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Dear Preachers:
My grandparents were landowners. You have to
understand that in Brooklyn, to be called a “landowner” was stretching the term
a bit. In truth, they had a backyard. In the center of the yard was a cement
slab “patio” and around it grandpa grew vegetables and fruits. He had 3 fruit
trees – two fig and one peach. The fig trees were better suited to a more
Mediterranean climate and so, to protect them through the harsh northeastern
winters, he would tie up the branches close to the tree trunks and wrap the
tightly bound fig trees in black tar paper, with the hope that the black would
absorb at least some heat from the winter sun. Through the winters we could see
those two fig trees in the backyard. They looked like thick wrapped carpets,
surrounded by the barren, sometimes snow-covered garden, waiting out the
winters.
But after an especially frigid winter one of the fig trees almost died. Grandpa
decided he would prefer two peach and only one fig tree. “Less wrapping and
unwrapping,” he said. So, he cut the fig tree down to its trunk, took a branch
from the peach tree and grafted it to the fig tree’s trunk. He “bandaged” the
spot where the two were joined and told us we had to wait to see if the graft
took. If it didn’t, the peach branch would show the signs of a failed graft – it
would die. If the graft did work, we kids wondered, would we get figs or peaches
from the tree? The graft did work and the next summer we saw the first fruits
from the grafted tree – peaches. The trunk provided the life and the grafted
branch kept its individuality and produced delicious peaches. But without the
life from the root stock, the branch would have died and we would be without
grandma’s peach jam and cobblers. If, in the grafting process, there was any
“pain” to the two trees, it was transitory and was meant for a fruit-yielding
purpose.
We are like that branch attached to the root stock. Using similar agricultural
image, the vine, Jesus says we have to remain with him if we are to live and
bear fruit. Through Baptism we have been “grafted” to Jesus; from him we draw
our life. A peach tree branch yielded a peach tree. If my grandfather had used a
plum branch, guess what kind of tree he would have gotten when he grafted it to
the stock. My grandmother would have made plum, instead of peach, jam from the
fruit. We are grafted to Jesus, the true vine and still, we keep our
individuality and unique gifts for: music, storytelling, cooking, writing,
organizing, nurturing, convincing, etc.
We are each different, but we are all drawing life from Christ as we live our
Christian vocations in the world. No two of us are identical Christian twins; we
are all unique. But the source of our life, Jesus tells us, is the same, “Remain
in me, as I remain in you....” If one of us kids had pulled the grafted branch
from its root base, besides being recipients of my grandfather’s ire, we would
have been left holding a mere and useless stick, with no future peach pies or
cobblers for us. Each of us, joined to Christ, can yield much fruit, not only
for ourselves, but for those who look to us for help, encouragement and
forgiveness.
Each time we gather here for worship we express our desire to stay united to
Christ and to one another. We do that in our liturgical celebration by hearing
the Word, when it is proclaimed, in silent listening; responding with prayers
stirred up by what we have heard and then, as a community, by receiving the
Eucharist. We do similarly at other sacramental celebrations.
As we watched my grandfather at work we knew he had good intentions, and all of
us would be the recipients of his labor and our waiting. Still, the cutting part
looked painful to the two trees. Is there pain for us too when we are pruned by
God? What kind of pain? Doesn’t a kind of cutting or pruning take place here at
our Eucharist when we hear the Word proclaimed in our assemblies? Jesus says we
are “pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.” God’s Word constantly
speaks to us and hearing that Word is a way for us to “remain on the vine.” We
are listeners who need to keep our ears tuned to that Word because it reminds us
of God’s on-going love and readiness to forgive.
If God has any “pruning” to do so that we can become more fruitful disciples of
Jesus, it can happen when we are attentive to the Word. What we hear may enable
us to realize how often we have missed or ignored God’s outreach to us. It is
something like the pain and embarrassment we feel when a friend has tried to do
something nice for us and we missed the kindness, took it for granted or
misinterpreted it. Such moments can be very painful indeed and can remind us not
to let it happen again, lest we lose or damage our friendship. That’s similar to
the “pruning” God is constantly doing through the Word. Hearing that Word we can
recognize and respond with more awareness to God’s loving gestures towards us.
We gather each week to stay connected to the vine and to one another, the
branches. We also pray and resolve here today to be more attentive and
responsive listeners.
How else can we hear Jesus’ word and thus “remain” in him? Besides liturgical
celebrations, there are many ways to place ourselves in a listening mode; open
to the possibility of hearing God’s Word. Some immediately come to mind: parish
scripture prayer groups and bible study classes; private prayer, scripture
reading and meditation; reading past and present spiritual writers, etc.
