It’s Time for Some Pruning - Bishop Barron's Sunday Sermon
Friends, the Lord Jesus Christ is not a teacher from a distant age, not someone from long ago we remember fondly, not a moral exemplar; rather, he is a field of force. We don’t just listen to him or imitate him; we live in him. Our Gospel for this Fifth Sunday of Easter gives us one of the most beautiful and powerful images for this truth: Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches. But there is a dark side to this wonderful organic imagery: the Father is the vine grower, and he is going to prune away all that is in us that is preventing the life of Christ from manifesting itself.
Mass Readings:
Reading 1 - Acts 9:26-31
Psalm - Ps 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32
Reading 2 - 1 Jn 3:18-24
Gospel - Jn 15:1-8
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I am a new convert to the Catholic church, I was confirmed this past Easter. It was the greatest experience of my life. I have returned to the Catholic church from a life in the Lutheran church. God has freed my mind from all the terrible lies I was told about the Catholic church and now I'm back home in the heart of the Mother Church. I am so thankful to Bishop Robert Barron who week by week taught me the truth about the Catholic church. I watched the series on the Catholic church and fell in love with this beautiful expression of faith. I am so happy and so revived in my faith. The weight of Luther's battles are off my shoulders. Jesus says to pick up the cross and follow Him, and He called me to follow Him to partake of His true Body and Blood in the Eucharist. He is fully communing with each of us through the Blessed Sacrament. I will never look back but only to this new life in the Catholic church with roots that go back to St. Peter. The words of Jesus "On this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail." Those words are here for each of us. We are the church he is building and the brick of my life is back on a firm foundation! Thank you Jesus. He will lead us into all truth. Praise be Jesus Christ!
@101010w1 "I have returned to the Catholic church from a life in the Lutheran church." Don't you miss The Hot Dish? 🙂
75 years old. 40+ years Lutheran. 2 years Catholic. I love the Church.
I like asking believers how they can possibly think their faith is respectable, given Jesus said faith is worthless, since you can't expect obedience when ordering mountains to move? I scold Christians because they lack shame. Nothing pleases me more than opposing faith. Incompetence is the God of Jesus, failing to complete anything for 2000 years, being the son of a deity, known for a perfect record of doing nothing. Jesus Christ hangeth for all time, because Romans won the war of the Jews. The Messiah of the Jews, The King of the Jews, forever cursed. The Christians are a curse, being the "wolves in sheep's clothing", seeking signs. The only sign given is believers murdering a smaller number of believers. Incompetence is your God, having waited on the Jew' Messiah for 2000 years, indoctrinated by Roman literature. " for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree:" Galatians 3:13. You ignore the fact, not all of us can pretend prophesy & God exist. That is why Jesus Christ says, "Think not I come with peace, but sword" & believers make up stories to gloss over the fact they are avoided like the old woman with too many cats. It is amusing to hear the profound arrogance of someone knowing of God, as if He were known outside of fiction. The believer & the literate are separated by the vocabulary of fiction: Blasphemy, God, faith, prayer, prophet, scripture etc. Matthew 17:20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” I like asking believers how they can possibly think their faith is respectable, given Jesus said faith is worthless, since you can't expect obedience when ordering mountains to move? Freud wrote, "The antidote to Christianity is literacy". "Now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall". What is The Catholic faith? Organized crime, indoctrinating children with a fantasyland vocabulary? When men are free of religious notions they write, "The antidote to Christianity is literacy." "My sheep hear My voice" is the mindset of slavery. Once free of it, there are no suggestions we all travel better by having one foot in a stranger's fantasyland or Garden of Eden. A mind free of religious text is not tortured by pretending Divinity made Mormons so Christians would know how Jews feel, having pasted their books on to them both. Those looking for the sign of a resurrection, are a vile, "Wicked Generation" seeking signs, led by "wolves in sheep's clothing". "The only sign is that of Jonah"; a believer murdered by other believers. Chained to the slavery of faith, they write: "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree:" Galatians 3:13 One must be insanely arrogant to suggest knowing something of a God. It is by boldness, Moses became the world's worst navigator, by having one foot in some fantasyland. There is a fine line between fishing & standing on the shore, looking like an idiot. Fail to get the Jews to buy it for 2000 years & they should know who their Messiah is. Jesus is a fake, to immortalize the war against the Jews. Jesus Christ is crucified for all time in literature & the subjects of Rome are illiterate. Freud wrote, "The antidote to Christianity is literacy" & the joke is in the scriptures. "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree:" Galatians 3:13 An improvement on your God & faith; would outlaw indoctrination & abuse of the vocabulary of fiction on children. Reference CREATING CHRIST - Official Documentary / Rabbi Tovia Singer Destroys Christian Argument on Isaiah 53! Who is the Suffering Servant?
