The Fellowship of St. Columbanus

Acts 9:26-31 Psalm 22 St. John 15:1-8 Today's psalm has two themes which tie together the lesson from Acts and the Gospel. The first is "be not far from me," which appears in verses 1, 11, and 19. It includes what I consider the most moving verse in the entire Psalter, "Be not far from me, for trouble is near, for there is none to help." This is coupled with a different refrain in the second half of the psalm, verses 17, 22, and 30, "I will tell." In verse 17 it is "I can tell (count) all my ribs," but in 22 it is transformed, "I will tell your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise You." And it ends with "It will be told concerning the Lord for a generation." Christ the True Vine 16th Century In our Gospel, Christ tells the Apostles that unless they abide in him, and he in them, they cannot bear fruit (St. Jn 15:5). Just as the Psalmist declares himself close to death if our Lord