Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

picture of youth sitting with buildings in the background and caption Live a life worthy of the calling you have received

iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Podcast

Mass Readings

Reading 1: Acts 1:1-11
Responsorial: Psalm 47:2-3, 6-9
Reading 2: Ephesians 1:17-23 or Ephesians 4:1-13 or Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13
Gospel: Mark 16:15-20

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/051621-Ascension.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

Live a life worthy of the calling that you have received (Ephesians 4:1).

Welcome back for another edition of deacon rudy’s notes! I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal, and together we’re going to break open the Word! Our reflection for this weekend will be on the Ascension readings as is typically celebrated in the United States on the Sunday following Ascension.

So, what is the Ascension? Well, it’s not a bon voyage party for Jesus. As the angels told the disciples, we can’t live with our heads stuck in the clouds (Acts 1:11). Nor should we sit around and do a lot of navel-gazing! Being a Christian is an invitation into a relationship with God – with the Trinity – through Jesus Christ.

The Ascension should remind us that what sits at the right hand of God is a human being just like you and just like me in every way except sin. Try to absorb that for a minute. St. Irenaeus wrote that “the glory of God is a human being fully alive.”

That’s the point of the Incarnation, don’t you think? That what unites us with God is our humanity. All too often, I hear people suggest that it’s our humanity that gets in the way of our relationship with Jesus. “I’m only human” is the lament. But consider this: “Any form of spirituality that belittles humanity, that de-emphasizes the goodness and dignity of the human person, must be regarded by Christians as an obstacle to genuine union with God.” <1>

So, how do we as a people of God move beyond the challenges we face in society – like advertising that insists we’re not good enough unless with have this product or that elective medical procedure, all of which can be yours for a few easy payments?

Well, thankfully, we’re not alone! St. Paul tells us in our second reading, and I’m citing the second option taken from Ephesians 4:1-13, that Jesus gave us the church to help us on our journey. And Jesus infused the church with the sacraments to nurture and sustain us. But wait! There’s more! Jesus gave each of us different roles to help the church – to help the people of God – make their way on this great pilgrimage that we’re all taking. Paul writes, “And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ…” (Ephesians 4:11-12).

First, who are the holy ones? All of us! Who are apostles? We see our bishops as living apostles. Of course, pastors are our priests. Prophets, evangelists, and teachers can be any of us – clergy, consecrated religious, or lay people – who minister in the church for the sake of the people.

What a blessing for all of us when people step forward and accept one of these roles! We can live a life worthy of our calling when we embrace our role in the community (Ephesians 4:1). What does it take to accept one of these roles? Well, it takes an open heart and a willingness to serve. But I think it also takes the exercise of the cardinal virtue of fortitude. Fortitude is a gift of the Holy Spirit, and it is a cardinal virtue, meaning other virtues link to fortitude. This virtue gives us the ability to be strong and face obstacles to live out our faith. Fortitude empowers us to accept the different ways we are called to serve at different points in our lives. The great example Pope Benedict gave us is that the way God calls us today may be different than the way God calls us tomorrow.

Take catechists, for example. Catechists are teachers and evangelists who play a vital role in handing on the faith. While that certainly includes “formal” catechists who teach Sunday school. But I’m also speaking about parents who are the first teachers – the first catechists of our children. But they’re not alone! Grandparents, aunts, uncles, godparents, and confirmation sponsors – even close family friends – all play a role in teaching our children and handing on the faith.

Remember our discussion on the world day for vocations a couple of weeks ago? Where do the clergy and consecrated religious come from? The clergy (bishops, priests, and deacons) and the consecrated religious (brothers and sisters; monks and nuns) come from families. And that’s only possible when we do our part to pass on the light of faith to our children.

Now, I have some good news! You do not have to be an expert to be a catechist. If you hear someone say that they are an expert – well – warning bells and sirens should go off! Warning! Warning! Danger, Will Robinson! In the faith life, we are all pilgrims on the path. Some might be further along than others, but we share many things in common on our pilgrimage.