But God speaks in other, perhaps less “formal” or obvious ways through:
conversations with family and friends; counselors and self-help groups; casual
conversations with people whose paths we cross daily, etc. We remember too Jesus
telling us that he could be found among the poor and outcasts. When we are with
them, we also strive to be listeners. Besides one-on-one encounters with people
in need, what about those reports that come our way through print and internet
media about social problems in our community, nation and around the world? Can
the media also be an instrument Jesus uses to speak his words to us and help us
“remain” in him and “bear much fruit?”
In the opening to our second reading, John spells out to us the fruit we will
bear in union with Jesus, “Children, let us love not in word or speech, but in
deed and truth.”
Click here for a link to this Sunday’s readings:
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/042824.cfm
JUSTICE BULLETIN BOARD
Children, let us love not in word
or speech but in deed and truth.
1 John 3:18
From the time when I was a small child, my
father would say to me that actions speak louder than words. So I find it
interesting that this scripture passage comes along at the same time that I have
been reading the Interfaith Alliance of Wake County document, The Ethical
Framework.
In writing of today’s reality, the document states, “Self-interest in America
has reached the point of entitlement, where it is acceptable to pursue
individual rights and personal interest without regard to the effect on others
or the community...Clear behavioral expectations and responsibilities are a
missing link in our democracy. Without norms for commonly expected ethical and
moral behavior, there is little if any expectation or law that behavior must be
ethical, responsible, or fair, as long as it is legal. People, even our leaders,
defend unethical and immoral behavior by saying ‘I’ve done nothing illegal.’
Nevertheless, behavior without a moral or ethical conscience, whether legal or
illegal, is often hurtful to others and to the common good. . . knowing what is
right is often not transformed into doing what is right.”
The underlying precepts of The Ethical Framework are not unlike the social
teachings of the Catholic Church: “Respect for the basic dignity and worth of
every person; consideration for the interest of others and the common good;
consideration of all actions in terms of desirable ethical and moral outcomes,
rather than on solely legal, or convenient results.” Rather than solve problems,
the four principles proposed in the document provide a foundation that empowers
individuals to build solutions and guide daily living. These principles are:
1. Be FOR people rather than AGAINST people. (Consider others. Consider the
common good.)
2. Treat people with care and concern, strive for harmony. (Build caring,
trusting relationships.)
3. Respect the wonder of life. (Life is precious and sacred.)
4. Accept responsibilities as members of society. (Obligations to yourself, to
others, to society.)
The Ethical Framework is a good tool for individuals, parents, and teachers. To
download a copy of this small, easy to understand document, go to
https://interfaithalliance-nc.org/resources/
Let us love in deed and truth.
Barbara
Molinari Quinby, MPS, Director,
Office of Human Life, Dignity, and Justice Ministries
Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, Raleigh, NC
FAITH BOOK
Mini-reflections
on the Sunday scripture readings designed for persons on the run. “Faith
Book” is also brief enough to be posted in the Sunday parish bulletins
people take home.
From today’s Gospel reading:
Jesus said, “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.
Reflection:
If God has any “pruning” to do so that we can
become more fruitful disciples of Jesus, it can happen when we are attentive to
the Word at our Eucharist. What we hear may help us realize how often we have
missed or ignored God’s gracious outreach to us. Having heard that Word will
keep us connected to Jesus the Vine and give us renewed energy and desire to
bear fruit as his disciples.
So we ask ourselves:
- When have I felt God has spoken a special
word to me?
- What have I done to respond to what I have
heard?
POSTCARDS TO DEATH ROW INMATES
"The death penalty is one of the great moral
issues facing our country, yet most people rarely think about it and very few of
us take the time to delve deeply enough into this issue to be able to make an
informed decision about it."
– Sister Helen Prejean
Inmates on death row are the most forgotten people in the prison system. Each
week I am posting in this space several inmates’ names and locations. I invite
you to write a postcard to one or more of them to let them know that: we have
not forgotten them; are praying for them and their families; or, whatever
personal encouragement you might like to give them. If the inmate responds, you
might consider becoming pen pals.
Please write to:
- Lawrence Petersons #0320825 (On death row
since 12/12/1996)
- Jimmie Lawrence #0597164 (12/11/1997)
- Andre Fletcher #0130628 (12/09/1999)
----Central Prison, P.O. 247
Phoenix, MD 21131
Please note: Central Prison is in
Raleigh, NC., but for security purposes, mail to inmates is processed through a
clearing house at the above address in Maryland.
For more information on the Catholic position
on the death penalty go to the Catholic Mobilizing Network:
http://catholicsmobilizing.org/resources/cacp/
On this page you can sign “The National
Catholic Pledge to End the Death Penalty.” Also, check the interfaith page for
People of Faith Against the Death Penalty: http://www.pfadp.org/
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