Daily HOMILY for April 27, 2016: Wednesday of the 5th Week of Easter

PODCAST - Press sideways triangle below to listen

or click here if there is no triangle

5^th Wednesday Easter

The Institute

April 27, 2016

A Euonymus vine ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  The entire trellised side of the deck of my home contains a luxurious Euonymus vine

Ø  Every fall I dutiful remove all the dead branches and leaves, leaving only the thick brown vines

Ø  With these days of spring and gentle rains the vines are returning and the tiniest of leaves are beginning to appear

Ø  Soon will come the abundance of small white flowers

3 Qualities of the Vine +++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  The Euonymus vine came to mind as I reflected on today’s Gospel

Ø  Jesus’ words, “Nicholas, I am the vine you are the branches” hit home poignantly

Ø  Through a long winter I was being reborn

Ø  Through my own shortcomings and limitations, I was being revived

Ø  1^st the vine perdures the entire year, and it is we who die each year and are reborn each spring

Ø  2^nd it isn’t the vine that bears the leaves or the flowers

Ø  It bears the branches, that in turn bear the leaves and flowers

Ø  3^rd each new spring is born of the trimming away of the old, the decaying and the dead that for a time were branches, leaves, and flowers of a former time 

CONCLUSION +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  All it took was the simple presence of a Euonymus vine on my side deck

Ø  And it spoke to me of the profound impact Christ was making in my life today, in these days of a new springtime

Ø  What was it Jesus said, “Let those who have ears hear?”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++