First reading: 1 Acts 9:26-31
Psalm: Ps 22:26-28,30-32
Epistle: 1 John 3:18-24
Gospel: John 15:1-8

“I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit”

“Ja jestem krzewem winnym, wy – latoroślami. Kto trwa we Mnie, a Ja w nim, ten przynosi owoc obfity”

Christ is risen, alleluia! He is truly risen, alleluia!
Chrystus zmartwychwsał! Prawdziwie zmartwychwsał!

Following Jesus or starting at Jesus

If we asked our children to follow us we would quickly find out a lot about how we follow Jesus. Sure, they would follow us for a bit, trailing close behind, but then they would see a friend, and there they go. After a bit they would come back, only to be distracted again, look at the pretty girl. Back again, the next distraction, yummy food in the kitchen, the TV.

As we wait for our children to come back and follow us, so Jesus waits for us. But, can we become something more than followers?

Ben:

Children believe in greatness. Ask the most impoverished kid what they will be when they grow up, and you will receive big answers. Some will be firemen, some professional athletes, others presidents, kings and princesses. Ben remembered being asked this question. Looking the lady who asked square in the eye he said,”I will be a cultural anthropologist.” She had no idea what he was talking about, so he quickly changed my answer to “football player” and she patted him on the head and walked away.

Somewhere along the way Ben’s dream of greatness died. Truthfully, the dream never died for Ben, it only became covered over by selfishness. Ben was on a very bad path, a road to nowhere, but God stepped in. When God entered his life Ben finally reconnected to the great possibilities he remembered from his childhood. Ben found the right starting point, he was able to see Jesus as his starting point.

Paul’s change:

Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus. This meeting brought him into the community of faith. It was his beginning. Like Ben, Paul reconnected to greatness. He went from Saul, a man filled with loathing for Christians, who stood by as Stephen was stoned, as someone judgmental, and found his starting point in Jesus. He went on from this new beginning to become an apostle. Paul then changed the world according to God’s will. With God as his starting point the message of Jesus would be preached to the gentiles and the Holy Church would grow to be open and inclusive of all.

Changes:

There are a lot of of songs, poetry, and stories about change. Reflecting on them two jumped to mind, “Changes” by David Bowie. Perhaps you recall the opening lyrics – “Turn and face the strange. Ch-ch-changes” and “Turn! Turn! Turn!” by The Byrds is the second.

Both Ben and Paul experienced profound change. They turned from following their own way to following Jesus. Then from following Jesus to making Jesus their starting point. They were changed at the very center and core of their lives.

Where do I start?

We gather today as people of faith. We gather in confidence that our beloved members of holy memory have not been destroyed, have not passed out of existence or into memory alone, but live as we will one day, with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ as our one center. We should take a moment to consider where we are centered. Where is our starting point? So let’s take a moment to really dig down and answer that question.

Once we clear out all the noise around and within us, the obligations, our wants, needs, and desires, once we silence ourselves we will hear the voice of Jesus. We will feel the power of the Holy Spirit already in us, that lives within each of us as our starting point.

We all start:

We all start with God. St. Paul told the Colossians (Colossians 1:16) this:

For everything, absolutely everything,

above and below, visible and invisible, …

everything got started in Him and

finds its purpose in Him.

So if we listen, if we chose God as our starting point, His voice and His will will become a lot clearer. The noise will subside and will be replaced by the greatness we are called to achieve.

The vine:

Jesus tells us that we are intimately connected to Him, as much as branches are connected to the vine. As long as we stay connected to the source, the starting point of our strength and direction, we will have joy. We will be productive by defining everything we do based on our attachment to the vine — to Jesus. If Jesus is our starting point we will “bear much fruit and become His disciples.”

Our connection to Jesus, our starting point, feeds us, reassures us, gives us confidence, makes us part of something so much greater than ourselves. It connects us not only to our communities of faith, but to all who live in Christ in our world and in eternal rest. Our connection starts in our listening, in our dependence on Jesus as our starting point, and our clear decision to love one another, keep His gospel, and remain in Him.

Freedom in the vine:

Ben recognized Jesus call. He let Jesus assert Himself as the center of his life. Ben pointed out that the change in his starting point did not immediately fix all his ‘issues.’ But Ben did say that he found “a crack in the door to the greatness screaming to be released for within, and from the tiniest crack life will flow.” Life flowed into Ben. Marvelous work was begun in him.

Moving from mere followers to living with Christ as our starting point will fill us with life here and eternal life. It will move us to marvelous works. St. Paul prayed that this change would come upon the people of Ephesus saying: “May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love.” Just as a tree draws nutrients from the soil, we draw nourishment from Jesus – We are His Church, His community, all joined together in one source, one vine, one starting point. Amen.