• 00:00 Jesus gives a teaching sermon during the Last Supper in the Gospel of John, discussing the denial of Peter, Judas’ betrayal, and the promise of The Advocate.
• 03:24 Remaining connected to Jesus, the True Vine, is essential for bearing fruit in life and receiving answered prayers, as Jesus teaches his disciples to reflect on his words and become his disciples.
• 09:54 Jesus warns of the consequences for failing to produce good fruit, using the imagery of the vine and emphasizing the importance of staying connected to him.
• 16:51 Abide in Christ, dwell with God, and view the Church as our true identity and purpose, as every branch is pruned to bear more fruit.
• 21:03 Embrace trials and pruning to grow spiritually, let go of the familiar, remain in God, help others, and discern our role in the church.
• 28:19 Remaining connected to Jesus, discerning the Holy Spirit’s guidance, and asking according to His will are essential for bearing fruit and having a fruitful relationship with God.
• 34:49 Remaining connected to Jesus means serving with humility, allowing everyone to bear fruit, and trusting in the actions of the gardener.
• 40:25 Reflect on abiding in Jesus, discern gifts of the Holy Spirit, and pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit for growth and abundance.

• 00:00 Jesus uses the image of the vine and branches to reveal himself as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and the leader of a new and greater Exodus in the gospel of St John.
  • The gospel of St John in the 5th Sunday of Easter emphasizes the use of visual echoes from Israel’s Scripture, with fewer direct quotations or verbal allusions compared to the synoptic gospels.
  • John uses carefully framed, luminous images to convey the message that Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and the leader of a new and greater Exodus.
  • Jesus uses various images to describe himself in the gospel of John, and in today’s gospel, he uses the image of the vine and the branches to illustrate his true and genuine self-disclosure as the ultimate revelation of the only true God.
• 05:04 Jesus is the vine, disciples are the branches, expected to bear fruit, emphasizing the need for purification and righteousness in living within the Word and will of God.
  • The vine is a national symbol of Judea and Israel was described as a luxuriant vine in the prophet Hosea.
  • Jesus is the vine and his disciples are the branches, bonded in unity with him and with each other.
  • God cultivated Israel, Jesus is the vine, and disciples are the branches expected to bear fruit, but the vineyard didn’t always produce the desired fruit.
  • Jesus uses the analogy of vine dressing to explain the importance of pruning for bearing good fruit, emphasizing the need for purification and righteousness in living within the Word and will of God.
• 11:35 Disciples are part of God’s household, with Jesus as the cornerstone, and are compared to branches of a vine, emphasizing the importance of being part of the church despite contemporary skepticism.
  • Jesus tells the disciples that they can do nothing apart from him, and the church is the Body of Christ, with each member being a part of that body.
  • Disciples of Jesus are part of God’s household, with Jesus as the cornerstone, and are compared to branches of a vine, emphasizing the importance of being part of the church despite contemporary skepticism.
• 13:58 Belonging to the church is essential for wholeness and holiness, as cooperation and social connectedness are key to survival and success.
  • Believing the Good News entails belonging to the church, which is essential for wholeness and holiness, as demonstrated by the example of a worker bee and the counter proposition to the idea of competitiveness being the key to survival and success.
  • Cooperation is essential for survival and success, as social connectedness is a powerful determinant of well-being, and the image of pruning is used to illustrate the need for self-improvement.
• 16:54 The spiritual life is like climbing a ladder, overcoming vices and acquiring virtues, with renunciation and detachment as necessary paths to spiritual maturity.
  • St John Climacus wrote The Ladder of Divine Ascent, a guide to the spiritual life, which is a popular work in Eastern Christendom and is read every Lent in Orthodox monasteries worldwide.
  • The story of the burning bush at St Catherine’s monastery serves as a reminder that God’s call can be demanding and often we try to extinguish the divine voice calling to us.
  • The Christian life is likened to ascending a ladder with 30 rungs, representing vices to overcome and virtues to acquire, with renunciation and detachment as necessary paths to spiritual maturity.
• 22:06 Pruning is necessary to remove dead wood from our lives, and we must let go of false securities in order to go through the narrow door called ‘Jesus’.
  • Pruning is necessary to remove dead wood from our lives, and we must let go of false securities in order to go through the narrow door called ‘Jesus’.
  • Linus is distraught when he can’t find his blanket and becomes desperate when Lucy tells him she buried it.
• 24:18 Detachment and non-grasping were exemplified by Hilda’s selfless act, a man had a vivid dream about a monk with a pearl of great price, and a villager returned a pearl to the monk, illustrating the need to remove unproductive branches and prune the vine for quality fruit.
  • Hilda’s life exemplified detachment and non-grasping, as shown by her willingness to give up her business class ticket for an economy seat to accommodate a larger passenger.
  • A man had a vivid dream about a monk with a pearl of great price, and then saw the monk in real life.
  • A villager becomes restless after receiving a pearl from a monk and ultimately returns it, asking for the wealth that allows the monk to give it away, illustrating the need to remove unproductive branches and prune the vine for quality fruit.
• 28:15 Life is about necessary losses and growth, as we must give up things we love to deeply love anything, and complete surrender to God is described as remaining in the Lord.
  • Life is a journey of necessary losses and growth, as we must give up things we love in order to grow and deeply love anything.
  • Complete surrender to the will of God is described as remaining in the Lord, embodying a whole ecclesiology and indicating the irrevocability of the gift God has given.

