On the Back Porch
5th Sunday of Easter, Year B
What We Celebrate
These eight simple verses from the Gospel of John are incredibly rich in imagery, metaphor and meaning. The setting for the gospel is immediately after the Last Supper and it is as though Jesus is giving a farewell speech and trying to remind the disciples that his end is near, they will be sent to the ends of the earth to proclaim the good news, and these are the important parts. It seems like too much, all at once and so it is after Easter that we remind ourselves, as did the apostles, what would be the measure of the mission: fruitfulness and love.
Take a moment and go consider this amazing reading from the comfort of your back porch.
Full Text of the Sunday Readings
Detailed Commentary – 5th Sunday of Easter Gospel
Image credit: Pexel with Canva | G Corrigan | CC-BY-NC
Perichoretic power
The gospel of the Vine and the Branches asks that all disciples remain in Christ, bear much fruit, and pour God’s love into the world. This indwelling, abiding, is the Greek word perichoresis – a word that presents a far more dynamic power that the English translation indwelling offers. Take a few minutes to discover the perichoretic power of remaining “in Christ.”