April 28, 2024
Fifth Sunday for Easter (Year B)
Readings for Today
Listen for English
Jesus tell His disciples: “Na Me be the true grape vine, and na My Father be the farmer wey dey care for the vine. Every branch for My body wey no dey bear fruit, He dey remove am, and every branch wey dey bear fruit, He dey trim am so that e go bear more fruit. Dem don already trim una because of the word wey I don speak to una.” John 15:1–3
To trim grape vine na important part of how to help am grow and produce no be only more fruit, but the best fruit too. If dem no trim grape vine, as time dey go, e go dey produce less fruit, and the fruit no go too good. When dem trim am well, e dey help direct the food wey dey nourish the vine go meet the new buds wey go bear fruit pass.
Jesus’ teaching for up use the picture of how dem dey trim grape vine to help us understand say faith must lead to love for God and our neighbour. First, Jesus talk say na Him be the “true grape vine.” Na only Him be the source of the nourishment wey we need for the new life of grace. Na only Him be the way to Heaven and salvation. To know our Lord and hold Him tight na faith. Second, our Lord talk say He dey remove every branch wey no dey bear fruit. This one show say faith wey no get the good fruit of love for God and neighbour don die, and e be like branch for grape vine wey no dey produce anything. Third, when Jesus find branch wey dey bear good fruit, He no dey leave am like that. Instead, He dey trim am with loving care so that “e go bear more fruit.”
To put these teachings to work for your own life, start by looking at your faith as if na branch wey hold grape vine tight. You believe everything wey God don talk through His holy Word? E good make you dey regularly examine your conscience about your faith. Since faith na the first step for spiritual life, e must continue to stand firm for the Truth wey God don reveal. This one mean say we must regularly study the Word of God as e dey revealed through the Scriptures and the catechism teachings of the Church, and use all our mind agree with those teachings.
Next, after you don affirm your faith for everything wey God don talk through the Scriptures and the Church, try examine your love for God and neighbour. You dey see clear acts of love for your life wey come from your faith? In other words, we fit “love” plenty things just because of how we dey feel. But love for God and neighbour dey stand on faith, no be on how we dey feel. This love na the fruit of faith. Which acts of this love you fit point to for your life? Wetin you don sense say God dey call you to do without putting yourself first and with sacrifice? You don do am?
Finally, when you discover the ways wey love for God and neighbour dey alive inside you, know say na there God go focus His trimming. Trimming fit pain. E go require sacrifice, patience when trial come, overcoming selfishness, and doing things wey you no feel like doing. In fact, sometimes God even dey make acts of love seem unpleasant, as a way to trim the reasons why you dey do them and make those reasons more pure, so that dem go stand more on faith than on feelings. But this one good.
Today, reflect on this holy picture wey Jesus give us. Na lesson from nature wey dey show how the supernatural life of grace dey work. No let the trimming wey God wan do discourage you. Accept suffering with love, answer injustice with forgiveness, show mercy even when you no feel like am, and seek to serve people wey seem say dem no deserve am, without putting yourself first. If you do so, e go trim you so that God go fit use you build up His Kingdom in glorious ways.
Jesus, Vine wey get glory pass all, na You and only You be the source of all nourishment for life. Na from You all good things dey come. Help me make I get firm faith for You and for everything wey You don reveal, so that this faith go bring out new buds and produce plenty good fruit to build up Your Kingdom in glory. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Scripture Meditations for Easter Season
Saints for Today –
Saint Peter Chanel, Fada and Martyr
Saint Louis Grignion de Montfort, Priest
Dem no dey celebrate am as liturgical memorial this year because e fall on Sunday
Picture wey dem feature for up: The Last Supper (mosaic) By Howgill, through Adobe
