Words Are Wind

Apr. 28: Fifth Sunday of Easter

I took the title of today’s post from the Song of Ice and Fire series. It means that words have no real effect on us. Only actions matter.

Reading 1

Acts 9:26-31

When Saul arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles, and he reported to them how he had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem, and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord. He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists, but they tried to kill him. And when the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him on his way to Tarsus.

The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit it grew in numbers.

Saul, the worst Jewish persecutor of the early Christians, saw Jesus on the road to Damascus and had a conversion. That was his story, anyway.

Naturally, the community didn’t just accept him at his word. They were wary. Testimony from one of their friends certainly helps. But what really convinced them was not what Paul or Barnabas said; it’s what Paul did—

He began preaching and debating. He even got himself in trouble with the Greek-speaking Jews, who tried to kill him. And if putting his life on the line to preach the Gospel wouldn’t convince them, nothing would!

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32

R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
I will fulfill my vows before those who fear the LORD.
The lowly shall eat their fill;
they who seek the LORD shall praise him:
"May your hearts live forever!"
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
All the ends of the earth
shall remember and turn to the LORD;
all the families of the nations
shall bow down before him.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
To him alone shall bow down
all who sleep in the earth;
before him shall bend
all who go down into the dust.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
And to him my soul shall live;
my descendants shall serve him.
Let the coming generation be told of the LORD
that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born
the justice he has shown.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.

The psalmist is confident in God’s promises to the poor and downtrodden, and thus, he’ll keep his own promises to praise God forever. Our lives are limited, however, so he promises even more—he’ll teach his descendants to praise God, as well. It’s the responsibility of every parent.

Reading 2

1 Jn 3:18-24

Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth and reassure our hearts before him in whatever our hearts condemn, for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in God and receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us. Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us.

We can’t just proclaim that we’re Christians and leave it at that. We have to obey God’s commands, specifically the one to love one another. Our actions demonstrate the faith we have in our hearts.

Alleluia

Jn 15:4a, 5b

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain in me as I remain in you, says the Lord.
Whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Whenever the Alleluia is taking from the same day’s Gospel reading, I thank God for Tomics to give me something funny to use—

Gospel

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 every one 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."

As important as our voluntary actions are, we’re never truly independent. We always must rely on God’s grace to do the right action. That’s why mass, the Eucharist, prayer, and adoration are so important. They all help us remain in Christ, so he can remain in us.