THE TRUE CARETAKER OF THE VINE

The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box.  He shared There are 5 things you need to know, before I send you out into the world.  Always remember them and never forget and you will become the best pencil you can be.

1. You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone's hand.  
2. You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you'll need it to become a better pencil.  
3. You will be able to correct mistakes you will make.
4. The most important part of you will always be what's inside.
5. On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark.  No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.  The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.[1]

The desire to belong is one of the most basic human emotions.  Community, belonging, feeling connected and protected are all reflected in today’s Gospel about the vine and the branches.  Enduring the last couple of months without our public gatherings for Mass and other community events, on the surface we can feel very much disconnected.

However, something even deeper is happening in Jesus’ message.  Yes, he is the vine, and we are connected to him as the branches.  Let us not overlook the emphasis Jesus puts on his Father—and our Father. God the Father is the true caretaker of the vine and its branches.[2]  Physical separation from each other, does not mean being disconnection. If we, “the branches”, remain connected to Jesus, “the vine”, we can produce fruit within our family, our neighborhoods, our work for those who are essential workers, and even through our social media connections, connections that glorify the Father.

Putting ourselves in the place of the pencil; we must always remember and never forget these 5 things to become the best person we can be.

1. We will be able to do many great things, but only if we allow yourself to be held in the Father’s hand allowing others to access your many gifts.
2. We will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems, we'll need it to grow stronger.  Jesus understands the pain.
3. We will be able to correct mistakes we may make or grow through them.
4. The most important part of we will always be what's on the inside.
5. On every surface we walk, we must leave your mark.  No matter what the situation, we must continue to serve God in everything.

By remembering and never forgetting our relationship to the vine, our lives now, will have meaningful purpose and bear fruit for the glory of the Father, the true caretaker of the vine.

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[1] Parable of the Pencil by an Unknown Author

[2] Weekday HomilyHelps Homily Suggestion by Linus Mundy.

CO-CONTRACTORS

[1]The chaplain on duty for the day shift got an urgent call from the nurse on the seventh floor, “Please come!”  When the chaplain arrived, by the nursing station, two men and a woman were shouting at each other.  The room opposite was bursting with large people arguing. 

The chaplain bent his head toward the nurse, “What’s going on?”  She said, “Nine children.  They’re fighting over their mother’s last wishes.”  Well they finally got them calmed down enough to pray together and be silent so they could focus on their dying mother. 

A few minutes later, with her last words, she pleaded quietly, “Children, please don’t fight.”  The deepest desire of a mother’s heart is for her children to flourish.  Integral to that flourishing is her desire for them to get along and to care for each other.  If this is how a mother feels, how much greater are the desires of God’s heart?[2]

The family of God behaves like most, family life is the sharing of meals that are at once material and spiritual.  The table, the source of familial comfort and belonging, can also be the focal point of tension and rancor.

In the first reading we get a glimpse of the early Christian community, comprised both Jews (Hebrews) and Gentiles (Graeco-Romans). Social divisions between them were not easily overcome, even in the care of the needy. The apparent neglect of the Gentile widows, whether intended or not, presents itself to the apostles as a practical problem that needs to be addressed structurally. This account has traditionally been seen as the origin of the order of deacons, even though the origin of the diaconate is certainly more complex historically, we have in this passage a genuine view of the house of God expanding in structure and in diversity to meet the needs of the growing family of faith.

Surely it behooves us to think about the new temple, crafted by Jesus for the family that dwells in the house of God.  The First Letter of Peter tells us that Jesus himself is not just the builder, he is the “cornerstone” of the new temple.  The members of God’s family, from the beginning right up to us here and now, are “like living stones,” who must let ourselves “be built into a spiritual house.”  The corona virus has in many ways restored or expanded the foundation of the temple.  The manner in which each stone of the church is shaped and formed is through the ongoing work of holiness.  Within the house, built by Christ, we are co-contractors with the Master Builder, in this ongoing building project.