I suggest to you that one of the best ways to grow in discipleship – to experience the fullness of humanity and thus be closer to God – is to readily accept one of these roles or any volunteer opportunity at your parish. Any volunteer opportunity in the church can bring us closer to God.

They say being a teacher is the best way to learn a subject. So, catechists and evangelists have the opportunity to explore their faith more deliberately. And through that process, they have the opportunity to grow in their faith. Who better to hand on the faith than people growing in their faith.

Homework! Nourished by Christ Ascended in the Word and the Eucharist, I invite you to reflect on the following two questions.
First, “The glory of God is humanity fully alive.” What does this mean? When are you fully alive?
Second, what are some ways you can grow in your faith so that you can be a better catechist and a better evangelist to our children, our grandchildren, our nieces and nephews, our friends, and our parish community?

The Ascension inspires us to be more human by growing in our discipleship and maybe by accepting a role in the church’s ministry. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

You’re listening to deacon rudy’s notes. Thank you for joining me today. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join me again next weekend as we break open the Word. Peace!

Image Credit: “Live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” Artist unknown. JPG.

Notes:
<1> Himes, Chapter 3: Incarnation, Kindle.

Bibliography/Suggested Readings:
1. Healy, Mary. The Gospel of Mark. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2008. Kindle.
2. Himes, Michael. The Mystery of Faith: An Introduction to Catholicism. Cincinnati: St. Anthony Messenger Press. 2004. Kindle.
3. Kurz, William S. SJ. Acts of the Apostles. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2013. Kindle.
4. Montague, George T. SM. Mark: A Popular Commentary on the Earliest Gospel. Steubenville, Ohio: Franciscan University Press, 1992.
5. Williamson, Peter S. Ephesians. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2009. Kindle.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Spirit gives an understanding of faith: 94
2. Accompanying signs: 156, 434
3. Faith seeking understanding: 158
4. One faith: 172-75
5. Appearances of the risen Jesus: 641-44
6. The apostles’ commission: 2, 642
7. “All that Jesus did and taught:” 512
8. Christ’s ascension: 659-72, 697, 792, 965, 2795
9. Christ at the right hand of the Father: 663-64
10. As Lord of history and the cosmos: 668
11. As head of the Church: 669
12. The coming of the kingdom: 672-73
13. The promise of the Holy Spirit: 729
14. The Church’s mission: 767, 849-56
15. Charisms: 768, 791, 798-801, 910, 2003
16. The Church as the body of Christ: 790, 795
17. Church as the body of Christ: 792-95
18. The Church is one: 813-22
19. The Church founded on the apostles: 857-60
20. Laity share in Christ’s prophetic and kingly offices: 904-13
21. Baptism as foundation of communion among Christians: 1271
22. Outpouring of the Spirit: 1287
23. Apostles and pastors: 1575
24. Hope: 1817-21
25. Gift of wisdom: 1831
26. Miracles and tongues: 2003
27. Intercession: 2632
28. Thanksgiving: 2638

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/051621-Ascension.cfm

Lectionary: 58

Reading 1

Acts 1:1-11

In the first book, Theophilus,

I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught

until the day he was taken up,

after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit

to the apostles whom he had chosen.

He presented himself alive to them

by many proofs after he had suffered,

appearing to them during forty days

and speaking about the kingdom of God.

While meeting with them,

he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem,

but to wait for “the promise of the Father

about which you have heard me speak;

for John baptized with water,

but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

When they had gathered together they asked him,

“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons

that the Father has established by his own authority.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,

and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,

throughout Judea and Samaria,

and to the ends of the earth.”

When he had said this, as they were looking on,

he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.

While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going,

suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.

They said, “Men of Galilee,

why are you standing there looking at the sky?

This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven

will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”

Responsorial

Psalm 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9

R. (6) God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

or: R. Alleluia.

All you peoples, clap your hands,

    shout to God with cries of gladness,

For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,

    is the great king over all the earth.

R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy:  a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

or: R. Alleluia.

God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;

    the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.

Sing praise to God, sing praise;

    sing praise to our king, sing praise.

R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy:  a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

or: R. Alleluia.