FIRST READING

• 00:00 Savoring the word of God during mass can lead to a deeper encounter with the Pascal mystery.
  • The goal of the Catholic Bible study is to help prepare for Sunday mass by studying the Bible to better understand the readings proclaimed during mass.
  • Savoring the word of God during its proclamation can lead to a deeper encounter.
  • The Pascal mystery is the passion, death, resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus, and it begins on the Feast of Passover when Jesus celebrates the Passover meal with his disciples.
• 02:20 Jesus transforms bread and wine into his body and blood, we are baptized into his death and resurrection, and his ascension reminds us of our future if we remain faithful.
  • Jesus gives the disciples bread and wine, which he transforms into his body, blood, soul, and Divinity, foreshadowing his sacrifice on Good Friday.
  • Through baptism, we are baptized into Christ’s death and are called to participate in his suffering and resurrection, constantly asking God to accomplish the Pascal mystery within us.
  • Jesus’ ascension into heaven is a reminder of our future if we remain faithful to him, and we are called to bear fruit for the kingdom of God.
• 05:01 Saul, who later becomes Paul, initially opposes the new movement of Jewish people following Jesus and persecutes the church, but after a transformative encounter with the Lord, he speaks boldly in the name of Jesus, leading to the church growing in numbers with the consolation of the Holy Spirit.
  • Saul tries to join the disciples in Jerusalem, but they are afraid of him; Barnabas brings him to the apostles, and he speaks boldly in the name of Jesus, leading to the church growing in numbers with the consolation of the Holy Spirit.
  • Saul, a Jewish leader who later becomes Paul, initially opposes the new movement of Jewish people following Jesus and persecutes the church.
  • Saul was consenting to the death of St. Steven and on his way to Damascus to persecute more Christians when the Lord knocked him to the ground and spoke to him.
• 07:21 Saul’s persecution of the church is seen as persecution of Jesus, leading to his conversion, and Ananias baptizes a blind man, making him a member of the people of God.
  • Saul’s persecution of the members of the church is seen as persecution of Jesus himself, leading to his conversion.
  • Ananias baptizes a blind man, making him a member of the people of God.
• 08:45 Saul, now a Christian, is initially feared by the disciples in Jerusalem, but Barnabas brings him to the apostles and emphasizes the importance of preaching boldly in the name of Jesus.
  • Saul, now a Christian, tries to join the disciples in Jerusalem, but they are afraid of him because of his past persecution of the church.
  • Barnabas brings Saul to the apostles and reports how Saul had seen the Lord and spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.
  • Peter and Barnabas emphasize the importance of preaching boldly in the name of Jesus as a sign of authentic discipleship, and Paul mentions receiving approval from Peter in his letter to the Galatians.
• 11:02 Paul boldly preaches in the name of the Lord, debates with Greek-speaking Jews, and faces persecution for his beliefs, leading the Brothers to send him to Tarsus for his safety.
  • Paul boldly speaks in the name of the Lord, debates with Greek-speaking Jews, and faces persecution for his beliefs.
  • The Brothers sent him to Tarsus to preach and teach elsewhere for his safety after learning that people were trying to kill him following his conversion.
• 12:24 The early church remained united and at peace despite persecution, leading to growth and the conversion of Saul, with a focus on the Psalm 22 response of praise to God.
  • The church was at peace, united in mind and heart, even in the midst of persecution, and this unity and peace was convicting for those outside the community.
  • The growth of the community and the fear of the Lord led to more people wanting to join, creating a unified community even in the midst of persecution, and Saul had to be officially welcomed as a member after his conversion.
  • The important focus is on the Psalm 22 response, which is a Psalm of praise to God despite the initial despair.
• 15:12 The church is a continuation of the assembly of the people of God, and being a member of the Lord’s church completes one’s life.
  • The word “assembly” in Hebrew is “kahal” and in Greek it is “eclesia”, showing that the church is not something new but a different language for the assembly of the people of God.
  • The Christian church is a completion and fulfillment of the Jewish assembly, and being a member of the Lord’s church is a completion of one’s life.