Same
Praise be Jesus Christ! Welcome home 💗
On the porn issue. I'm like 3 (roughly?) weeks clean. I'm slowly moving towards never looking at it again. Confessional has helped immensely. I really am realizing that life is better without it. The further I get, it's moving my mind in a wonderful direction. I wish others the same grace, who have struggled. God bless! Grace is still here, don't be discouraged! God bless!
May God continue to bless you. Thank you for sharing your journey, your strength and courage. I'll keep you in my prayers 🙏🏼✝️🕊️❤️
Thank you so much! You are in my prayers as well!
Stay strong brother, and in moments of weakness, pray to our lord to help you overcome the feeling of sin, love you!
@@gregl9175 Thank you! God bless!
Keep at it Jason. You need to rewire your brain. Porn addiction (especially through AI) takes patience and determination to overcome. Porn addiction causes the "cardboard butterfly effect". John Edwards and Matt Fradd are great Catholic resources. Keep at it. I suggest having a (blessed) Divine Mercy and the Blessed Virgin Mary pictures in your bedroom. Burning frankincense in your bedroom and sprinkling holy water on yourself and bed also helps. These things also keep the devil at bay. Demons do not like anything holy. For me, I had the experience during a "twilight" sleep, of my bedroom involved in a hurricane and a gush of energy leaving my bedroom. I was surprised my bedroom was still intact. Result - any thoughts of lust are permanently removed. All inclinations stopped. Good luck.
I've been a casual Protestant all my life. Didn't even consider the "crazy" Catholic church, until recently I started researching what Catholics actually believe. Watched a lot of Bishop Barron, Father Mike Schmitz, I read the Didache, the First Apology of Justin Martyr, other early Church Fathers... After I began studying, I began praying for God to show me the truth, no matter how hard it might be to accept... it's so clear now that they're not crazy. The Roman Catholic Church is what they claim: the one true church, unbroken since Christ and the Apostles. After we got home from church today I snuck out and went to my first ever Mass... and it was a Traditional Latin Mass. It was beautiful. I can't describe it, but I felt a peace I've never experienced at any other church. It just felt right. Can't wait until next Sunday, and I pray my wife will follow me on this path back to Rome.
Amen! Go to Adoration. You will feel Jesus’ presence as never before 🙏🏻
Cheering with you ! May you stay in Grace!
What a beautiful testimony! Praise Jesus, you are home now to the Universal church! May God Continue to Bless You!!❤
I'm not a catholic but through Jesus and the teachings of bishop barren IM READY!!! need to know what to do now?
Hey, Patrick, I suggest you visit your local Catholic Church, or approach a Catholic you know and respect. You’ll want to join an RCIA program, which takes you through all the steps of joining the Church. God Bless you in your journey!
Head to the local parish or call it and ask about RCIA (I think they renamed it to OCIA or something like that). It is a series of classes where you can inquire about Catholicism, learn what we believe and why, ask questions, etc. Then when you are ready to commit to conversion you will officially join the Catholic Church as a catechumen. The important thing is to take your time. Don't rush it. Ask your questions and really get what you can out of the program. Some parishes do it better than others so don't be afraid to ask questions outside the rcia setting if you feel they aren't able to answer. I hear horror stories with some parish rcia teams but with my own experience I was blessed with a whole group of wonderful and knowledgeable people. I pray your experience will be even greater than my own! God Bless you in your ongoing discernment.