As the family grows and expands, so too, must the house in which they live.  This might require additional rooms; it might require changes and development in relationships.  The church on earth, built with and by the “living stones” of those who make up the house of God, is always growing to meet the physical and spiritual needs of the family of God.  It is a church full of the wounded and the suffering, but it’s also a place of joy.

Yes, we bear our scars, just like our Master Builder does, in a home always under renovation, but this is a big house in which all are welcome and called to the table.  We know our own building efforts are faulty and imperfect, but each of us builds with and are being built by the Master Builder as a member of this household of faith.  As we build, we are also being shaped into “living stones” being made perfect for our eternal home.

There is so much in this world that pulls us apart from each other.  Whatever our earthly flaws, we are working for the promise of the perfect home in God’s kingdom.  God’s vision for us, is much like our mother’s, for us to be together always.  He is our unfailing help to heal our divisions.  Whether we speak in terms of a mother’s dying desire or Jesus speaking of his “Father’s house [where] there are many dwelling places” the image of the family house is perfect, because whether our families have lived together harmoniously or in various states of dysfunction, even of abuse, we all can imagine the perfect home.[3] A home where we can remain focused on what’s most important, our salvation and the our salvation of sisters and brothers.

It’s this home, for which we are co-contractors, that speaks of the family of God at peace, knowing the Master Builder “is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”

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[1] New American Bible, Saint Joseph Edition. © 1986.  Scriptures: Acts 6:1-7; 1 Pt 2:4-8; John 14:1-12.

[2] Living the Word ©2019 by John R. Barker, OFM & Karla J. Bellinger.

[3] The Word on the Street (Year A) © 2016. “Master Builder” by John W. Martens

CHANGE

Catherine Adenle, an expert on the work environment of big corporations, wrote an article entitled “12 Reasons Employees Resist Change in the Workplace.”  Some of these are fairly predictable (people resist change in general), but one reason she cites might strike us as odd: loss of support system. Adenle points out, workers like their predictable routines and want to feel their familiar network of colleagues will back them up in tough times, even if they know a change will be beneficial.

Before today’s Gospel, John has told us, some of the Jewish authorities believed in Jesus “secretly” but kept their mouths shut to avoid being expelled from their comfortable positions in the synagogue. They were apparently so risk averse they could not follow where their hearts and minds were telling them they needed to go.[1]

Today we hear Jesus providing a summation of his self-revelation.  He reaffirms his intimate relationship with the Father (“and the Word was God,” Jn 1:1).  He describes himself as a light for the world (“the true light,” Jn 1:9).  He insists that he came not to condemn but to save (“God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,” Jn 3:17).  He warns that anyone who rejects his word will be condemned by that word (“whoever does not believe has already been condemned,” Jn 3:18).  He explains that his word is the word of God (“the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth,” Jn 1:14).[2]

The message of Jesus—then and now—challenges by demanding change, whether internal (a change of heart) or external (a change in behavior).  The world is in the midst of obvious change due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  As we move cautiously forward to reopen businesses, community social activities, and the churches.  Our familiar ways will have to change, we simply are not going to get to do things the same way.  Social distancing will be a new norm for some time which means a reduced church capacity.  The way we’ve become accustomed to receiving the Eucharist, only under one species and in the hand only, for some will be considered less than acceptable.  It’s like we’re experiencing some mini deaths.  Holy water fonts will be dry, there will be no touching, hugging, or hand shaking.  As strange as this may be and feel, within the bounds of obedience, these changes are for the good of the worshiping community.  How we embrace these changes will be a visible summation of our own self-revelation of who we are, who we believe in, trust, and follow.

In Pope Francis’ morning tweet, he says: “It is not easy to live in the light.  The light makes us see many ugly things within us; vices, pride, the worldly spirit.” Jesus’ message is challenging, because change is difficult and uncomfortable, but Jesus tells us: “Take courage; let yourself be enlightened, because I have come not to condemn but to save you.”  Do not fear change.

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[1] Weekday HomilyHelps. Homily Suggestion by Jim Johnston

[2] Ibid. Exegesis of the Gospel by Norman Langebrunner.