SECOND READING

GOSPEL READING

• 00:00 Paul’s encounter with the apostles and his transformation into a strong preacher of the Gospel is discussed in the context of the fifth Sunday of Easter.
• 01:50 Saul faced enemies in Jerusalem, was brought to the apostles, and then sent back to Tarsus, but despite confrontations, there was still joy in the Christian faith.
• 02:42 Love, not violence, is needed in response to persecutions during the time of the first letter of John.
• 03:00 Love is the test of one’s religion and brings unity and the gifts of the Spirit.
• 03:12 The importance of love and unity in the Christian community.
• 03:12 Believe in the Lord’s name and love one another as he commanded, understanding Jesus as the vine and us as the branches.
• 03:42 Understanding the significance of grapes and the vine in Jesus’ time, we must bear fruit and produce abundantly to become his disciples.

• 00:00 New converts bring excitement and fear to the Catholic church, as seen in the dramatic conversion of Apostle Paul and the reactions of the disciples.
  • Keith Nester discusses the upcoming Sunday readings for the Catholic church and the experience of new people coming into the faith.
  • The speaker discusses the excitement of new converts in the Catholic church and the different reactions to conversion from a life of sin.
  • Some people freak out, but let’s pray and dig into the readings to see the church growing and what it means to follow and abide in Christ.
  • Apostle Paul’s conversion to Christianity causes fear and skepticism among the disciples, but Barnabas vouches for him and he begins preaching boldly in the name of Jesus.
  • Saul’s bold preaching in the name of the Lord led to fear and disbelief among the disciples, as they had never seen such a dramatic conversion before.
• 04:49 Resistance towards new converts is common, but finding advocates and encouragers in the faith is important for strength and joy.
  • Resistance and discouragement from other Catholics towards new converts, especially those with a sinful past, is hurtful and common, even on social media.
  • A Protestant woman and a Catholic convert have both faced criticism for their faith, but they have found joy and strength in their beliefs.
  • Taylor Marshall spoke about the importance of finding advocates and encouragers in the faith, referencing the support Barnabas provided to Paul, and shared a tweet about supporting Catholic converts.
• 07:52 Support and celebrate new converts to Catholicism with understanding and without judgment.
  • New converts to Catholicism need support and understanding, not criticism and shame.
  • Taylor’s message was encouraging and important, and when someone is converting to Christ, we need to consider how we should respond.
  • Celebrate and support converts to the Catholic faith without judgment or expectation.
• 11:19 Believing in Jesus and loving one another is crucial, as deeds without truth lead to compromise and truth without deeds leads to self-absorption.
  • Praise the Lord in the Assembly of his people, and love in action, not just in words.
  • Believing in Jesus Christ and loving one another is important, as having deeds without truth can lead to liberalism and compromise, while having truth without deeds leads to people being locked into themselves.
  • Focusing solely on doctrine and theology without putting it into practice in our lives can lead to a Pharisaical mindset.
• 14:34 Trust in God’s work in us, focus on His love and commandments, and find assurance in His greater power over our doubts and mistakes.
  • When we have assurance that God is at work in us, we can be reassured that God is greater than our condemning hearts.
  • Focus on what God says and has done in your life, rather than your doubts and mistakes, and move beyond scrupulosity to experience amazing things.
  • Our salvation is secure when we keep God’s commandments and walk in Christ, believing in the name of Jesus and loving one another.
  • God is greater than our hearts, and keeping his commandments creates assurance, so rest in the knowledge of God’s love.
• 18:28 Remaining in Jesus, the True Vine, is essential to bear fruit and prove discipleship, emphasizing the importance of abiding in Him.
  • Jesus is the True Vine and we must abide in him to bear fruit, as apart from him we can do nothing.
  • Remaining in God and bearing fruit is essential to prove discipleship, as emphasized in the Gospel of John and 1 John 3, and it is important to abide in Him rather than just receiving from Him and moving on.
• 20:41 To be a disciple of Christ and a Catholic is to have Christ inside you, and the best way to do that is through receiving the Eucharist, increasing prayer time, and obeying the words of Jesus to glorify God through faith and works.
  • To be a disciple of Christ and a Catholic is to have Christ inside you, and one of the best ways to do that is through receiving the Eucharist.
  • Receive the sacraments, increase prayer time, and obey the words of Jesus to glorify God through faith and works.
  • Faith and works are meant to go together, and when we separate them, we miss the point of fulfilling what Christ is talking about.
  • Abiding in Jesus means he is our strength, and when we stay connected, we are guaranteed to bear fruit, which glorifies the father and is our purpose in life.
  • Participate in the sacraments, pray for others, and allow God to use you to meet the needs of others to engage the abiding power of the Holy Spirit in you.
• 25:56 Rejoice in the power of God to convert unexpected people and celebrate their conversion to faith, bringing glory to God.
  • We should champion and rejoice with those who come to Christ, even if we have doubts, because the power of God can convert unexpected people.
  • We should expect and anticipate the joy of people coming to the faith, recognizing the power of God and our own unworthiness.
  • Conversion to faith, regardless of past sins, is reason for celebration and brings glory to God.