something’s in life are precious and is not easily shared with anyone; be it the secrets of our hearts or the material wealth we posses or a special seat or a plate or a cup.

But these very things we may share with someone whom we may love and care for:

Thus you have parents sharing their belongings with children and a couple sharing their things with each other or siblings too following the same regiment.

We could have teachers who could be sharing their knowledge either freely or with the select students over whom they are employed to deliver, but to his chosen select he delivers extra. 

Just like the parent towards their beloved children or a teacher towards their chosen pupil likewise Jesus makes a choice to manifest himself towards his chosen ones.

Who are his chosen ones? Are they the ones who have experienced his manifestation or are they the ones who make a choice to follow him, by loving him, which they will do by following his commandments:

“He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." (vs. 21)

The process is clear: First, know the Lord and his commandments; not just the Ten Commandments but the commandment of listening to Jesus and his teaching, the living voice and what is written in Scripture as passed on to us through the great tradition of the church.

Then as one follows the Lord and his commandment, one will thus prove that they love the Lord and are willing to walk in the footsteps of the Lord.

Then will the Lord love them and manifest himself.

It is not a process that follows the liner movement but a process that follows a cyclic movement, in ever greater and increasing measure as one constantly chooses to live the commandments of Jesus out of love for him.  Thus Jesus will manifest himself to them till they achieve the growth that God wants them to have.

Prayer: Teach me thy way, O Lord, that I may walk in thy truth; unite my heart to fear thy name. Ps 86:11

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Glorified Death of Jesus

Today’s Gospel Text:  When he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of man glorified, and in him God is glorified; 32 if God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, 'Where I am going you cannot come.' 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." JN. 13:31-33A, 34-35

Reflection: Is it an incident that is about to take place or an incident that has already taken place: "Now is the Son of man glorified, and in him God is glorified.” (vs. 31)

How many of us can prophesy about our life and future; an incident that we believe is about to take place.

Rarely so and even if we can, then how many of us can confidently affirm their death as a glorious one.

Christ’s death, by human standards, was no glorious death but yet even to this day we see the glory of this death and rejoice because our salvation was achieved by the death of Jesus on the cross.

It is this death that Jesus is talking about in the farewell discourse in John’s gospel which begins with the thirteenth chapter of John; he identifies his death with the glory of God.

The death of Jesus was a necessary event in the history of humanity, which proves God as truth.  Any claim that Jesus death was caused by a body double or any other theory which contradicts scripture presents God as:

1) A deceiver and selfish creator who only looks to his own interest.

2) Least concerned about humanity and its many sufferings.

3) Wanting to keep people in the dark about the higher realities of life.

What use is God's salvation, if he has to keep people in the dark about his nature and goodness if any? 

In this world we live we could have a situation where people could be deceived by a lie and accordingly may follow it, even after an immediate assertion of truth with proofs.

One of the powerful message about the glory of Jesus is the existence of a dark reality of deception, which we as Christian know is brought about by  the spiritual forces of wickedness in the highest place.

None of us have been directly instrumental in the crucifixion of Jesus but it nevertheless speaks about a reality of us walking in deception and thus as collaborators in the crucifixion of Christ. 

Prayer:  Lord, we rejoice in your cross which is your power and wisdom for all men who choose to believe in you by responding to your merciful grace.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Who is the Father?

Today’s Gospel Text: If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know him and have seen him." 8 Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied." 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves. 12 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; 14 if you ask anything in my name, I will do it. John 14:7-14

Reflection: Imagine someone telling you: “Yeh look, if you have tasted oranges then you need not bother about tasting sweet limes because when you taste oranges then it is the same as tasting sweet limes.”

“Ahw! How can that be, I would still like to go for the sweet limes and would not just be satisfied with the mere taste of oranges and more so since someone has spoken to me so much highly about sweet limes.”

Now it may not be really true be that the taste of oranges are the same as that of sweet limes but it is definitely true, without an iota of doubt, that if you encounter Jesus then it is the same as encountering the Father.

It is not just a beautiful way that Jesus brings out this relationship but it is the truth about the reality of God:

The Son shares in the same essence of God along with the Holy Spirit and thus we have the triune nature of the one true God.  

We cannot just separate Jesus from the Godhead nor are we doing any wrong to the Father by worshipping the Son, who is one in being with the Father, true God from true God, begotten not made.

Thus we have the greatest ever revelation of Jesus, which lays a very high and solid claim to his divinity, power and majesty:

“He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?  Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does his works.  

Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves.” (vss. 9c-11)

Jesus it is that reveals the Father and his great love for us by his incarnation among us and hence through his blood, shed on the cross, we have access to the Father's love.

Prayer: Father, we thank you for revealing to us yourself and your everlasting love for us through Jesus your beloved Son.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

God our Rock

Today’s Gospel Text: "Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way where I am going." 5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me. John 14:1-6

Reflection: The mystery of the human heart which seeks its own security amidst the vagaries of life is baffling, many a times in ways unknown to them.

We could be insecure about the deep inner need to be loved and accepted by others. This want could be sought out by seeking the approval of people in authority:  Thus you have the politicking in the work environment seeking to grab attention of the higher ups and their approvals.

This could be manifest with overtones of jealousy and envy which can result in severe damage to the victims of such a lash out.

All these expressions only communicate the deep inner need of every human being gone astray or manifesting uncontrollably.

Likewise this insecurity could lead us into acts and behavior patterns contrary to the normal standards of society. It could even be bouts of attention seeking behavior or other forms of it.

Some who know the art do excellently well in fields of learning, sports and other extra-curricular activities and some even seem secure in their achievements.   

It is as if they have found their security and are at peace, as long as no one challenges them. The moment they are challenged or find a competitor challenging their positions they become insecure.

