People can talk a lot of talk but the evidence of their life is the fruit that they bear.

In the parable of the vine, Jesus does not say: “You are the vine”, but: “I am the vine, you are the branches” (Jn 15:5). In other words: “As the branches are joined to the vine, so you belong to me! But inasmuch as you belong to me, you also belong to one another.” – Pope Benedict XVI

Gospel Text: ( JN 15:1-8)

Jesus said to his disciples:

“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 everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.

You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.

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.

I am the vine, you are the branches.

Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,

because without me you can do nothing.

Anyone who does not remain in me

will be thrown out like a branch and wither;

people will gather them and throw them into a fire

and they will be burned.

If you remain in me and my words remain in you,

ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.

By this is my Father glorified,

that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”

When travelling on a plane, we are completely dependent on the mechanics who service the plane’s engines and on the expertise of the pilot. I have to rely totally on a machine that is way too heavy to be flying through the air and will come down if there is a mechanical or electronic failure.

When we go out to eat we trust that the chef is providing good fresh food.

When we switch on an electrical appliance, we depend on the manufacturer’s skill to make something that won’t blow up in our faces. When you think about it, we are dependent on so many people. We trust them to do their job so that we can live safe and happy lives.

That is what Jesus is telling us in the reading from John’s Gospel today when he says, "I am the vine, and you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me" (John 15:5). You don’t have to know too much about gardening and plants to realize that a tree, shrub or any plant as far as that goes depends on the trunk and the root system for it to be happy and healthy. So to with us, if we recall the words of Christ to His disciples:

"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.” (Jn 6:48-68)

Yet many who profess with their mouth to believe in Jesus Christ fail to depend on Him in their day to day lives. Instead of being attached to the true vine, they are tied to a bank account. Others are attached to their education. Some have tried to make vines out of popularity, fame, personal skills, possessions, relationships, or fleshly desires.

But none of those things can sustain or bear fruit. The vine is Christ.

“If you cannot find peace within yourself, you will never find it anywhere else.”

A great means to preserve continual peace and tranquility of soul is to receive everything from the hands of God, both great and small, and in whatever way it comes. - St. Dorotheus

Gospel Text: (JN 14:27-31A)
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give it to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
You heard me tell you,
‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’
If you loved me,
you would rejoice that I am going to the Father;
for the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you this before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe.
I will no longer speak much with you,
for the ruler of the world is coming.
He has no power over me,
but the world must know that I love the Father
and that I do just as the Father has commanded me.”

Jesus is the Prince of Peace. At his birth the angels sang, “Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to men of good will.” His constant admonition was, “Fear not…Do not worry…Be not afraid it is I…Go in peace your sins are forgiven…Blessed are the peacemakers.” When he sent his disciples out to preach he told them: “When you enter a house say, ‘Peace be to this house.’” In his last discourse he told his disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” After he had risen from the dead his constant greeting was, “Peace be with you.”

Peace, peace and there is no peace. Where is this peace? It is not to be found in the world. It is not to be found in the absence of violence, terrorism and war. If you are waiting for peace in the world, don’t hold your breath. Given human nature and man’s proven capacity for evil it is not a bright prospect.

Peace is not to be found in other people. Yet, how often our peace depends on the mind and the lips of other people; on what they think or say about us. How foolish is human respect whether it be the fear of criticism, ridicule or failure or the inordinate desire of human praise, honor and esteem.

Peace is not to be found in myself. “I see a law in my body warring against the law in my mind…the good I will I do not, the evil I will not I do.” (Romans 7: 13-24) When I look at myself I get discouraged. I realize that I do not have it all together. My experience tells me that I am a bundle of contradictions.

The peace of Christ is not to be found in the world, in others or in myself. It is not the result of human effort. It is a gift of Jesus.

Having a close friendship with Jesus that draws you to Mass every Sunday will bring you peace. We are not just bodies; we are body and soul, and we will never be fully happy unless we have God in our life. St Augustine said “You have made us for yourself O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” Those who say that Sunday Mass is not important, that what is important is doing good, are missing out on the soul of life. Jesus is not a burden to anyone, he is a blessing, and those who say that what matters is doing good, would do far more good if they had more of Jesus in their lives.

“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.”

If you snub Conscience a few times she will cut your acquaintance.

