Novus Ordo (Ordinary Form) Readings
- 1st Reading: Acts 9:26-31 – Initially distrusted, Saul joins Jerusalem disciples through Barnabas’s support, speaking boldly about Jesus. Despite threats, he’s safely sent to Tarsus. The church then experiences peaceful growth, strengthened and encouraged by the Holy Spirit.
- Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32 – The whold world shall praise the Lord.
- 2nd Reading: 1 John 3:18-24 – We are called to express love in actions and truth, not just words. A clear conscience gives us confidence before God. Obeying His commandments to believe in Jesus and love one another assures us of God’s indwelling Spirit.
- Gospel Reading: John 15:1-8 – Jesus described himself as the true vine and his Father as the gardener. Branches not bearing fruit are removed, while fruitful ones are pruned for more yield. He emphasized staying connected to him, akin to branches on a vine, as the key to bearing fruit. Without him, nothing can be achieved. Unfruitful branches are discarded. Fruitfulness in believers brings glory to God and proves discipleship.
Traditional Latin Mass (Extraordinary Form) Readings
- Epistle: James 1:17-21
- Gospel: John 16:5-14
Personal Reflection
Greetings brethren! We celebrate the 5th Sunday of Easter in the Novus Ordo calendar and the 4th Sunday after Easter in the Traditional Calendar. Let us begin this reflection with the opening collect prayer.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Almighty ever-living God, constantly accomplish the Paschal Mystery within us, that those you were pleased to make new in Holy Baptism may, under your protective care, bear much fruit and come to the joys of life eternal. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The readings of the 5th Sunday of Easter year B remind us of our dependence on God and each other. In the 1st reading, we hear of the newly converted Saul and at first, the disciples were distrustful of this man. One of the Apostles, Barnabas, vouches for him, and they send him on his way and the Church continues to grow, In our 2nd Reading, we are taught to love not just through our words, but through deeds and truth. Those who keep his commandments remain in Christ and Christ remains in them. In the Gospel, Jesus tells us, “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.” Jesus continues to tells us that we are to remain in him. He is the vine, we are the branches and if we remain in him, we will bear much fruit because without him we can do nothing and those who do not remain in him will be thrown out, and they will wither and be thrown into a fire and will be burned.
In the Epistle in the Traditional Latin Mass, we are taught that every perfect and best gift comes down from the Father of lights. We are also taught to be swift to hear, but slow to speak and slow to anger. We are also commanded to cast away all uncleanness, and abundance of naughtiness. In the Gospel, Jesus tells His disciples that He will be going soon and that the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit will be coming to Him but if He does not go, the Paraclete will not come.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we near the birthday of the Catholic Church, the Solemnity of Pentecost, Jesus continue to teach us to remain in Him. The Gospel of the Novus Ordo tells us that we need to remain in the Lord and that we must also be pruned. Whatever sinful attachments, whatever worldly things, whatever uncleanness, whatever naughtiness, we are to rid ourselves of these things, for if we do not, we will not be fruitful. When you buy fruits, such as strawberries or blackberries, you make sure you look at your product before you purchase them, do you not? Once we purchase them, they are yours. However, they do have a limited shelf life because once they begin to grow “fur”, once they begin to mold and go bad, we need to throw them out because you do not know what else berries are also beginning to grow mold that will cause you to get sick.
When you have a garden of trees, and plants, if you see some branches, leaves, or fruits that are beginning to die, you should remove them carefully so new leaves and fruits can grow. So must we remove old habits and things we do not need so that we can grow. If something is not working in our lives, we need to change things. If someone is a bad influence, even if you have been friends with them for many years, then you will have to cut them off or at least have very limited contact with them.
Whatever or whoever causes us to sin needs to be let go because we cannot be attached to what will destroy us in the end. So Christ commands us all to remain in Him. Many of us already have the Holy Spirit when we were baptized and many of us were fortified with the gifts of the Holy Spirit during the Sacrament of Confirmation. For those who are confirmed, especially the newly confirmed, we have become the soldiers of Christ to further His Gospel, His Good News to those who are in need, especially the pagans, the wayward, and the lost. The Lord desires for us all to be saved so we must bear witness to the Truth, the Gospel, not just through word or speech, but in deed and truth.
The Holy Spirit does not protect us from hardships but rather, encourages us and strengthens us to endure life itself We must renounce our personal, human, egotistial spirit and rid ourselves of worldy things. And to help us along the way, is the Food that Christ Himself gave us, His Body and Blood, for to consume the Eucharist to give us His life, which was given to us at the Last Supper.
So brothers and sisters in Christ, beg the Holy Spirit everyday to help you in your daily endeavors, examine your conscience thoroughly, go to confession reguarly so that you may continue to grow in holiness and rid yourself everything that will hinder you from being fruitful, receive the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist worthily, and witness to Jesus in word, speech, deed an dtruth.
Universal Prayer (Prayer of the Faithful)
Trusting in Christ the true Vine, let us offer our prayers and petitions before the Lord.
- Watch over the newly initiated members of the church and help them to continue growing in their faith, we pray to the Lord. R. Lord, hear our prayer.
- Further the work of conservationists, environmental educators, and all who care for our planet, we pray to the Lord. R. Lord, hear our prayer.
- Break the bonds of racism, both within individual hearts and structures of oppression, we pray to the Lord. R. Lord, hear our prayer.
- Raise to new life all our beloved dead, we pray to the Lord. R. Lord, hear our prayer.
- We lift up all our prayer intentions in our book of intentions, and all the intentions you hold in the silence of your hearts, we pray to the Lord. R. Lord, hear our prayer.
- We lift up the members and the intentions of the Blue Army, the Confraternities of the Most Holy Rosary, Angelic Warfare Confraternity, and Our Lady of Fatima, we pray to the Lord. R. Lord, hear our prayer.
- We pray for the repose of the Holy Souls in purgatory, we pray to the Lord. R. Lord, hear our prayer.
- We pray for the conversion and repentance of all sinners, heretics, schismatics, idolaters, lukewarm souls, apostates, and pagans, and for the salvation of those who are dying and who have committed suicide, we pray to the Lord. R. Lord, hear our prayer.
Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us offer the prayer Christ himself taught us.
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Let us ask our Blessed Mother for her intercession as we pray…
Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.
We continue to ask our spiritual father, St. Joseph for his intercession as well…
Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. To you God entrusted his only Son; in you Mary placed her trust; with you Christ became man. Blessed Joseph, to us too, show yourself a father and guide us in the path of life. Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage, and defend us from every evil. Amen.
And let us glorify the Holy Trinity as we pray…
Glory Be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
Oremus. God the vine grower, you remain with your people and enable us to bear much fruit. Receive our prayers that through careful tending and pruning, we might grow each day in our discipleship. We ask this through Jesus our risen Lord. Amen. In the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Brothers and sisters in Christ. We are coming to the end of this month and we are about to enter the month of May, which is dedicated to our Blessed Mother. We are also entering graduation season and summer is aorund the corner. As always, please pray for my wife and I, and I will pray for all of you as well. Have a blessed week and aloha!
Dare to Live in Him 