Vine

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Vine

True     Fruit-Bearing

Pruning     Connecting     Abiding

I Remain In You

Branch

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   John 15: 1 to 5

I am the true vine.

My Father is the grower and

Prunes the branches that do not bear fruit.

You have been pruned already

Because I shared my word with you.

Remain in me as

I remain in you.

A branch cannot bear fruit on its own.

It must remain on the vine.

I am the vine.

You are the branches.

(scripture adapted by John J. McNamara) 

Reflection

In our reading from the Gospel of John Jesus is inviting us to bear much fruit. We all love to have fruitful lives and to spread all the gifts that Jesus gives to us.

In order to do that some pruning is required. We all know what happens when we neglect to prune our trees and bushes----they grow wild and the quantity and the quality of the fruit suffers.

So how do we do that pruning? Jesus gives us the key when he talks about the pruning that He has done already for the apostles.

The pruning is accomplished when we reflect on the Word of God. Jesus has left us with the sacred scriptures to guide us and to help us stay in touch with His message.

To do this type of pruning we have to take our time to reflect on the Word. We have to savor it like a good wine and not to rush through it. We have to ponder the meaning of the Word for us and apply it to our lives. We have to become one with the Word.

When we do this, we remain in Jesus. He remains in us.

Jesus shows that He wants to be close to us. He comes to us to share His life and His Love. Jesus is not a God of distance but a God of intimacy. 

Much fruit flows from our intimacy with Jesus. We know that we have been blessed and we want to share that blessing with each person we meet. 

We do not bear that fruit on our own. It comes from and through Jesus because we have remained in Jesus.

We serve Him and He produces the fruit through our efforts. His vine nourishes us and sustains us. 

Remain in Him.

1. What fruit have you been bearing?

2. How have you been pruned lately?

3. Do you remain in Jesus?