For king of all the earth is God;

    sing hymns of praise.

God reigns over the nations,

    God sits upon his holy throne.

R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy:  a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

or: R. Alleluia.

Reading 2

Ephesians 1:17-23

Brothers and sisters:

May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,

give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation

resulting in knowledge of him.

May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,

that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call,

what are the riches of glory

in his inheritance among the holy ones,

and what is the surpassing greatness of his power

for us who believe,

in accord with the exercise of his great might,

which he worked in Christ,

raising him from the dead

and seating him at his right hand in the heavens,

far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion,

and every name that is named

not only in this age but also in the one to come.

And he put all things beneath his feet

and gave him as head over all things to the church,

which is his body,

the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

OR:

Ephesians 4:1-13

Brothers and sisters,

I, a prisoner for the Lord,

urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,

with all humility and gentleness, with patience,

bearing with one another through love,

striving to preserve the unity of the spirit

through the bond of peace:

one body and one Spirit,

as you were also called to the one hope of your call;

one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

one God and Father of all,

who is over all and through all and in all.

But grace was given to each of us

according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

Therefore, it says:

    He ascended on high and took prisoners captive;

    he gave gifts to men.

What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended

into the lower regions of the earth?

The one who descended is also the one who ascended

far above all the heavens,

that he might fill all things.

And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets,

others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,

to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry,

for building up the body of Christ,

until we all attain to the unity of faith

and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature to manhood,

to the extent of the full stature of Christ.

OR:

Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13

Brothers and sisters,

I, a prisoner for the Lord,

urge you to live in a manner worthy of the calling

you have received,

with all humility and gentleness, with patience,

bearing with one another through love,

striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit

through the bond of peace:

one body and one Spirit,

as you were also called to the one hope of your calling;

one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

one God and Father of all,

who is over all and through all and in all.

But grace was given to each of us

according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets,

others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,

to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry,

for building up the body of Christ,

until we all attain to the unity of faith

and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature to manhood,

to the extent of the full stature of Christ.

Alleluia

Matthew 28:19a, 20b

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Go and teach all nations, says the Lord;

I am with you always, until the end of the world.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mark 16:15-20

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Go into the whole world

and proclaim the gospel to every creature.

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;

whoever does not believe will be condemned.

These signs will accompany those who believe:

in my name they will drive out demons,

they will speak new languages.

They will pick up serpents with their hands,

and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.

They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them,

was taken up into heaven

and took his seat at the right hand of God.

But they went forth and preached everywhere,

while the Lord worked with them

and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

Sixth Sunday of Easter

picture of a person's hands forming a heart with the sun in the middle

iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Podcast

Mass Readings

Reading 1: Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48
Responsorial: Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4
Reading 2: 1 John 4:7-10
Gospel: John 15:9-17

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/050921.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

My brothers and sisters, God is love!

Welcome back for another edition of deacon rudy’s notes! I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal, and together we’re going to break open the Word!

There are so many wonderful things happening in the readings this weekend! The two overarching themes are that the Gentiles are included in the church and that God is love.

Very briefly, the first reading from Acts is amazing. It’s a reminder to us that Gentile membership in the church was not a given. It was something the early church resolved at the Council of Jerusalem described in Acts 15. But here’s the cool part. Before Peter finished speaking in Acts 10, the Holy Spirit descended on Cornelius and all the Gentiles gathered. The disciples could tell that the Holy Spirit had descended because they could hear the Gentiles speaking in tongues. And they were astounded! So, Peter ordered everyone to be baptized (Acts 10:44-48).

That’s such an interesting reading. I highly encourage you to go back and read that entire story, Acts 10:1-49.

Our second reading and the Gospel focus on love. John reminds us what we find in John 3:16, that God loves us so much that he sent Jesus into the world (1 John 4:9). And while Jesus was here, he taught us about love. The Law is meaningless if it isn’t rooted in love. So, Jesus gave us the Great Commandment. It’s so important that he wanted to make sure we’d understand it, so he said it in two ways. Jesus says you shall love God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind, and you shall love your neighbor as you love yourself (Matthew 22:35-40, Mark 12:28-31, Luke 10:25-28). In John’s Gospel account, Jesus says, “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you (John 15:12).