Yes Patrick make an appointment with a priest inthe rectory with a priest in you RC church and you will be guided to RCIA classes .. it’s beautiful and wonderful and exciting to be welcomed into the Catholic Church. It has saved me many times.
@@EasternChristian333 RCIA . Welcome home brother !
As others have said, RCIA :) Even if you're sure you're ready for Baptism/Confirmation and have already 'learned enough', RCIA is standard and required most of the time prior to officially receiving the sacraments. An exception might be if you are close to death (that creates time pressure), but if there's not that kind of extreme circumstance then the norm is RCIA. And a Catholic parish near you will be able to help with that. :)
When we were married 60 years ago May 2, we promised to seek first the kingdom of Heaven. We have been gifted with the invitation to attend daily Mass. Now that we are old, we rely on the daily Rosary. Losing eyesight, this prayer sustains us. God be thanked and praised,
Hey Bobby it didn’t work. Now the family is simply brainwashed and can’t carry on normal conversations. They didn’t talk before, now they can’t discuss at all.
❤
❤❤ Happy anniversary tomorrow!
Congratulations! ❤❤❤
I'm not a catholic but I have to say as a Christian he is the best bishop
Thank you Bishop Barron. My husband and I will be confirmed Catholic on Pentecost. We pray the rosary daily and your rosary videos are part of our daily prayers. Thank you so much! God bless you 🙏
Congratulations to you too.
Welcome home in advance❤️
You're lucky to be believing together.
God bless you both !
Welcome home brother and sister in Christ 🙏🏻. May the Holy Spirit guide and bless you on your journey as you grow closer to our Lord, Jesus Christ
What a powerful message. I tried so many self-centered approaches to rid myself of particular defects in character but the daily rosary was the only practice that has been freeing me of these defects on a daily basis. Say the rosary everyday and I guarantee you will be closer to God and freer than you have ever been.😊
I love the fact that all catholic churches across the globe have the same readings every day.
Amen❤🎉😊💝✝🛐🙏🕊🔥💞
Wonderful sermon! Thank you Bishop Barron.
I have always been told that there will never be a US-American pope. IWith regards to Bishop Barron I think that is too bad. He would be a great pope, teacher and leader.
Wouldn't he be an amazing Pope!!!
He would , but I’d rather have him home here… much needed here , Hi BEEBS
@@anneturner2759 This is true!
@@anneturner2759 I share the same (maybe selfish) sentiments, but there are places in the world where Catholicism is in far worse shape than it is in America! Fortunately Bishop Barron's ministry has a global reach, and can do a geat deal of good even without that higher office.
God works in mysterious ways...
Excellent reflection! Thank you Bishop !
I'm so glad you are speaking to the horrible problem of pornography.
Great message. Thank you, Bishop Barron. God Bless your ministry.🙏
Thank you bishop for the lovely sermon
Beautiful and timely. People need this reminder.
I needed to hear this. Today. Thank you Jesus. I fall, I fail but I need you more than ever.
Finally, the Church speaking to people like they're grown-ups. Keep this up and you just might get your flock back.
Thank you very much Bishop.
Truth.
As an avid gardener just last week here in MN I was hard at work pruning some shrubs and trees. it was tough and my shouldrs ached that night. As I listened to this gospel at mass last eve and now with Bishop Barron I could identify. Do you think Our Father hurts for us too when he must do some tough pruning? Thank you Bishop Barron for bringing this so clear to me.
Bishop Barron Ive heard many of your sermons over the years. You were a new Priest then, and you really, through the Grace of God, with Diplomacy and Human Kindness, explain to us, all we can do to make our lives better, All for the Glory of God .Im in need of much pruning. I want my fruit and tree to flourish,and not just wither and die. For the Glory of God! Thank you & God Bless You!❤
One of the best homilies I’ve heard.
