Reflection for Wednesday May 1 of the Fifth Week of Easter: John 15:1-8

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:

How does it feel without connection to the internet? It seems that something important in our lives is lacking. We cannot function properly if our job is reliant on the internet. 

Somehow our lives now is associated with the internet be it wifi or cable based internet connection. When we are outside of our respective houses our smart phones are ever ready to find wifi connection. We look for it because we need or we want to be connected. 

How about our desire to be connected with Jesus and God? Do we always seek a connection with Jesus and God? Is our desire for Jesus and God as intense as our desire for a wifi or internet connection?      

In the gospel for this Wednesday Jesus tells us that He is the vine and we are the branches (John 15:5) and as such we must always be connected with Him and God. Life without connection with God is meaningless, even if we have all the material wealth and power it’s still meaningless without God! 

If only we would always desire connection with God more than we desire wifi or internet connection. If only we would invest more time with God as much as we invest time using our smart phones, computers and laptops. Let us therefore always seek connection with God through our prayers, presence at Holy Mass. And by reading and reflecting upon His life transforming worlds in the bible. 

The best is yet to come for us If we would seek  permanent connection with our vine and our vine grower no other than Jesus and God. – Marino J. Dasmarinas