Now, it’s easy, I think, to look to our family and our friends and say to ourselves, “Yes, I love them.” That’s the easy part. But check this out. The Gospel tells me that I need to love the yahoo who cut me off in traffic! And what am I supposed to with criminals or with people who vote the wrong way? That’s right! I need to love them. Now between you and me, that’s a much more difficult pill to swallow!

You see, Jesus tells us that if we are going to be his disciples, then we need to keep his commandments (John 15:12, 17), and that means we have to love everyone. That’s not a cop-out! Love does not mean an absence of accountability. So, we can still hold people to account for what they’ve done wrong if they break the law for example. But love tells us how we should respond to them.

If all people are created in the image and likeness of God, and if I am supposed to love everyone, then how can I go to mass and say “I love you, Jesus,” but throw verbal rocks on social media at people who disagree with me?

These last couple of years or so have been a painful lesson about the urgency to preach the words of St. Paul that we hear in Mass: the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Corinthians 13:14). In so many parts of the world, what we see happening in politics and every nation’s response to Covid-19 and everyone’s response to their nation’s response to Covid-19 are excellent examples of how difficult it is to love someone who thinks differently than we do.

And I’m sure each of us can find personal examples where we find it difficult to love someone. But the Church teaches us that Jesus’ command, “Love one another as I love you” (John 15:12), is foundational to the entire Christian life. You can find that described in detail in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1827.

Love says we can disagree with each other. Absolutely we can! But love says I must treat you as a beloved creation in the image and likeness of God. Love says I must treat you with respect. I suggest to you this is easier said than done. Now, the root of the word “disciple” is the Latin word “discere” which means “to learn.” So, being a disciple means I need to constantly be learning. And that’s totally true with love.

Love is a virtue. We call it a theological virtue because God infuses us with love. As I’ve pointed out, it’s not easy to practice the virtue of love. But we can grow in and develop the virtue of love. Remember, a virtue is an intentional good habit. So, we can work at developing virtue or good habits in our lives.

We need to work at it because Jesus tells us that if we follow his commands then we will remain in Jesus’ love (John 15:10). But growing in love isn’t easy. It’s a process and we’re going to discuss one method in our homework in just a minute.

How will I know that it’s working? How can I tell that I’m growing in virtue and overcoming bad habits or vices? Jesus says that we are supposed to go and bear fruit (John 15:16). That’s right, love is not only a virtue. Love is also a fruit of the Holy Spirit. That means that even if we can’t notice it, those around us – especially our family and friends – might be able to see the fruits of our spiritual work.

How do we do this? That leads us to Homework!

Nourished by the Word Incarnate and the Eucharist, I invite you to reflect on the following two activities.

First, bring your desire to grow in the virtue of love to God in prayer. Ask God to help you grow in love. You can do this with any virtue or with any vice you want to overcome. Here’s a pro tip. Write it down. No one needs to read it except you but write down your goal. It’s like that old adage, what gets scheduled gets done or if it’s not documented it didn’t happen. So, write down your goal and any thoughts, images, ideas, or feelings that come to you during prayer.

Second, ask yourself what things work against the virtue you want to develop. For example, if you want to grow in love, then what makes you grumpy, irritable, and impatient? A lack of sleep? Too much coffee? Consuming too much news or social media? Once you’ve identified something, resolve with the help of God to overcome it with concrete steps. For example, in addition to writing down your goal, write down actionable steps to overcome the obstacles. So, if you want to grow in love, you might write down that you’re setting a goal to get more sleep, or cut back on coffee, or reduce the amount of time you spend listening to the news or on social media.

You can even record your progress over time. These notes could be helpful in your discernment and in your conversation with your pastor or a spiritual director.

It’s not enough to say “Amen, alleluia!” when we hear Jesus’ words to love one another as he loves us. As disciples, we must take specific steps to grow in virtue and overcome vice. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

You’re listening to deacon rudy’s notes. Thank you for joining me today. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join me again next weekend as we break open the Word. Peace!

