Fr. Marvin's Reflection

April 28, 2024

In today’s gospel Jesus says to his disciples, ”Remain in me as I remain in you.”  Our Lord uses the image of a grape vine to emphasize our need to remain with Him as branches that are strongly attached to their vine.  Remaining in Christ allows our lives to bear fruit of virtue, holiness, faithfulness, and obedience to Him and His will.  We can also grow more in our dependence upon Him and increase our trust in His providence over our lives when we abide in Him. 

 How do we remain in the Lord? Regular participation in the Mass, receiving the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and reconciliation, personal prayer, diving into Scripture, and putting His teachings into action through our actions and decisions all help us stay connected to Him. It's through this connection that we find strength, guidance, and grace to live according to His will and bear fruit in our lives.

 Praying for the grace to surrender our lives entirely to the Lord and to allow Him to dwell within us is crucial. It's through this surrender and openness that we can experience His presence more fully and live in accordance with His will. Prayer is powerful, and asking for this grace is a beautiful step towards deeper union with God.

 In Christ,

Fr. Marvin