Money, wealth and assets add well towards the satisfaction of these deep insecurities. The more smoothly they keep flowing in ever increasing ratio the greater the satisfaction. 

Those who are insecure could exhibit frustration and irritation, leading to addictive bondage's and they find it difficult to cope with challenges of acceptability.

God knows best that every individual goes through these inordinate desire for a sense of security and in order that we do not seek it in the wrong and sinful things of life he gives us Jesus as our firm rock to rest securely on.

Every assurance of Jesus, including the one in today gospel is aimed at making us secure with the right kind of vision and happiness in life:  "Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me.” (vs.1)

Prayer: Incline thy ear to me, rescue me speedily! Be thou a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me! Ps 31:2

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Gospel of Jesus

Today’s Gospel Text:  And he said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover." 19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen. Mark 16:15-20

Reflection: Some theologian’s best way to scuttle the work of God was by denying that it was Jesus who ever said these things and that the disciples had put these words in the mouth of Jesus.

When they did not succeed in their fabrication they resorted to other ways to foil the work of God in the revelation of his Son Jesus.

This time around, in their ever newer methods, they did not deny the words but took the liberty to give it a new meaning and interpretation.

"We need to proclaim gospel values and not the gospel", they said and evangelize by actions rather than words and hence witness by deeds.

They managed to sweep quite a few with their deceptive tail and hence many walked in their deception because they trusted their irrational rational mind rather than trust the truth; Jesus Christ who has proved himself for all ages by his death on the cross.

Hence the call to proclaim the gospel, which is the good news of God’s saving plan stands firm forever and for all ages:

"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” (vss. 15-16)

The saving good news of God offered through his son Jesus is to be believed in order for men to be saved and there is no other way offered by God to humanity. (cfr. Acts 4:12)

There have been countless witnesses who have proclaimed the gospel with great risk to their lives and with great sacrifice, going through great persecution and torture for the sake of the Gospel.

Compare this with terrorism in the name of religion; even in our day there are people who go through great hardship for the sake of the gospel of peace.

There have also been dedicated disciples of Christ who support this mandate of Jesus with their prayers and material support so that the work of God may triumph until the day of Christ.

Prayer:  Lord, protect me from every deception of the evil one as I seek to dedicate my heart to your gospel.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Who is God?

Today’s Gospel Text:  And Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45 And he who sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come as light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. 47 If any one hears my sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings has a judge; the word that I have spoken will be his judge on the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on my own authority; the Father who sent me has himself given me commandment what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has bidden me." John 12:44-50

Reflection: The vastness of God, his beauty and grandeur, his omnipotence and omniscience who has comprehended and can ever comprehend.  

It would be foolishness for humans to contain God in their limited vocabulary or mind even though we must communicate to one another about him and for our own good.

People deep down in their hearts having felt the need for God have invented their own gods and religions, and even in our day we have people who still keep creating gods or make themselves a god.

Even the atheists are gods in themselves, either worshipping their own ideas or expect people to worship their concept of life. 

So too the humanists of various hues and shades think that they do a great service to humanity by giving humanism precedence over the unjust or evil gods in which their imaginations were formed in.

The Christian world view is very clear, you cannot arrive at the knowledge of God and his nature by human reasoning’s alone, unless we are assisted by divine grace, which includes his revelation.

Hence the prerogative is God’s and we know from scripture that it is out of love for humanity that he ultimately chose to become one like us to help us know him and what is more he reconciles we the enemies of God to himself, by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

Jesus is the complete revelation and salvation of God to an imperfect humanity doomed to eternal damnation. 

In Jesus God becomes one like us in all things in order that we may know him and what is more he saves us too by not only revealing to us the demands of God but by becoming our assistance to walk in his footsteps:

"He who believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And he who sees me sees him who sent me. I have come as light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness." (vs. 44-46)

Prayer:  Lord, I believe that you are the Son of God come to save us from our sinfulness.Help me walk always believing in you. 

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Shepherds Voice

Today’s Gospel Text:  It was the feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem; 23 it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered round him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." 25 Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness to me; 26 but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; 28 and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one." John 10:22-30

Reflection: One of the most humorous aspect of life is when people ask you a question and you know for sure that they would not believe and invariably they will not.

And they will ask you again and again, requiring of you and even reprimanding you for not speaking the truth.  In other words the answer they expect is the answer that is in their mind.

Simply put: they expect an answer which is a lie!

Such is the nature of truth too; the highest truth about God and his existence, his nature and his intervention in creation. Humans down the ages have distorted it, sometimes beautifully. 

The majority prefer the God of their imagination and so whatever truth we may have of the one true living God whom Jesus has revealed, even proving by the greatest ever sacrifice of the cross, is distorted. 

A distorted lie is preferable and hence the Gospel has met with obstacles wherever it is proclaimed. The worst is when men in authority in the church have distorted this message and reduced it to a social agenda, calling for a brotherhood of humanity based on distorted lies.

Such a house will definitely not last but the damage has been done even as a severe judgment awaits these false prophets whose god is their stomach and their self-glory.

Hence, to be focused on only the Jews as breakers of this norm is another distortion,  their attitude of doubting Jesus and his Christhood should be an eye-opener for each one of us to check our conscience and ask whether we are sincere in seeking God and his wisdom, to guide us into the right path.

It is again a call to develop the gift of discerning the voice of the Shepherd who guides us amidst the clutter of the many voices that speak, some even with the greatest sense of logic but based on a wrong premise.

May the Lord in his mercy, allow not his chosen to go astray but strengthen them to listen to his voice.

Prayer: May I seek you Jesus and your voice to guide me, in all that I do.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us