Image Credit: Wiki Loves Love – Meta. By Ed Gregory. JPG. CC0 Creative Commons.

Bibliography/Suggested Readings:
1. Anderson, Kelly and Daniel Keating. James, First, Second, and Third John. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2017. Kindle.
2. Kurz, William S. SJ. Acts of the Apostles. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2013. Kindle.
3. Martin, Francis and William M. Wright IV. The Gospel of John. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2015. Kindle.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Gentiles in God’s plan: 60, 674, 755, 781
2. Faith: 453-54
3. God is love: 214, 218-21, 231, 257, 733, 2331, 2577
4. God loving us by sending his Son: 457-58, 604, 620
5. Call to love one another: 459, 1823-25
6. Love of God and neighbor fulfills the Commandments: 1789, 1822-29, 2067, 2069
7. Charity: 1822-29
8. Friendship with Christ: 2347, 2709
9. Christ’s prayer at the Last Supper: 2746-51

Sixth Sunday of Easter https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/050921.cfm
Lectionary: 56

Reading 1
Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48
When Peter entered, Cornelius met him
and, falling at his feet, paid him homage.
Peter, however, raised him up, saying,
“Get up. I myself am also a human being.”

Then Peter proceeded to speak and said,
“In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.
Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly
is acceptable to him.”

While Peter was still speaking these things,
the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word.
The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter
were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit
should have been poured out on the Gentiles also,
for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God.
Then Peter responded,
“Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people,
who have received the Holy Spirit even as we have?”
He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

Responsorial
Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4
R. (cf. 2b) The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
or: R. Alleluia.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
or: R. Alleluia.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
or: R. Alleluia.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
or: R. Alleluia.

Reading 2
1 John 4:7-10
Beloved, let us love one another,
because love is of God;
everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.
In this way the love of God was revealed to us:
God sent his only Son into the world
so that we might have life through him.
In this is love:
not that we have loved God, but that he loved us
and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.

Alleluia
John 14:23
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord,
and my Father will love him and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
John 15:9-17
Jesus said to his disciples:
“As the Father loves me, so I also love you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,
just as I have kept my Father’s commandments
and remain in his love.

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you
and your joy might be complete.
This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I no longer call you slaves,
because a slave does not know what his master is doing.
I have called you friends,
because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you
and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.
This I command you: love one another.”

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Grapes on a vine

iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Podcast

Mass Readings

Reading 1: Acts 9:26-31
Responsorial: Psalm 22:26-28, 30-32
Reading 2: 1 John 3:18-24
Gospel: John 15:1-8

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/050221.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

Welcome back for another edition of deacon rudy’s notes! I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal, and together we’re going to break open the Word!

This weekend’s readings begin with Paul in the Acts of the Apostles. The events we will hear proclaimed came after Paul’s conversion experience.

Before we move on, I just want to point something out. Let’s call this a footnote to our first reading. Why did Paul come to Jerusalem? Luke will set out some facts in Acts, and Paul will give us a slightly different rationale in his letters, but I think it’s safe to draw at least one conclusion. Paul went to Jerusalem because he understood that in the ministry, he is not a lone ranger. At some level, Paul understands that he is part of the church, and that means, at minimum, that he must consult with the church if not submit to its authority.

I think that’s a beautiful idea because it reminds us that church is a community of believers, and like any community, we need to get along or at least figure out how to get along. It’s also a reminder that there is a structure in the church. Jesus said to Peter that he is the rock on whom he will build his church. He didn’t say to Paul he was going to rebuild the church on him. And he doesn’t say to us, “Rudy” or insert your name, “I’m rebuilding my church on you.” Our church has a structure and a leadership, and it’s our job as disciples to support our bishops and pastors as we work together to build up the Kingdom of God.

Ok, footnote over – moving on!

Look at what happened to Paul through his conversion experience. So much happened to the poor guy; you have to wonder why. Perhaps the Gospel gives us a clue. Maybe everything Paul went through throughout his conversion and the following three years was a sort of pruning. God pruned Paul so that he could bear more fruit!

