Hug until our hearts find each other

 

Hug until our hearts find each other

BASED ON READINGS FOR FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER: 1 John 3. 18-24; JOHN 15.1-8

Abide in me as I abide in you and whatever you wish for will be done for you.

Marvelous and comforting phrase. But in some respects, it sounds like we are turning Jesus into a genie in a bottle who promises to grant you your wish.

Wouldn’t that be nice. If we abide in Jesus, he gives us what we want? But abiding in Jesus means something much more. It means having life to the fullest, and we know Jesus abides in us, when our life produces fruit.

How do we abide in Jesus? What is the secret? Well, Saint John in his first letter tells us, it is simple, whoever obeys his commandments – which is to love God and love neighbour – abides in him and Jesus abides in us. .

Okay – so, it is not about having your wish granted, but more to do with following a set of commandments; So therefore it is a regimen of discipline; if I do certain things, then I get what I wanted.

But the Church teaches us, we don’t earn our way into heaven. As St. Paul tell us in his many letters, especially to the Romans, all who abide in Jesus will have the freedom of the children of God.

Okay – if I abide in Jesus, whatever I wish for will be granted, but if God is neither a genie or hard taskmaster, then what does it mean to abide in Jesus?.

The best explanation is what a child said to a person during a radio  interview. After being asked what he missed the most during this time of Covid: He said: “I miss the hugs my parents and  grandparents used to give me.” The interviewer than added, “you mean someone putting his or her arms around you and holding you close.” The boy said: “No, like my grandpa does, he hugs me until our hearts find each other.”

This is the message in Jesus parable about the vine and branches. Jesus wants to hug us until our hearts find each other. If we allow Jesus to do this, then our purpose, our desires are one with Jesus, who will give us the fullness of life and we will know freedom like we never did before.