Address Fifth Sunday of Easter

Thank you to everyone who makes this radio broadcast possible, today Sunday, May 2, Fifth Sunday of Easter. We listen to the Gospel according to Saint John chapter 15 verses 1 to 8.

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Jesus, using a comparison, as is his style of teaching, speaks of himself as the true vine. This is an image widely used in the Old Testament to describe the people of Israel, often unfaithful to the Word of God, a people who forget the loving care of the Father God. The vine has a trunk, branches and fruits, like many fruit trees. We see a mango tree, a strong trunk, many branches, and from them a kind of vegetal thread where the mangoes hang. Jesus Christ is the vine, the trunk. The sap, the life of the plant, runs through the trunk. The branches of many fruits are praised, admired. The owner of the bush knows how many fruits, how many grapes, how many mangoes he produces each year and tells it with joy and happiness. When there are dry branches that do not produce, the owner cuts these branches so that they do not damage the others, and normally other new branches grow, full of vigor and there are new and abundant fruits. Jesus Christ is the trunk, we are the branches that bear fruit. If we are united as branches to the trunk Jesus, if the word of God runs like sap within our person, there is life, there are good feelings, there are good thoughts, there are good actions, there are numerous fruits of love. If the sacraments that give spiritual and eternal life are nourishing our person, if the life of baptism, if the cleansing and pruning of confession, if the sap of communion runs within our being, if the prayer of praise, supplication and thanksgiving every morning, every afternoon, every night are present in our lives, nothing and no one will separate us from the love of God and good works will multiply day by day. The words “be united” or “remain” are repeated several times in this fragment of the Gospel. If we are united to Christ, no hurricane, no temptation, no fear, no illness, no conflict will separate us from him.

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We thank God for so many people who are united to Christ and remain in his love. We give thanks for the priests who have been united to Christ the Priest for more than 50 years. Father Manuel Uña, 62 years as a priest; Father Fernando Mayoni, 61 years as a priest; Monsignor Alfredo Pettit, 60 years as a priest; Father Félix Padrón, 57 years as a priest; Father Arturo González, 57 years as a priest; Father José Serafín Anaya, 56 years as a priest; Father Joan Rovira, 55 years as a priest; Father Luciano Borok, 54 years as a priest; Monsignor Enrique Serpa, 53 years as a priest; Father Ambrosio Sanabria, 52 years as a priest; Father Ramón Espada, 51 years as a priest; Monsignor José Félix Pérez, 50 years as a priest.

Let’s ask them how they manage to remain united to Christ with growing love.

We also know many couples who have been married for 50 years. Those who have been married for 2, 4, 8, 10 years ask these couples how to live in faithful love, how to remain in this love and achieve fidelity of countless years.

There are children, adolescents, young people, adults who remain united to Christ. For them, we thank God and feel driven and encouraged to imitate this fidelity that always grows in following Jesus Christ.

Grandfathers and grandmothers, remain united to Christ and pass on the wisdom of Christ, the life of Christ to your grandchildren. In the year 2070 it will not matter if you had a car or not, if the house was good or not, if you had money in the bank or not, if you were professionals or not. However, the world will be better because you were an example and a lesson in the lives of your grandchildren, who in the year 2070 will be grandparents.

(SINGING)

Pope Francis asks us that in this month of May the entire Church can invoke the intercession of the blessed Virgin Mary for the end of the pandemic and, in a particular way, invites us to raise supplications for those most affected. Each day of the month of May, according to a calendar with specific intentions, all the shrines of the Virgin, spread throughout the world, united in a communion of prayer, will direct their invocations that, like the fragrance of incense, will rise towards heaven. Thirty Marian shrines, one per day, will lead the rosary for the entire Church and offer the faithful a series of moments of prayer to experience throughout the day. On the 20th it will be from the Copper Sanctuary. At the time that best suits each family we join the universal Church. We light a candle or oil lamp and pray the rosary with the intention of ending the pandemic. Every day there is a particular intention. Today, May 2, we pray for those who could not say goodbye to their loved ones at the hour of death and we do so together with those who pray around the world. To help us pray with devotion, every day this week, let’s choose a phrase from the Hail Mary and repeat it many times a day, let’s reflect on what that phrase means and by praying the Hail Mary we will have a spiritual richness that will help us pray, not with a wheelbarrow, but with a greater and deeper devotion. Today prayer is led from the Jesus the Savior and Mary Mother Shrine in Nigeria. If you want to have all the prayer intentions proposed by the Pope for this month of May and the sanctuary where they pray especially, ask for it by calling 78624000.

(SINGING)

The entire New Testament tells us about the joy that is typical of this Easter time. The word of God says: “My spirit rejoices in God my Savior” Luke 1:47; “I announce to you great joy, a savior has been born to you” Luke 2; “Rejoice that your names are written in heaven” Luke chapter 10 verse 20; “All the people rejoiced at the wonders that Jesus did” Luke chapter 13 verse 17: “I tell you, the angels of God rejoice when a sinner converts” Luke 15:10; “But I will see them again and your hearts will be glad and no one will be able to take their joy away” John chapter 16 verse 22; “The disciples were glad to see the Lord” John chapter 20 verse 20; “Live joyful in hope” Romans chapter 12 verse 12; “God loves a cheerful giver” Second Corinthians chapter 9 verse 7; “Rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice in the celebration of his glory” First Peter chapter 4 verse 13; “Therefore God anointed you with the oil of joy” Hebrews chapter 1 verse 9; “Let us rejoice because the marriage of the lamb has come” Revelation 19 verse 7; “Always rejoice in the Lord” Philippians 4:4; “Rejoice in that day, when they excommunicate you and curse you, for the reward will be great in heaven” Luke 6 verse 23; “The kingdom of God is justice, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” Romans 14:17.

Next Sunday, May 9, we celebrate Mother’s Day. If you would like a prayer for your late mother, say her name and we will send you a prayer for her. If you want to congratulate your mother, tell us her name and we will send you a message of gratitude for such a beautiful motherhood.

(SINGING)

We join the life of Jesus Christ, the sap of Jesus Christ with spiritual communion.

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May the blessing of Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit descend upon you, upon the sick who are in hospitals and in their homes, and remain forever. Amen.

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