WEDNESDAY MAY 1, 2024
WEDNESDAY OF THE FIFTH WEEK OF EASTER B
ST JOSEPH THE WORKER (Opt. Mem.)
Acts 15:1-6
John 15:1-8
GROWING OUR LIFE IN CHRIST IS TO STRIVE TO ABIDE IN HIM
Believing in Jesus and doing his will can meet with many challenges. These challenges can sometimes be discouraging and bring a lot of retardation in our journey with Jesus. We are confronted by many sinful inclinations and habits, we find situations that question our loyalty and faith, and sometimes we meet with temptations that expressly turn us away from the faith and seems to suggest something different and mundane.
In these situations, Jesus cautions us today in the gospel to keep close to him. His exact instruction is “abide in me. “ It means stay with me, live in me and die in me. It implied following his ideals, walking in his ways, keeping him always before all things, clinging to him and never ever stop holding on to him.
Jesus gives us the image of what should impel us to abide in him. He likens our relationship with that of a tree with its branch. The trunk of the tree receives nourishment and transport such through this trunk to the branches. So cut off from the tree death comes since no nourishment will be received. A branch cannot survive outside the tree trunk. That is how close we must be with Christ. Our relationship with him must be valued above anything. We must glue ourselves to him as in a trunk and it’s branches.
Again, Jesus wishes that we can equally be pruned, disciplined and treated to bear much fruits. As it’s branches in this trunk, there are times that the branches need to be pruned, reduced so that it could be better positioned to bear much fruits. When we find ourselves being treated or in a situation that are uncomfortable, painful, suffering and discomforting, God is trying to help us regain some lost energy, or walk away from sinful inclinations or avoid some depressing and inimical situations that may affect our faith and life adversely. All we need do at these times is to accept our conditions, be calm and trust the guiding hands of our God.
God our Father, we thank you for all the blessings, peace and happiness especially for blessing us with a new month. We declare our loyalty and commitment to you and our resolve never to depart from you. Keep us in your care, watch over our lives, bless us with good health, help us to trust your guiding hand as a branch in your tree and May we bear abundant fruits that will bring us greater peace, happiness and well-being through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
