True Vine

In today’s Gospel, Jesus says “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 

This is a well known analogy for us to remind ourselves that we are all called into a relationship with Jesus. We are all interconnected with him at the source, for we are His children.

But there is an expectation also for us to be fruitful.

The homilist reminds us that we are not just called to be Christian to attend Sunday masses, or simply just to pray to God for a few minutes every night before we go to bed.

Sure, all those are essential, but we are to find a relationship with Him so that He becomes part of our lives.

And once we are able to achieve that at our own spiritual levels, we are then called to be fruitful to share this joy with others.

To be open to evangelising and supporting our brothers and sisters who make up the body of Christ – the Church.

This text also comes with a warning – He continues to say “He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.

So for our brethren who only believe in salvation by faith or by grace, the text above must be a hard pill to swallow. Because these are the words of Jesus as recorded in the Bible.

We are asked to bear fruit by allowing God to be glorified by our lives.

And how do we do that?

It always goes back to that personal relationship and discerning what God wills of us. Whether it be simply lending a listening ear to a friend in need, or helping out in a Church ministry, or getting up onto a pulpit to testify of God’s love for you.

Let us continue to abide in the Lord, that he nourishes us and allows our faith lives to grow, and to bear much fruit.