Friends,
our passage today is from the beautiful, evocative, and challenging
fifteenth chapter of John’s Gospel. Jesus declares that he is the vine
and we are the branches. He is the power and energy source in which we
live. This vine and branches image is closely related, therefore, to
Paul’s metaphor of the Body of Christ.
The
point is that we live in him and he in us. Jesus
is the source of supernatural life in us, and without him we would have
none of it. If you are separated from the vine, you will die
spiritually; if you are connected to it, you will live a supernatural
life.
What
does this mean concretely? It means a steady immersion in the prayer of
the Church and steady communion with God, and speaking to him on a
regular basis. It means an immersion in the Scriptures and soaking in
the truth of the Bible. It means engaging in the corporal and spiritual
works of mercy.
And
you must participate in the sacraments—especially confession and the
Eucharist. By the sacraments, we stay close to the Christ who forgives
our sins and enlivens our spirits.
Jesus said to his disciples:
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.
He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,
and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.
You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.
Remain in me, as I remain in you.
Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own
unless it remains on the vine,
so neither can you unless you remain in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without me you can do nothing.
Anyone who does not remain in me
will be thrown out like a branch and wither;
people will gather them and throw them into a fire
and they will be burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you,
ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.
By this is my Father glorified,
that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."
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