"Ang tawo nga nagapabilin sa akon, kag nagapabilin man ako sa iya, siya amo ang magapamunga sing madamo"

Ebanghelyo subong nga Adlaw (Juan 15:1-8)

Nagsiling pa si Jesus, "Ako amo ang matuod nga puno sang ubas, kag ang akon Amay amo ang manug-atipan.

Ang akon mga sanga nga wala nagapamunga ginapang-utod niya, kag ang kada sanga nga nagapamunga, ginalimpyuhan niya agod magpamunga pa gid sing madamo.

Kamo nalimpyuhan na paagi sa pulong nga akon ginsiling sa inyo.

Magpabilin kamo sa akon, kag magapabilin man ako sa inyo. Pareho nga ang sanga indi makapamunga kon wala nagaangot sa puno, amo man kamo sina, indi kamo makapamunga kon magbulag kamo sa akon.

"Ako amo ang puno sang ubas, kag kamo ang akon mga sanga. Ang tawo nga nagapabilin sa akon kag nagapabilin man ako sa iya, siya amo ang magapamunga sing madamo, kay kon wala ako sa inyo wala gid kamo sing may mahimo.

Ang tawo nga nagabulag sa akon ihaboy, pareho sa mga sanga nga ginahaboy kag nagakalaya, dayon ginatipon kag ginahaboy sa kalayo agod masunog.

Kon nagapabilin kamo sa akon kag kon ginatipigan ninyo sa inyo mga tagipusuon ang akon mga pulong, makapangayo kamo sa akon bisan ano nga inyo gusto, kag ini mabaton ninyo.

Kon padayon kamo nga nagapamunga sing madamo, ang akon Amay dayawon sang mga tawo, kag sa sini nga paagi mahibaluan nga kamo akon mga sumulunod.

Prayers:

"Lord Jesus, may I be one with you in all that I say and do. Draw me close that I may glorify you and bear fruit for your kingdom. Inflame my heart with your love and remove from it anything that would make me ineffective or unfruitful in loving and serving you as my All."

***

Reflection of the Daily Gospel:

Why does Jesus speak of himself as the true vine? The image of the vine was a rich one for the Jews since the land of Israel was covered with numerous vineyards. It had religious connotations to it as well. Isaiah spoke of the house of Israel as “the vineyard of the Lord” (Isaiah 5:7). Jeremiah said that God had planted Israel “as his choice vine” (Jeremiah 2:21). While the vine became a symbol of Israel as a nation, it also was used in the scriptures as a sign of degeneration. Isaiah’s prophecy spoke of Israel as a vineyard which “yielded wild grapes” (see Isaiah 5:1-7). Jeremiah said that Israel had become a “degenerate and wild vine” (Jeremiah 2:21). When Jesus calls himself the true vine he makes clear that no one can claim their spiritual inheritance through association with a particular people or bloodline. Rather, it is only through Jesus Christ that one can become grafted into the true “vineyard of the Lord”.

Jesus offers true life – the abundant life which comes from God and which results in great fruitfulness. How does the vine become fruitful? The vinedresser must carefully prune the vine before it can bear good fruit. Vines characteristically have two kinds of branches – those which bear fruit and those which don’t. The non-bearing branches must be carefully pruned back in order for the vine to conserve its strength for bearing good fruit. Jesus used this image to describe the kind of life he produces in those who are united with him – the fruit of “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). Jesus says there can be no fruit in our lives apart from him. The fruit he speaks of here is the fruit of the Holy Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23).

There is a simple truth here: We are either fruit-bearing or non-fruit-bearing. There is no in-between. But the bearing of healthy fruit requires drastic pruning. The Lord promises that we will bear much fruit if we abide in him and allow him to purify us. Do you trust in the Lord's abiding presence with you?