At 4:17 Bishop Barron talks about the importance of forgiveness. I have experienced firsthand the healing power of giving forgiveness to someone who harmed me. This has enabled me to coach some of my siblings to forgive and move forward without that burden of resentment and anger. You don't have to wait for that person to ask for forgiveness. I recently finished the book "I don't want to Talk About It" by Terrence Real. It's about mental illness and depression in men and the problems men cause in families. In a 384 page book on abuse and family counseling the word "forgiveness" isn't used once. Why does the author, a family psychologist, ignore forgiveness? Does he really think that forgiveness can't heal the problems that he describes?
God bless you! Fiat!!!!
Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise. - Jeremiah 17: 14
Baptised catholic @ Easter . Thank you so much bishop ! You are incredible thank you. Much needed sermon 🤍💟✝️
I love Bishop Barron. He is EXCELLENT!!
Blessings to you Bishop, thanks for all your teachings!
God is passionately in love with His people. Each and every one.
don't think so over 20,000 children die every month before the age of 5 according to UNICEF , so he does not
Thank you Bishop Barron ✝️ 🙏
I'm going to listen to this one everyday this week!
Damning is the purpose of gossip, which starts out with the look of an innocent objective observation, then it spirals downward
Thank you, God, for giving us Bishop Barrron.
God bless you too, Bishop
Whenever we talk about pruning away a resentment that entails reaching out to a person, I think it always needs to be added that in the end, we have to respect that person's decision to reject the offer. In the past, Bishop Barron has given (at least to me) the impression is that it is always up to the "wounded person" to keep trying and trying. I think after a few tries, it's disrespectful to keep bothering (and that's what it is) someone who has made it clear they reject your overtures. To persist is like disrespecing their free will, their right to decide for themselves. All you can do after an overture or two, is indicate that the door is open on your part. Keep them in your prayers, but for Heaven's sake, don't keep bothering them - that would be almost a kind of bullying.
Thank you Bishop Barron for making us do the examination of conscious.
Thank God for Bishop Barron, a bright light among our religious leaders.
Really, really needed to hear this. Thank you so much Bishop
Amen, Alleluia 🙏🙏🙏
I love watching Bishop Barron. These Sunday Sermons are something I look forward to each week.
"Name those things in you that are stopping the flow of Christ's life in you. And then in prayer turn them over to the great keeper of the Vine. Turn them over to God the Father, in prayer." *- Bishop Robert Barron*
Great message Bishop Robert Barron, thank you.
Second time!🖐My husband chose to hear what you had to say today. Clear, beautiful and so helpful! Sometimes, the gentleness caressing the admonition makes all the difference in receiving the message. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Thank you, Bishop Barron. Relevant, as always. Blessings.
Amen. ❤
In line with something I just learned about Michelangelo and the sculpting of the great Pieta: How did he do it? “I just took away everything that wasn’t necessary.” I love that!
Thank you, Bishop Barron
Welcome home ❤
The Church may need some pruning too.
Gossip, I would argue, could also be regarded as one of those subtle infractions against the 5th Commandment: Shall not kill. Killing someone's reputation by spreading rumors or even planting a seed of doubt that could impugn one's character. Good thought starters in this homily (as always.....).
I think you made an excellent point! 😊
Thank you Bishop. I’m 62 and I’ve read this Scripture so many times in my life yet hearing how you explained it, especially at the end, helped me tremendously. God Bless✝️🙏
The best Homily I have heard ! You are incredible
Thank you💯🙏
Blessed Sunday!
Bishop Baron the next pope 😊
Oh he would be a great pope, but he’s not a cardinal, there are levels of hierarchy in the catholic church, but man !! He would be a great leader of the catholic church, god bless him!
@@gregl9175 you don’t have to be a Cardinal to be elected Pope. Of course, it’s exceptionally unlikely that anyone other than a Cardinal would be elected, but not impossible.
God Bless you Bishop Barron, what a wonderful message. I always leave your videos feeling inspired & on fire for God 🙏🏽
Welcome to God’s love, truth and family ❤CONGRATS!!!!
I like how the apostles, the disciples lived. The only way that could have happened is because of the Presence of Jesus Christ.