“Through pride we are ever deceiving ourselves. But deep down below the surface of the average conscience a still, small voice says to us, something is out of tune. ” ― C.G. Jung (Swiss Psychiatrist and psychotherapist)

Gospel Text: (JN 14:21-26)
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Whoever has my commandments and observes them
is the one who loves me.
Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”
Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him,
“Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us
and not to the world?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;
yet the word you hear is not mine
but that of the Father who sent me.

“I have told you this while I am with you.
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit
whom the Father will send in my name -
he will teach you everything
and remind you of all that I told you.”

Love has a shape and a character. It is like electricity, which has both positive and negative charges. If you love your wife you will never think of turning to another woman, even in your mind, and if you are tempted, the love for her ought to motivate you to discard it quickly and move even closer to her than you were before. If you love God, any temptation against him ought to move you closer to him.

In a time when moral relativism reigns, most Catholics cannot understand the concept of moral absolutes which the Ten Commandments teach us, which Christ himself lived.

No amount of justifying oneself before God will do in wiping away these sins, only repentance and seeking reconciliation with him in the Sacrament of Confession. One of the best places of forming the human heart in following the Ten Commandments is in the confessional. It is here that we encounter Christ's perfection, his justice, his truth, but especially his great mercy in uprooting sin eternally from our hearts.

This is what the Ten Commandments teach us. This is what our age rails against and is not willing to accept. This is what Jesus Christ has to teach the modern world.

May Our Lady, the holy Mother of God and our Mother, help us to live the commandments and turn perpetually away from what is evil.

“Man is not worried by real problems so much as by his imagined anxieties about real problems”

Pray, hope, and don't worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer. - Padre Pio

Gospel Text: (JN 14:1-12)

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.

You have faith in God; have faith also in me.

In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.

If there were not,

would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?

And if I go and prepare a place for you,

I will come back again and take you to myself,

so that where I am you also may be.

Where I am going you know the way.”

Thomas said to him,

“Master, we do not know where you are going;

how can we know the way?”

Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me.

If you know me, then you will also know my Father.

From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip said to him,

“Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time

and you still do not know me, Philip?

Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.

How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?

The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.

The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.

Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,

or else, believe because of the works themselves.

Amen, amen, I say to you,

whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,

and will do greater ones than these,

because I am going to the Father.”

I really like the glimpses we get of the apostles in the gospel today because it lets us see the human side of Jesus, his patience and his love for them. These men were often confused, puzzled, ready to believe, but they are human. Jesus tells them to not let their hearts be troubled because he has a place for them. They know the way. But Thomas and Philip are not so sure. Their hearts and minds haven’t quite caught up. We, like the apostles, have to believe, and if we believe, that’s just the beginning. We have to believe and live the belief every day. Jesus and his message are the way, the truth and the life. At times, we will be like Philip: If you could just give us a clue, give us a little something.

We have been shown the way. If we believe and follow the way, we have to love our neighbor. We have to walk on the right path. That’s not always easy. We know the right way. The problem is, we are looking for a detour, “that shortcut” because it can be difficult.

There are no shortcuts.

“There is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don’t.”

“Men despise religion; they hate it and fear it is true. To remedy this, we must begin by showing that religion is not contrary to reason; that it is venerable, to inspire respect for it; then we must make it lovable, to make good men hope it is true; finally, we must prove it is true. Venerable, because it has perfect knowledge of man; lovable because it promises the true good.” — Blaise Pascal, Pensées (187)

Gospel Text: (JN 14:7-14)

Jesus said to his disciples:

“If you know me, then you will also know my Father.

From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip said to Jesus,

“Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time

and you still do not know me, Philip?

Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.

How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?

The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.

The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.

Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,

or else, believe because of the works themselves.

Amen, amen, I say to you,

whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,

and will do greater ones than these,

because I am going to the Father.

And whatever you ask in my name, I will do,

so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.”

Do you remember a few months ago when the flu was going around? This was an epidemic that hit just about everyone. Well, there’s a SPIRITUAL VIRUS that has been going around Christian circles for centuries, and it’s CALLED DOUBT. And if you haven’t caught it yet, you probably will. In fact, we could divide this room into three groups. The first group would be those who have doubted. The second group would be those who haven’t doubted yet, but who will. And the third group would be those who are probably not being sincere about their occasional doubts.

So the question isn’t, "Will you catch the virus of doubt?" You probably will. The big question is, "How can you prevent that virus from turning into a terminal disease that ultimately kills your faith?"

