April 28, 2024
Fifth Sunday of Easter
Acts of the Apostles 9: 26-31
Psalm 22
1 John 3: 18-24
John 15: 1-8
We Have Unity Although Different
Many Different People Called Together
Perhaps Barnabas Can Help Us Figure It Out
All Christians have heard of Saint Paul. He is known as the greatest missionary ever. Paul convinced great numbers of people of the salvation that comes through Jesus Christ. He not only spoke and preached Christ’s passion, death and resurrection, he lived it. He died in the name of Jesus the Christ!
Yet the Apostles did not want Paul among them. The first reading for today (Acts 9) states this, “When Saul (Paul) arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.” Now what is that about?
Before being “turned around” by the Lord, Paul persecuted and prosecuted people who followed the Way of Jesus Christ. Paul put people to death for it! So, how did Paul eventually get in good with the Apostles? A man named Barnabas “took charge of him.”
Barnabas was able to bring people together, calm them and help all to listen to each other and hear each other. Barnabas helped people of different cultures and ways of thinking to come together and reach mutual understanding. He was a bridge builder. Paul, the great intellect and forceful preacher needed Barnabas to complement him. This combination of personalities permitted the gathering of many people to be one in Jesus Christ.
In John’s Gospel, Jesus explains himself to be a vine, like a grape vine. The vine is the central structure of the plant that produces great amounts of fruit. From the vine comes many leaves and off shoots. Great clusters of grapes grow lushly and hang from the vine. But all these components connect back to the central structure.
The second reading, 1 John, makes the point that all the many people of the world come back to their center by saying this, “…we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us. Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us.”
The many of us living in the world today are called to unity. The one true God calls all His many different people together. We the people are many and different.
Each one of us, however, is important and valuable. We are all connected to the vine, Jesus the Christ. We just haven’t figured it out yet. Maybe Barnabas can help us out today.
Yet the Apostles did not want Paul among them. The first reading for today (Acts 9) states this, “When Saul (Paul) arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.” Now what is that about?
Before being “turned around” by the Lord, Paul persecuted and prosecuted people who followed the Way of Jesus Christ. Paul put people to death for it! So, how did Paul eventually get in good with the Apostles? A man named Barnabas “took charge of him.”
Barnabas was able to bring people together, calm them and help all to listen to each other and hear each other. Barnabas helped people of different cultures and ways of thinking to come together and reach mutual understanding. He was a bridge builder. Paul, the great intellect and forceful preacher needed Barnabas to complement him. This combination of personalities permitted the gathering of many people to be one in Jesus Christ.
In John’s Gospel, Jesus explains himself to be a vine, like a grape vine. The vine is the central structure of the plant that produces great amounts of fruit. From the vine comes many leaves and off shoots. Great clusters of grapes grow lushly and hang from the vine. But all these components connect back to the central structure.
The second reading, 1 John, makes the point that all the many people of the world come back to their center by saying this, “…we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us. Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us.”
The many of us living in the world today are called to unity. The one true God calls all His many different people together. We the people are many and different.
Each one of us, however, is important and valuable. We are all connected to the vine, Jesus the Christ. We just haven’t figured it out yet. Maybe Barnabas can help us out today.
Peace and blessings,
Father Bob
Father Bob
Father Bob's
Video Reflections
Each week Father Bob posts a Video Reflection on the Spiritual readings for the weekend Mass. These Videos are not intended to replace your prescence at mass each week! Much like Scripture Sharing on Thursday evening from 7 pm - 8 pm, these videos act as a point of reference to enhance your knowledge and better prepare you to participate in each weeks celebration.
Each week the videos are archive and can be streamed by clicking on the Bulletin/Videos button above.
Each week the videos are archive and can be streamed by clicking on the Bulletin/Videos button above.
Sacraments of Christian Initiation
Sacraments of Healing
Sacraments of Service
Prayer for Peace
Mary, Queen of Peace, save us all, who have so much trust in you, from wars, hatred, and oppression. Make us all learn to live in peace, and educate ourselves for peace, do what is demanded by justice and respect the rights of every person, so that peace may be firmly established. Amen.
The Jesus Prayer...
Lord Jesus Christ
have Mercy on me a Poor Sinner.
have Mercy on me a Poor Sinner.
Click on the links below for more information
This Weeks Scripture Readings
April 28, 2024
Fifth Sunday of Easter
Reading I
Acts 9:26-31
When Saul arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples,
but they were all afraid of him,
not believing that he was a disciple.
Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles,
and he reported to them how he had seen the Lord,
and that he had spoken to him,
and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.
He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem,
and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord.
He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists,
but they tried to kill him.
And when the brothers learned of this,
they took him down to Caesarea
and sent him on his way to Tarsus.
The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace.
It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord,
and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit it grew in numbers.
but they were all afraid of him,
not believing that he was a disciple.
Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles,
and he reported to them how he had seen the Lord,
and that he had spoken to him,
and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.
He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem,
and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord.
He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists,
but they tried to kill him.
And when the brothers learned of this,
they took him down to Caesarea
and sent him on his way to Tarsus.
The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace.
It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord,
and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit it grew in numbers.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32
R. (26a) I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
I will fulfill my vows before those who fear the LORD.
The lowly shall eat their fill;
they who seek the LORD shall praise him:
"May your hearts live forever!"
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
All the ends of the earth
shall remember and turn to the LORD;
all the families of the nations
shall bow down before him.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
To him alone shall bow down
all who sleep in the earth;
before him shall bend
all who go down into the dust.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
And to him my soul shall live;
my descendants shall serve him.
Let the coming generation be told of the LORD
that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born
the justice he has shown.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
I will fulfill my vows before those who fear the LORD.
The lowly shall eat their fill;
they who seek the LORD shall praise him:
"May your hearts live forever!"
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
All the ends of the earth
shall remember and turn to the LORD;
all the families of the nations
shall bow down before him.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
To him alone shall bow down
all who sleep in the earth;
before him shall bend
all who go down into the dust.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
And to him my soul shall live;
my descendants shall serve him.
Let the coming generation be told of the LORD
that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born
the justice he has shown.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
Reading II
1 Jn 3:18-24
Children, let us love not in word or speech
but in deed and truth.
Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth
and reassure our hearts before him
in whatever our hearts condemn,
for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us,
we have confidence in God
and receive from him whatever we ask,
because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
And his commandment is this:
we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,
and love one another just as he commanded us.
Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them,
and the way we know that he remains in us
is from the Spirit he gave us.
but in deed and truth.
Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth
and reassure our hearts before him
in whatever our hearts condemn,
for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us,
we have confidence in God
and receive from him whatever we ask,
because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
And his commandment is this:
we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,
and love one another just as he commanded us.
Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them,
and the way we know that he remains in us
is from the Spirit he gave us.
Alleluia
Jn 15:4a, 5b
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain in me as I remain in you, says the Lord.
Whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain in me as I remain in you, says the Lord.
Whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Gospel
Jn 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 every one 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."
"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 every one 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."
Next Weeks Readings
May 5, 2024
Sixth Sunday of Easter
Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48
Psalm 98:1,2-3,3-4
1 John 4:7-10
John 15:9-17
Sixth Sunday of Easter
Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48
Psalm 98:1,2-3,3-4
1 John 4:7-10
John 15:9-17