What beautiful images the Gospel evokes. It’s all about connection. Jesus desires us to be one with Him, to be connected to Him, to remain in Him. And when we do that, when we remain in Him, we have abundant life. In my mind’s eye I see a beautiful, lush vineyard, sturdy branches, and vines growing every which way on a trellis, beautiful purple grapes hanging down, ready to be eaten or crushed for wine. When I was a little girl, my great-uncle grew grapes in his backyard (in Queens NY), and we sat under the vines for many a meal.
The two readings today create an ironic tone. In the first reading, the people are arguing about circumcision. And Paul and Barnabas must leave their evangelization efforts to go to Jerusalem to sort out the problem. Then the Gospel so clearly states what is necessary: to remain close to Christ, to allow the word to prune you, so that you may have abundance.
When we are connected to Jesus, we are fully alive. His life gives us life, His words lead us to be who we are created to be. God is glorified when we bear much fruit and live as Jesus’ disciples. There is no need or place for division among us. We can do nothing when we are separated from Jesus. We are meant to live in unity with God and with each other. One branch and vine do not make a vineyard. When we are together, helping each other grow, we bear good fruit.
Jesus wants us to remain in Him out of love for us. He calls us to Himself to teach us how to be whole. For me, prayer is the best way to stay close to Jesus – not rote prayers but meditating on Scripture. As we continue in this Easter season and can see Pentecost approaching, think about what gift you would like from the Holy Spirit that will help you remain close to Jesus.
Qué imágenes tan hermosas evoca el Evangelio. Todo se trata de conexión. Jesús desea que seamos uno con Él, que estemos conectados con Él, que permanezcamos en Él. Y cuando hacemos eso, cuando permanecemos en Él, tenemos vida abundante. En mi mente veo un hermoso y exuberante viñedo, ramas robustas y vides que crecen por todos lados en un enrejado, hermosas uvas moradas colgando, listas para comer o para aplastadas y hacer vino. Cuando era niña, mi tío abuelo cultivaba uvas en su patio trasero (en Queens, Nueva York), y muchas veces nos sentábamos bajo las vides para comer.
Las dos lecturas de hoy crean un tono irónico. En la primera lectura, la gente está discutiendo sobre la circuncisión. Y Pablo y Bernabé deben dejar sus esfuerzos de evangelización para ir a Jerusalén a resolver el problema. Luego, el Evangelio establece claramente lo que es necesario: permanecer cerca de Cristo, permitir que la palabra te pode, para que puedas tener abundancia.
Cuando estamos conectados con Jesús, estamos completamente vivos. Su vida nos da vida, sus palabras nos llevan a ser quienes fuimos creados para ser. Dios es glorificado cuando damos mucho fruto y vivimos como discípulos de Jesús. No hay necesidad ni lugar para la división entre nosotros. No podemos hacer nada cuando estamos separados de Jesús. Estamos destinados a vivir en unidad con Dios y con los demás. Una rama y una vid no hacen una viña. Cuando estamos juntos, ayudándonos mutuamente a crecer, damos buen fruto.
Jesús quiere que permanezcamos en Él por amor a nosotros. Nos llama a sí mismo para enseñarnos cómo ser completos. Para mí, la oración es la mejor manera de permanecer cerca de Jesús, no oraciones de memoria sino meditando en las Escrituras. A medida que continuamos en esta temporada de Pascua y vemos que se acerca Pentecostés, piensa en cuál don te gustaría recibir del Espíritu Santo para ayudarte a permanecer cerca de Jesús.
Deanna G. Bartalini, M.Ed.; M.P.A., is a certified spiritual director, writer, speaker and content creator. The LiveNotLukewarm.com online community is a place to inform, engage and inspire your Catholic faith. Her weekly Not Lukewarm Podcast gives you tips and tools to live out your faith in your daily life.
Feature Image Credit: Suda Guan, unsplash.com/photos/selective-focus-photography-of-grapes-at-daytime-y_8ncYPfa0g
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