Scripture Reflections for The Fifth Sunday of Easter: May 10, 2009

When Paul’s fiery speech nearly got him killed, the Church in Jerusalem found a way to get him out of town, and sent him home, to Tarsus . He needed to learn the ways of peace, something Paul always struggled with. The second reading asks the congregation to love each other—to be at peace, something that congregation struggled with. Christ stressed the same theme in the metaphor of the vine—the vine only lives when the sap is running through all of it, otherwise it dies. We need to be in harmony, supporting each other. That is true of our Church, it is true of our families, it is true of our nation and our world. We simply have to find ways to be at peace with each other. Let’s pray for the wisdom of peace.