Don't Try So Hard

Fifth Sunday of Easter
Lectionary: 53
Reading 1
Acts 9:26-31
When Saul arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples,
but they were all afraid of him,
not believing that he was a disciple.
Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles,
and he reported to them how he had seen the Lord,
and that he had spoken to him,
and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.
He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem,
and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord.
He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists,
but they tried to kill him.
And when the brothers learned of this,
they took him down to Caesarea
and sent him on his way to Tarsus.
The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace.
It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord,
and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit it grew in numbers.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32
R. (26a) I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will fulfill my vows before those who fear the LORD.
The lowly shall eat their fill;
they who seek the LORD shall praise him:
"May your hearts live forever!"
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
All the ends of the earth
shall remember and turn to the LORD;
all the families of the nations
shall bow down before him.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
To him alone shall bow down
all who sleep in the earth;
before him shall bend
all who go down into the dust.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
And to him my soul shall live;
my descendants shall serve him.
Let the coming generation be told of the LORD
that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born
the justice he has shown.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Reading 2
1 Jn 3:18-24
Children, let us love not in word or speech
but in deed and truth.
Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth
and reassure our hearts before him
in whatever our hearts condemn,
for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us,
we have confidence in God
and receive from him whatever we ask,
because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
And his commandment is this:
we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,
and love one another just as he commanded us.
Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them,
and the way we know that he remains in us
is from the Spirit he gave us.
Alleluia
Jn 15:4a, 5b
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain in me as I remain in you, says the Lord.
Whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Jn 15:1-8
Jesus said to his disciples:
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.
He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,
and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.
You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.
Remain in me, as I remain in you.
Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own
unless it remains on the vine,
so neither can you unless you remain in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without me you can do nothing.
Anyone who does not remain in me
will be thrown out like a branch and wither;
people will gather them and throw them into a fire
and they will be burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you,
ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.
By this is my Father glorified,
that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."

[@truegirl2anna]

As a young parent, this is bizarre timing Fr. Mark posted this…this is exactly what the Lord was telling me! ❤❤ trying to be so perfect and so hard!

[@chrissien140]

I listen to your homilies all the way from Sydney Australia. Every week without fail. God bless you Father, I LOVE your words, they speak to me every time.

[@ChristineB3604]

I love listening to your homilies from the East Coast! Your parish family is so blessed to have you as their priest! God Bless you Father Mark!

[@margaretrobertson967]

Father, you’re worry is heaven sent from our Lord Jesus Christ and heaven no, we are not supposed to worry as late people, but I know that our Lord, maybe not worried as we call worried but he suffered and the weights of the world were on him and the sins of the world were on himGod bless you, Father and I wish I could be there to see you

[@rosemarykirby7489]

Oh how I love Jesus and our Father and the saints and all his sheep! Lord help me stay in you

[@barb64-23]

Thank you for posting these beautiful homilies. We need to hear the Truth ! God Bless you, please continue!

[@decidetobeholy8299]

Pelagianism explains the trying hard thing, because everything good in us comes from God!❤
Thanks Fr Mark! G’day from Australia 🇦🇺

[@cesargarcia7074]

If I'm picking up what you're putting down, God is raising Gideon's army. Less is more. Christ's angels and saints be with you Father!

[@shreejeni8062]

Yes Father Mark, I was trying so hard. I am called to religious life; but i am out in the world, trying very hard to prove myself to myself and others and earn money and show my worthiness and knowledge and do my ministry as a public. And I am wrong and tired and exhausted.

[@janetskordi176]

You are an amazing Priest Fr Mark! Even though I attend and SSPX chapel and love our wonderful priests I never miss one of your homilies as I find them inspirational. One of the best was Battling the Beasts and St Anthony - watched that a few times as well as this one. Great work - greetings from South Africa

[@Tamkaizen]

We always look forward to your homilies. Thank you.

[@MarThA_DC]

Hi fr mark, I really needed to hear this. Thank you for allowing God to speak through you. God bless!

[@Lucas-jy7cv]

Great job.

[@margaretrobertson967]

Father, I understand what you’re saying about Genzie but it is terrifying to me