True Vine and Branches

‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. 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 

We are born with an umbilical chord and still have the remnants as our navels. We are bound together, even when we refuse to recognise it. And now we hear Jesus telling us we are bound to him as branches are to the good strong vine. Wind and weather cannot separate us. Whether we recognise it or not we are made of the same spiritual DNA as Jesus and bound up together, despite our differences, our ways of life, or the depth of our faith. And we will be pruned, all out of love, all out of making us stronger together.

Marvelous Creator you have bound us to you

we are made in your image and of your substance

no matter how far we wander or refuse to see

you will be essential always to our daily lives.

We often grow distance from our familes of origin

even though we are born from our mothers

part of her substance and part of all lives

we allow our differences to separate us from them.

Help us to see our part as many brahces of your whole

let us return again and again to the strength of the vine

make us always aware of the many blessings we have

and help us to always abide in your endless love. Amen.