Bishop Barron hit the nail on the head (13:10) when he says our Heavenly Father does the pruning -- in a sort of autocorrect way. After we become grafted to the vine (to use today's gospel's metaphor) the things of this world strangely grow dim. Money, power, fame and everything that we associate with the "good life" gradually, and sometimes suddenly, lose their lure.
Thank you for the wonderful teaching, Bishop Barron. There are things that my life that needs pruning, mostly just hurt and anger. Everyday I say my Rosary (I love doing my Rosary) and I pray. May God help everyone who is in need of pruning and prepare us for new growth that glorifies Him...🙏✝️🙏🕊🕊
Never give up. God is with you.
Same. Daily rosary, and I must prune away.
Bishop Barron, thank you always for thought-provoking and reflective Sunday sermons such this.
Pruning is painful but productive. It is more painful and productive when we give God the full freedom to do it!
Thank Bishop RobertBarron for illuminating what pruning the Vine means in our habits . How we can bring the light of God live within us in our lives. I am praying in my daily rosary for all the victims of trafficking and pornography that the Devil lose his grip in the world .🙏
Thank you Bishop Baron! One of your BEST❣️.
Thank you for the insight your words gave me
Padre Barron. Cada vez que lo veo me sorprende con algo nuevo y maravilloso. No me cabe la menor duda que el Espiritu Santo nos habla a travez de Usted. Gracias.
Muchisimas gracias!
This was very good thank you Bishop
Warm greetings from Australia 🦘 Bishop Barron. Beautiful and inspiring homily. Totally relatable. The homily was very practical and down to earth. Thank you 😇
❤Amen
Such a powerful and inspiring sermon
Bishop Barron I have been watching your sermons now for quite some time. I find them to be spiritually uplifting may God bless you.
Beautiful sermon, thank you Bishop Barron, may God bless you abundantly, amen
I was confirmed on the Saturday night before this past Easter Sunday. I have listened to your Sunday sermons for several years. I was Episcopalian until recently. I love the Catholic Church because of you, Bishop Barron. Thank you for bringing me into the Church.
Welcome home 🙏🏻
It's always good to hear you, Bishop Barron. Please pray for me. I'm from the Philippines.
Thank you bishop Barron, you are so right about grandma's rosaries. Thank all grandmas for those beautiful rosaries.
Sometimes calling someone and saying I forgive you to people that don't think they've done anything wrong is fruitless. So with those difficult kinds of people or situations, I just forgive them with God.
Yes, totally agree. Also, sometimes the other person is not receptive to having a discussion. ❤
Just about to set off and celebrate two parish Masses and preach on the True Vine. Great words Bishop…you bless us so much. Thank you. Fr Clive ( UK)
The devil doesn't come barging in. He waits for one of the doors to open. This's a powerfu statement. Be careful with your decisions!
God bless you, Bishop Barron. Thank you for everything you do for us. Thank You, Lord, for giving us this good bishop! God bless all religious.❤ You are so appreciated!
Thanks Bishop Barron 🙏 Sending greetings from the Diocese of uMzimkhulu, South Africa 🇿🇦
Powerful message and advice, thank you Bishop Barron!
The tragedy of sin is we are deceived into missing the beauty of god.
Salute from Brazil! Great homily!
