5th Sunday of Easter

Gospel – John 15: 1-8

Pruning

Farming along the West Bank

Over the past few years (although certainly not this past year), my wife and I have been able to dine at some pretty amazing restaurants, some of them Top Chef and even a few Michelin starred!  The difficult part of each of those experiences had to be the decision of what to order.  The menu sounded so wonderful that we almost wanted to order one of everything.  And that certainly wasn’t practical or economical.  So we made choices!  It reminds me of the meals we enjoyed when we were on pilgrimage in the Holy Land.  Trust me; we did not go hungry.  The hotels we stayed at provided a lavish (and that is a very tame description) banquet.  Tables upon tables devoted to salads, main entrée, sides, breads, and desserts – each with their own station/section in a huge dining room.  It was mouth-watering and overwhelming!  And as much as we wanted to sample a bit of everything, we had to make choices! 

Today’s Gospel should be very familiar; we just heard it on Sunday!  And at that time, we reflected on how, like branches on a vine, we are all connected to God and to each other.  So let’s focus on one single word today – Pruning!  Jesus makes it clear that, in order for branches to grow and bear fruit, they must undergo constant pruning, removing dead and unproductive branches!

So too with us!  Just like with a buffet dinner, we cannot eat everything!  We cannot do everything!  We need to make choices, choices that will help us grow and be productive disciples.  Sometimes the pruning involves relationships, sometimes activities!  In either case, we are called to set priorities.  What/who is there in your life that needs to be cut away?  What is the dead wood in your life?  What/who saps your faith and your resolve?  What drags you down and away from the table of the Lord?  What is there in your life that needs careful cultivation and care?  What brings us closer to the Kingdom?  What in your life brings you joy?   

Great Spirit, show me what in my life I need to let go and what I need to nurture!

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