5th Sunday of Easter Fr. Leo
In John’s gospel we heard these words: “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.” Through this image, we are reminded that the root of our spiritual life is to live in the Spirit of Christ. Only then, can we be channels of God’s goodness to others.
Prayer and reflecting on our life in Christ grounds us. A great way to build this quality in our life is to take some time each evening and reflect on the day. First, asking ourselves how God was present in our day. What were the blessings that moved our hearts? It can be little things as well as greater. Perhaps the peace of a walk or the quiet moments of waking up and greeting a new day. A conversation, a kind act by another or our yourself.
Second, we might ask how we blessed others in the day. What kindness, listening or humble action made a difference in the day? And, if we lived that day over, what would make it better? This last step sets the foundation for being a little more aware of how we can cooperate with grace to make our tomorrows better.
Another important line in today’s scriptures comes from the first letter John, “Children, let us love not in word or speech, but in deed and truth.” This line affirms that real faith incudes action. If we love, it will be reflected in all we say and do. When we experience the presence of God in our day, we can pass that on to others. Simply having that desire will make it happen in one form or another.