One of the ways you know the bishop is so down to earth is the way he says “forget it, who cares” when bringing up the idea of Jesus as a benign moral historical figure 😂 god bless this man
God bless amen father. Good night. Very very good
I will not lose hope even as I struggle as a single mother. Both of my sons are special needs children. They require so much from me yet I know I AM BLESSED to be their mother. So as I struggle with rent and as I struggle provide for my children I feel so alone and discouraged. Yet I PRAISE GOD. I know a blessing is on the way. 💕
May God bless and strengthen you in your daily struggles! Ask God to open your heart to all that He wants to teach you and show you through your daily suffering. Give it all to God in prayer, and allow Him to transform your suffering into Good. God bless you for seeing the beauty in your children and in your life, even though it's very difficult. Allow God to prune you through your suffering. May He bless you abundantly, and I thank you for being such a strong witness to the beauty of self-giving love. I'll keep you in my prayers ❤🙏🏼✝️🕊️
Bishop Baron you are such an outstanding speaker
Thank you Bishop Robert Barron for sharing this video about pruning and God's blessings and word in scripture ." IAM the Vine you are the branches . Without me you have no life ." As I also remember JESUS Christ resurrection He appears to Mary Madeline of Madela , she spoke to Him as He was standing near by on a rock formation . "Rock of Salvation," amazing GRACE sign . Everything has a meaning in this encounter environment. Observing. Where have you taken My Lord? So I may know. And then calls her name "Mary", it is I! IAM here . As He was dressed as " The Gardner! "Pretty cool 😎 then she recognized Him . As you Bishop Barron speak about Pruning . Such a reflection as well. As I can reflect on scripture and recent working in a front and back yard of my family living there . As I live in an apartment. So it was a challenging experience and yet I love working with the plants watering and this time actually pruning the bushes and trees yes . I saw a pomegranate tree that looked so bad dry and not very well cared for I felt sorry for it . I trimmed it and spoke to it after it was trimmed oh now you look beautiful. Just need some more water. I watered it branches that were dropping cut off and excess branches trimmed down . A month ago before all the recent rains we got here in the AZ desert. Now this pomegranate is gorgeous full of life green and even blooming reddish flowers everywhere on its branches. YES amazing GRACE! I was surprised ! Wow! What a great development with you to the plants. YES God prune's us of bad emotions and bad energy and unnecessary roughness in our lives. Create cleaning and filling with good habits and nutrition and water . Confession and prayers resume from the beginning of faith journey away for awhile a COVID made some people very Dry missing the living waters and precious body and blood of Jesus Christ in eucharist and listening to Mass in His church building . Temple . Of sacrament s. So YES so returned a fresh and renewed in the holy Spirit power and to churches. As Jesus Christ name calls us to get fed His food bread of life force in Him. Absolutely! Thank you for letting me share along with your video a personal experience with pruning and God's grace for changes for positive thoughts and prayers and for the goodness of God. So important for my spiritual growth and journey forward leaving the past in the past . And living in the present. Just how that pomegranate bush showed to my surprise! If a plant can do that! we too can revive don't give up on yourself. No doubts! Trusting and believing and listening to holy Spirit power . Walking by faith. Trials of life happen and walk through it with Jesus Christ name Amen alleluia alleluia. God bless you Bishop Barron . Continue with your article son You Tube very helpful and learning experience as well . 🙂🙏🌵🌞🇺🇲 AZ
Thank you. You re the voice from Church that I have been looking for
Dear Bishop Barron what an amazing teaching 🙏🏽 Always grateful for all you do for the whole world through your evangelization. Stay blessed . 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
This passage always has such meaning for me. Our family farmed over 30 acres of wine grapes in Northern California & the act of pruning has such implications in the production of quality grapes for the harvest. The imagery of comparison to our lives in Christ speaks to me.
The rules have not changed yet we need to be reminded! Thank you Bishop Barron!
❤ Thank you very much Bishop ❤
And bless you too❤🙏
This sermon gave me light, and I am making a list of things to ask God to prune in me. Glory to God. God bless Bishop Barron and all your team. 🙏
Your Excellency, I must say, this HAS TO BE one of your most POWERFUL examinations of the gospel. It is so beautiful, accurate, and poignant to today. Brought me to tears. I had experienced all of the “pruning” you spoke of. And can agree 100% with you. Thank you!
Thank you Bishop Barron...another grand slam!!!
Indeed, there is a darkness to the parable of the True Vine when we realize that there are parts of our lives that aren't keeping us close to God and harming our relationship with Him, and they must be pruned. Yet God has such powerful mercy and grace that He prunes us and fills us with His life so we can have the opportunity to repent and turn from sin toward Him and live fully as He desires for us. Let us rejoice in the victory we have over sin in the Resurrection. Alleluia!
Exactly! What to do now! I love this question. Jesus said, If you love Me, keep My commandments. What other Source of joy is there. There is nothing out there. It is Jesus Christ or nothing. I think it is important to Acknowledge that Jesus Christ is in full Authority, and His commandments matter.