A Few Words On "The Word"

May 14, 2006
The Fifth Sunday of Easter

John 15: 1-8

Staying Connected

Maybe if Jesus would've had a cell phone, he would have used it in today's gospel as a concrete illustration of his point. "We are the calling circle, and God is like Verizon..." Or maybe if he had email, he would have said "I started the group, and God is like Yahoo Groups..."

But he didn't have the technology, so he grabs a botanical, biological image instead. "I'm the vine. You're the branches. God's got the pruning shears." Look out the window at a nearby tree. The branches need the trunk needs the roots, right? Just like your cell needs its battery and email depends on a computer. Well, the Risen Christ is the vine, the trunk and roots, the cell phone battery that never runs down, the computer that never crashes. We're cool as long as we're connected.

And how do we stay connected to the Risen Christ? "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you." You're already doing it, already staying connected, every time you read the gospel and figure it out using this reflection each week. Way to go. Stay connected. There's more life and love when you're plugged in to Christ.

Reflection Question

What modern day images other than the cell phone or computer might Jesus have used to communicate his advice about staying connectec?

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