Vine

Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.” John 15:1-11 

It took some time but everywhere one looks, spring has sprung. Leaves have appeared on dead branches, grass is all of the sudden green and colors have replaced the brown dead look of things. We too have moved from deep lenten reflection to the return of Alleluias and Easter. Yet we can also get lost, detached from the center, all to easily. We can get busy with the outdoors, leaving the community and our faithfulness behind. Being a part of the vine renews our lives.

Jesus is talking with the disciples and impressing them and us with the essential nature of relationship. We can get lost and be fruitless, if we choose to stand alone, thinking we know better. We can be frustrated and hopeless, detached from the true vine. We wither.  Abiding in our relationship with God through Jesus, and to Jesus with one another in this walk of faith is essential. No matter how sure we are of oursleves, we can still find oursleves cut off when we trust in ourselves alone. We are part of a big, loving, renewing organism.

Today I ask God to help me be rooted and abide. May we not be drawn away by our differences but gather together as branches in one vine, so that love may flourish and grow.