The problem is that some Christians leave their doubt untreated because they don’t want to admit they have it. They erroneously think that to be a real Christian, you must have absolute certainty about everything regarding the faith, and so they’re afraid to admit it when doubt starts eating away at them. Many of us think of faith and doubt as opposites. But that’s not really true. Faith and apathy are more opposite than faith and doubt. But doubt is often a key part of the journey of faith. It’s a stop along the way that most of us make more than once. And when we find ourselves there, it’s not an indication of us being bad Christians or disbelievers. It’s a sign that we are taking our relationship with God seriously enough that we are letting ourselves be honest, and we are letting ourselves start a journey without knowing exactly sure where we are going.

Maybe you doubt that God has really forgiven you. Or you wonder whether the Bible really is the Word of God. Or you question why God lets people suffer. Or you’ve been praying for help with a struggle in your life, but so far there has been silence, and you’re wondering whether anybody’s at home in heaven, or there is, whether He really cares.

It is important to not confuse faith with certitudes. Faith is about trust and commitment, not about certainties. People who have lots of certainties and no doubts tend to huddle up in elitist groups, and judge those who are not like them. That is not what we are called to do.

Our challenge is to step out into the unknown by trusting God with our lives, despite the lack of certainties and guarantees. We are invited to ask difficult questions, to enquire and reflect – this being the only way to seek God and grow in faith. God is not afraid of our questions. He made us this way. He welcomes our questions and focuses his attention on each one of us, according to our own individual needs, in our own time.

“You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.”

"Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy." --Diary of St Faustina, Divine Mercy in my Soul (300)

Gospel Text: (JN 14:1-6)
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not,
would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the way.”
Thomas said to him,
“Master, we do not know where you are going;
how can we know the way?”
Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Do you want to know the way to happiness and joy – the way to eternal life – the way to peace in the midst of suffering – the way to triumph over sin and death – the way that will save you from misery, boredom, and an empty way of life? The way is Jesus. To be on the Way is to trust in Jesus. In one of his earliest homilies, the Apostle Peter said, “There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.” There is no other way.

When I commute to work into New York City I see so many young adults who live lives of despair. They are anxious, bored, frustrated, and have no sense of meaning beyond the shallow relationships that only eventually lead to even greater despair. Many of them do not believe that there is a way so they fill up their time with activity after activity designed to help them forget. “Just get me through the night; I will deal the best I can with this crummy world when the morning comes.”

How do we tell our beautiful friends, and show them, that Jesus is the way, the only way, to what they seek?

In the beginning of this gospel reading, when Jesus says “Do not let your hearts be troubled,” he is implying that we have control over how we let external things, people, places, situations, etc. affect us. I believe that we will never be truly at peace unless we are able to find happiness from somewhere deeper inside ourselves, instead of looking for that externally.

Let us, therefore, get closer, without any fright and with unlimited trust, to Him who is the only Way, the inalienable Truth and the fullness of Life.

“Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others.”

"Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be the slave of all. For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" - Jesus

Gospel Text: (JN 13:16-20)
When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, he said to them:
“Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master
nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him.
If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.
I am not speaking of all of you.
I know those whom I have chosen.
But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled,
The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.
From now on I am telling you before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe that I AM.
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send
receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

As disciples of Jesus, we are called to give ourselves unconditionally to the service of our brothers and sisters. No matter what our state in life may be, we are called to give of ourselves with detachment from all worldly glory. We experience true evangelical freedom when we serve with a spirit of total detachment.

The egotist is saddened when he does not receive recognition for the good that he has done for others. When applause is not heard, when awards are not given, and when attention is not received, the egotist retreats from his good work and fades away in self-pity. Let us remember the words of Jesus: "When you have done all that is commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty'" (Luke 17: 10).

We all know that people can be very ungrateful for the service that is given to them. How many people thank those who give of themselves unconditionally? Parents, teachers, clergy, police, firefighters, doctors and nurses many times live thankless lives. Nevertheless, the Gospel calls us to give of ourselves unconditionally and seek as our only reward eternal life in heaven. This is true Christianity. Any other posture is simply rooted in egotism.

"Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" (Mark 10: 38). Jesus asks James and John if they can live the Cross? Can you be neglected, forgotten, die to yourself, and never seek praise from others? Can you be submerged in hatred, pain, and even death? The standard of greatness for Christianity is not earthly glory, but the Cross of Jesus Christ.