It is 03rd May 2015. We celebrate the 5th Sunday of the Easter. The readings are from Acts.9:26-31; 1Jn.3:18-24 and Jn.15:1-8. The first reading declares that abundance of spiritual life in the life of the apostles came because of the close bonding with the Risen Lord. The Lord pruned the apostles before they could bear fruit. The best example we have today is Paul, who was a persecutor and abuser of the church has been pruned by the Lord to become the apostle for the Gentiles. The second reading explains that our spiritual strength emerges through the faith in the Lord through obeying the commandments of love. The responsorial psalm sings, “I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.” (Ps.22:26). The Gospel comes from the Last Supper discourse. The vine represents Israel. “Isarel is a luxuriant vine.” (Hos.10:1). Jesus uses this powerful image of the vine which well known among the people. Jesus admonishes the disciples to have a closeness with him and to maintain the connection and allowing them to be pruned by Him for the fruitfulness using the image of the vine and branches. Jesus invites the disciples to be mutually dependent as the vine and its branches are as close as they are. Jesus want us to have the same type of relationship to be fruitful. We all need to abide in Him, and allow ourselves to be pruned whenever the Lord wants it in order to be fruitful in our lives. To be fruitful, one must be joined to the new, true vine, Christ. By living the life of grace and Christ, we are nourished. As long as there is unity between the vine and branches, there is growth. We are all closely united to the mystical body of Christ. (1 Cor.12:12-26; Rom.12:4-5). Fertility comes through abiding in Him and through a joyful pruning. “I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit because apart from me you can do nothing.” (Jn.15:5).