Gospel: John
15:1-8
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."
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Reflection:
There’s a
story of a pious man; he was active in their church, he was a responsible
father and husband. His friends and relatives look-up to him for he lived his
life worthy in the eyes of God and men. However, there was one instance wherein
he met a woman and that meeting created an attraction between them.
He threw
away his Godly values and he coveted the woman. In the process of his covetous
desires his family and personal life started to suffer. Before he knew it he
was already living a miserable life.
This
story sometimes happen to some of us, we sometimes choose to lead our lives our
own selfish way not God’s way. Often times many of us are very stubborn to
follow our worldly caprices and wants even if we know that what we want is
wrong. We follow our selfish desires and not the desire of God.
In the
gospel Jesus tells us that He is our vine and God is our
vine grower. He urges us to remain in Him no matter what happens in our lives.
For through Him emanates all graces; sometimes there are instances wherein we
also encounter trials/temptations. We must therefore not let these
trials/temptations be an instrument of our separation from Jesus.
What are
these temptations that often steers us away from God? It’s the temptation of
the flesh, the temptation to engage in corrupt acts to add more numbers to our
bank accounts. And there’s a lot more temptation out there waiting to capture
us.
We must
not cut ourselves from the true Vine and the Vine grower for it is only through
them that we would experience happiness that will outlast our lifetime.
Eventually
we will die, perhaps one of the questions that God would ask us before we are
allowed entry into heaven is this: Did you remain with me in your lifetime? Did
you not allow the temptations of the world cut you off from me; your True Vine?
How would
we answer God then? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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