Word to the Wise
Sunday, April 28, 2024 - 5th Sunday of Easter - B
[Acts 9:26-31; 1 John 3:18-24; John 15:1-8]"I am the true vine, and my Father is the wine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone 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 wine, 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.....By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. [John]
When compared to the other three gospels, the Gospel According to John seems to have far fewer images or parables, but the ones that are given are powerful and speak principally to the relationship between the Lord and the believer. Living water, Good Shepherd, seed sown, and vine/branches are the ones that come to my mind at the moment. The vine/branches image comes from the Last Supper discourse and speaks to two relationships - Jesus to his Father and Jesus to his disciples. In both aspects Jesus is the vine. His Father has the care of the vine and branches. The disciples (including us) are the branches. The prominent word for the relationships is "remain." And the blunt words to the disciples are: "...without me you can do nothing," We do not simply "remain" on the vine, we must also bear fruit in loving one another. Anyone who lives in an area given to viticulture knows how the vines look at different times of the year!
There is a "disciplinary" side to the image in the "pruning" of healthy branches and the removal and destruction of unfruitful branches. The meaning of "remain" is not mere passive faith but fruitful love that shares the relationship with the world.
The Last Supper discourse is meant to prepare the disciples for what lay ahead of them. It is still a powerful reminder to us in our time. AMEN