First Reading: (Acts 15:1-6) Some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, reporting the conversion of the Gentiles, and they gave great joy to all the brethren. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up, and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses.” The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. Ps 121:1-5 R./ I rejoiced when I heard them say: “Let us go to God’s house.” Gospel: (Jn 15:1-8) Jesus said to his disciples, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.”

Reflection:

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus likens himself to the True Vine, or the main stem of the vine. And the command that is given to his followers is: “abide in me”, which means to remain and live in him. Those who fail to be fruitful will be condemned but those who remain in his love will bear much fruit. We need to examine ourselves to see whether we are like those branches that bear much fruit or no fruit at all. Do we need to be pruned in order to be fruitful? However, abiding refers to many aspects of our life of faith. Abiding in Christ implies knowing, experiencing and loving and serving Christ. Let us, however, remember the fundamental fact that Christ is the source of our life and of every good that we possess. Therefore, cut away from Jesus, we can do nothing.