Upward Mobility (2012-05-06, Easter)

This is my homily for 29 April 2012 (5th Sunday Easter). I am a Catholic chaplain in Teaneck at Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) campus and for the FDU Newman Catholic Association. We celebrate Catholic Mass - during Fall and Spring semester - every Sunday Evening (7:30 p.m.) at the Interfaith Chapel, 842 River Road, Teaneck, NJ.

READINGS: Acts 9:26-31/ Psalm 22/ 1 John 3:18-24/ John 15:1-8

[_01_] A vine – whether a vine of grapes or a vine of ivy – is capable of attaching itself and spirally coiling around a trellis, a wall, and then ascending upward.

The parable also reminds you and me that we are not merely passively hanging on the vine, but that we have a role to play in staying connected.


And, also, our health – strength – as individual branches also indicates something about the health and strength of the whole vine which not only symbolizes Jesus but also symbolizes the Church, the Body of Christ.

And, in the case of ivy, we see a plant with evergreen leaves and vines which will cover the exterior of a building, the exterior walls of older buildings on “ivy league” universities such as Princeton or Harvard. The vines climb up just as college students do. The vine symbolizes upward movement, mobility, even … wealth and strength and power.

We could also say that every family is a vine. The branches on the vine are nourished, protected by our mothers and fathers. Our mothers and fathers clear the ground for us … picking up after us, protecting us also from dangers, from harm which we do not always recognize on our own.

[_02_] The vine climbs upward. The vine grows.

In what ways do these vines grow within us? In what ways does the Holy Spirit grow within us?

What I’m suggesting is that the vines grow naturally – easily – upward and across the exterior wall of that Ivy League Library.

But, is this growth of the ivy – or any vine – only a superficial or surface change to the building? A change, we might say only in 2 dimensions, a change that we can see on any flat screen, or the flat wall.

The vines grow naturally in 2 dimensions, in physical size and in age.

But, are the vines growing in a 3rd dimensions, in 3-D? This 3rd dimension is our relationship with the Holy Spirit through our prayer, through Christ.

No 3-D glasses or expensive movie tickets required.

In this 3rd dimension, we are trying to repent of our sins, to admit our need for God’s help in various ways.

[_04_] For example, I can be – we all can be – superficial about certain commitments in our lives. We may only go through the motions, staying in 2 dimensions, flat.

We may do this in our gardens, our yard. We only cut the grass or trim – or skim - the surface without going down to the roots.

[_05_] At times, we would do the same in certain academic classes or professional commitments, doing only the minimum which is required. We might have a digital signal ..but we are still in 2-D.

Jesus – with the vine and branches parable – is inviting us to grow with him in all dimensions in 3-D.

[_06_] What I’d like to suggest is that this 3rd dimensions is observable. We can see it, feel it… in our relationships, friendships.

Don´t we naturally choose to be around friends, classmates, neighbors who agree with us even admire us?

These are positive emotions, affirmations.

But, we are also called to accept challenges which help us to grow.

A relationship has a life of its own apart from our current feeling. An example of this is the relationship between Peter and Jesus at the time of Peter´s triplet of denials.

Jesus is inviting us to an ongoing a relationship. As we known, a relationship, and love, can be re-energized with emotion, with affection, with a feeling of comfort. But, the relationship itself is like a vine which enables all of these feelings/emotions to flow through the circuit breakers.

Even Peter who feels threatened and denies Jesus three times remains in a relationship with him.

[_07_] We might also say that the process of grieving and mourning is part of the full 3-D, three dimensional experience in our lives.

For if we are truly honest about a death in our family, an illness, a tragedy, then we are growing not just in AGE, PHYSICAL SIZE ..but also we are growing in DEPTH, in the depth of our heart and love.

The vine and branches parable reminds us of Jesus’ love for us.

And, this parable reminds us that we are e carried forward, sometimes pushed outward so that we can grow in not only in age or physical strength but also grow in character, in integrity, in spirit by remaining close to the vine who is Jesus, the source of our growth.  { __fin__}