RBWords

     Most gardeners know that if one wishes to get rid of a vine that has invaded where it is not wanted, one has to find the main trunk and cut it.  Then one lets the vine wither and this makes it a bit easier to pull it out.  This simple lesson in gardening, however, illustrates the power of Jesus' image of the vine and the branches.  Jesus is the trunk of the vine.  Without him there are no branches and there will be no fruit.  The word that Jesus uses to describe the relationship is "remain," a word that appears elsewhere in the Gospel of John to describe the close relationship between disciple and master.

     Now that all sounds very nice but there is another word that appears as well.  That is the word "prune" which means that there is an expectation that a branch will bear fruit.  If it doesn't, the vine grower will cut it off.  That threat, if one wants to call it that, is accompanied by the assurance from Jesus that if we "remain in" in him, we will bear fruit.  So, the relationship is not a passive one in which we just sit and do nothing but be on the vine.  Bearing fruit, in the Gospel of John, means bringing others to believe in Jesus.  

     As I write this, I am preaching a retreat for candidates for the Permanent Diaconate and their spouses as well as some Lay Ecclesial Minister candidates.  I will be challenging them to examine how they remain on the vine and how they will bear fruit in ministry.  The vine and branches image is a lovely one, but it has a very serious message! AMEN