Wouldn’t you agree that Paul’s life is an example of someone who kept the commandments and remained in God and God in him?

My brothers and sisters, by our baptism, we are part of the vine. So, we have the same opportunity to be pruned by God so that we too can bear much fruit for the Kingdom! That’s one way to think about discipleship. But not all discipleship is fruitful. So, we are warned that if we don’t bear fruit, bad things will happen!

So, how can we cooperate with God, or in what ways can we help God with our own pruning so that we bear fruit? I’m so glad you asked!

We’ve talked a lot about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, virtues, fruits of the Holy Spirit, and even sin. We’ve learned that we can evaluate where we stand concerning these through self-examination, speaking with someone close to us like our spouses or close friends, or meeting with a spiritual director. But, we can be much more deliberate about the process.

For example, let’s say we want to grow in prudence. Well, of course, we can look up what that means and search the internet for church teachings or writings from the saints or spiritual masters about prudence. We might learn that some virtues related to prudence include circumspection, docility, and foresight. But learning alone doesn’t guarantee that we will grow in prudence. So, we need to bring prudence to prayer.

One way to do that is through the daily examen. To do the daily examen doesn’t require much time at all – perhaps 5-7 minutes – indeed 10 minutes max. Why not bring prudence or one of its related virtues to the daily examen? You could prayerfully reflect on it over several days, a week, or longer. It’s up to you. You could do the same thing with a bad habit or with something that’s bothering you. It might be helpful to keep some notes as you try to grow in prudence or overcome a bad habit.

This is one example of what it means to remain in Christ. We don’t try to do it by ourselves. We can turn to God in prayer and invite pruning in concrete ways – like overcoming a specific bad habit or growing in a particular virtue. If we are mindful about growing in our spiritual life, then our lives will bear much fruit.

Homework! Nourished by the fruit of the vine through the Word and Eucharist, I invite you to reflect on the following questions.
First, what are one or two virtues I want to grow in or one or two bad habits I want to overcome?
Second, turn to God in prayer and ask for specific help to increase in that virtue or overcome that particular bad habit.

I think doing our homework can enrich our discipleship. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

You’re listening to deacon rudy’s notes. Thank you for joining me today. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join me again next weekend as we break open the Word. Peace!

Image Credit: Malbec Grapes. Ian L. 30 August 2004. JPG. Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic. Description: Malbec grapes. Taken at the Robert Mondavi Winery in Rutherford, California (in the Napa Valley), California.

Bibliography/Suggested Readings:
1. Anderson, Kelly and Daniel Keating. James, First, Second, and Third John. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2017. Kindle.
2. Kurz, William S. SJ. Acts of the Apostles. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2013. Kindle.
3. Martin, Francis and William M. Wright IV. The Gospel of John. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2015. Kindle.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Believing in Jesus Christ: 151
2. God’s mercy greater than our hearts: 208, 1781, 2845
3. Call to love one another: 459, 1823-25
4. The gift of the Spirit: 733-36
5. Church as vine: 736, 755, 787, 1108, 1988, 2074
6. Persecution: 769, 1808, 1816
7. Charity: 953, 1822-29
8. Eternal separation from God: 1033
9. Being conformed to Christ: 1694
10. Keeping the commandments: 2052-55, 2072
11. “Apart from me you can do nothing”: 2074
12. Charitable works of mercy: 2447-48
13. Bearing witness to Christ: 2471-74
14. Praying in Jesus’ name: 2614
15. Praying with confidence for our needs: 2631
16. Christ’s prayer at the Last Supper: 2746-51

Fifth Sunday of Easter https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/050221.cfm
Lectionary: 53

Reading 1
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.

Responsorial
Psalm 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32
R. (26a) I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or: R. Alleluia.
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.
or: R. Alleluia.
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.
or: R. Alleluia.
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.
or: R. Alleluia.
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.
or: R. Alleluia.

Reading 2
1 John 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.

Alleluia
John 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.

Gospel
John 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.”