Commentary: Wayback Machine. Proclaimed the "Seraph of the Eucharist" by Pope Leo XIII.
'Tis also the festival of Blessed Ivan Ziatyk, Priest & Martyr, C.Ss.R. (1899-1952), martyred in the reign of the general secretary Joseph Stalin: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.
Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Easter Weekday
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter fifteen, verses one thru six;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-two, verses one & two, three & four(a,b), & four(c,d) & five;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verses one thru eight.
Commentary: Easter Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, our Gospel passage today is from the beautiful, evocative, and challenging fifteenth chapter of John’s Gospel. Jesus declares that he is the vine and we are the branches. He is the power and energy source in which we live. This image is closely related to Paul’s metaphor of the body of Christ.
The point is that we live in him and he in us. Jesus is the source of supernatural life in us, and without him, we would have none of it. If, therefore, you are separated from the vine, you will die spiritually, you will stop living a supernatural life. What does this look like concretely, to be attached to the vine? It means a steady immersion in the prayer of the Church. It means steady communion with God, speaking to him on a regular basis. It means an immersion in the Scriptures, soaking in the truth of the Bible. It means engaging in the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.
And, of course, it means you must participate in the sacraments—especially confession and the Eucharist. By the sacraments, we stay close to the Christ who forgives our sins and who enlivens our spirits.
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