On the part of those who come to the Vine, their union with Him depends upon a deliberate act of the will, on his part, the union is effected by grace. The Jesus project, the Kingdom of God, is in this sense dependent on us to do our part. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. When Jesus says that He is the vine, it is the last of a series of statements He makes in the gospel of John using the same form: I am theBread of life, I am the Good Shepherd, I am the Resurrection and the Life.. ALL CHRISTIANS ARE CALLED TO HOLINESS AND APOSTOLATE. We are in Christ, literally and figuratively. We are branches connected to Him, drawing that life from Him as branches draw the necessary nutrients to survive and flourish. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Its a simple but rich image. Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. He also, by his work as Mediator, gives life to the world John 6:33, and it is by the same grace and agency that it is continued in the Christian. If the four points above sound challenging, they should. Thought for the Day 18 April A Life ofFervour, Quote/s of the Day 18 April Embrace, then, Jesus Crucified. "I AM THE TRUE VINE, YOU ARE THE BRANCHES." 5th SUNDAY OF EASTER (B): "I AM THE TRUE VINE, YOU ARE THE BRANCHES." Being a Christian is equivalent to being called to bear fruits of holiness. For without me ye can do nothing.Better, separate from Me, or, apart from Me. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Zero. Probably from the base of harpazo; fruit, literally or figuratively. We arent just practicing wholesome ethics. First, then, our Lord sets forth, with no mere repetition, the same broad idea which He has already been insisting upon-viz., that union with Him is sure to issue in fruitfulness. Ask Jesus, What do you want to say to me? Jesus is always trying to speak to us, but often we do not take the time to listen. 8 It is to the glory of my Father that you should bear much fruit, and then you will be my disciples.. It is the one thing from which everything else proceeds. To also, I too, but I. Hosea 4:8 They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity. Were it possible for the branches that are truly in him, to be removed from him, they could bring forth no fruits of good works, any more than a branch separated from the vine can bring forth grapes; so that all the fruitfulness of a believer is to be ascribed to Christ, and his grace, and not to the free will and power of man. The implication is that remaining is a choice we make. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[ a] so that it will be even more fruitful. HOMILY FOR THE 3RD SUNDAY OF EASTER YEAR A. EASTER SUNDAY 2023 URBI ET ORBI. Among his publications are the Gospel of Mark and the Letter to the Romans (Alive Publishing). In the reading from the Acts of the Apostles we hear of Pauls attempts to join the Christian community after his conversion. The prophet Isaiah calls Christ the Foundation because it is upon Him that we, as living and spiritual stones, are built into a holy priesthood to be a dwelling place for God in the Spirit. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. Jesus said, "I am the True Vine" to closest friends gathered around Him. #1 I am the vine; Just as God is the I Am (Ex 3:14), so is Christ. We do all of this by simply staying at home with Him. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[ a] so that it will be even more fruitful. There are a number of Old Testament references that speak of Israel being a vine, planted and tended by God. When we eat bread, we eat the soil and sun. 2 Every branch in me that bears no fruit he cuts away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes to make it bear even more. What kind of vine was Jesus speaking about here? Bill Delvaux is a graduate of Duke University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. We were created to live connected to God and to each other. ye can do nothingspiritually, acceptably. When the full number of Gentiles are brought into the Church, the eyes of the Jews will once again be open to see God and to see his Son, their Messiah. 2. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." KJV It seems that we are not quite so autonomous as we imagined. But this will only be possible if we are united with Christ: Our Lord Himself said: for apart from me you can do nothing (Jn 15:5).LOVE, IN ORDER TO BE FRUITFUL, REQUIRES UNION WITH THE BELOVED. Not a poison ivy vine, nor a wild vine growing up a tree in the woods, nor an ivy vine covering an old house. "For the Saints are sent to us by God Properly, apart from me. Try one and see where it takes you: 1. the quiet winter rest, the surge of spring; we eat the summers heat, the cloud and rain. Jesus is the true vine. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. We live in a world that tells us to focus on our rights and on what we are entitled to, at the expense of our responsibilities to others. As thoughts come up, dont try to resist them or retain them. Jesus first mentions that He is the vine a few verses earlier: I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener (John 15:1). Its often words of great importance, words that reveal the deep loves and concerns of the heart. POPE BENEDICT XVI: HOMILY FOR EASTER VIGIL, Frequent reception of the Sacrament of the, Daily struggle to make Our Lord happy in our thoughts, words, desires and deeds practicing the. In fact, the grapevine is mentioned more often than any other plant in the entire Bible. Charles Cardinal Journet (1891-1975) With his image of the vine and branches, Jesus is calling us away from all that, to a different kind of identity, relationship, and vocation. We simply must remain in him with all our heart and the fruit will be a given. HomepageContributeLivestream EventsMass ScheduleChild & Youth SafetyBULLETINS, 740 N. Calvert Street Baltimore, MD 21202, Copyright 2023 St. Ignatius Catholic Community, Ignatian Family Teach-in for Justice & ISN. . Earth and heaven are not opposites, and the more entwined we are in each other, the healthier and more fruitful we become. Not a poison ivy vine, nor a wild vine growing up a tree in the woods, nor an ivy vine covering an old house. 7 If you remain in me . The persons thought of all through this allegory are true and false Christians, and nothing is said of the influence on men of the wider teaching of God, the Light of the Logos ever in the world. Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular. He is calling us back to God, whose way is love in truth and action. And to miss Him is to miss it all. Gratitude:One of the surest ways to learn to stay at home with Jesus is to practice gratitude. AND WHAT DOES CHRIST WANT? Now we understand a bit more about our verse at hand. How do we do this? When Jesus says that He is the vine, it is the last of a series of statements He makes in the gospel of John using the same form: I am the Bread of life, I am the Good Shepherd, I am the Resurrection and the Life.. John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. The Son of God was the original source of life, John 1:4. October 12, 2020 Marilyn Reflection. More help in understanding Jesus words comes when we look at the context. The fruitful branches represent men that abide in Me . We care about what he cares about. From ancient times, the cup has stood for the lifeblood of Jesus circulating through the churchs vine and branches like nourishing sap, uniting Teacher and disciples in one common life, generative and strong, a holy communion. rights reserved. For apart from me you can do nothing." ESV "I am the vine; you are the branches. Prayer is what the world needs combined with the example of our lives which testify to the Light of Christ. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. . 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. At first glance, we may assume that branches bear fruit, but in another sense, its really the vine that makes it all happen. As the branches, if separated from the parent stock, could produce no fruit, but would immediately wither and die, so Christians, if separate from Christ, could do nothing. Seven years ago, he pioneered Landmark Journey Ministries to help men find their guide, own their identity, and discover their quest through Christ. . That Christ will remain in those disciples that remain in him is a given. (LogOut/ He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. 5I am the vine; you are the branches. Inventory:Before you go to bed each night, take a brief inventory of the day. But there is even more here in this short statement. Compare John 1:3; Ephesians 2:12. Stillness:Try to sit in silence for 5-10 minutes each day. For less than $5/mo. #5 Apart from me you can do nothing. The works we do when we are not connected to the source, Jesus Christ, are works of the flesh, and even the ones that seem like they are for God will be proven to be selfish and empty at the judgment (1 Cor 3:15). When we drink wine, we drink the soil and sun. Try one and see where it takes you: 1. For apart from me you can do nothing., ESV I am the vine; you are the branches. This site adheres to the Catholic Church and all her teachings. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist. 15:5). We pray for a deeper sense of belonging in Christ. When someone is nearing death, what do they talk about? HOW AND THROUGH WHAT MEANS? A branch, shoot, twig. Strange, then, that there are so few hymns with the image. Amen (Collect). I am the vine and you are the branches. Gospel of 22 May 2019 I am the vine, you are the branches John 15: 1-8 Jesus said to his disciples: 'I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. And to miss Him is to miss it all. Being a Catholic is a way of life - a love affair "Religion must be like the air we breathe"- St John Bosco Reflection and Hymn: Vine and Branches. The fruit referred to by Our Lord is the holiness of a life made fruitful by [our] union with Christ (Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 2074).. Change). So agricultural contexts commonplace in Jesus times sometimes need a bit of explaining. This was as commonplace as growing corn in Kansas or potatoes in Idaho. The image of the vine is particularly effective because the branches cannot live without their attachment to the vine, neither can they be fruitful without the goodness provided by the vine. For the Christian, it is not necessary to learn one by one to display each fruit of the Spirit, merely abiding in Christ will cause us to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and strength and love our neighbor as ourselves (Mt 22:37-38). Its often words of great importance, words that reveal the deep loves and concerns of the heart. Please log in using one of these methods to post your comment: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. He, she, it, they, them, same. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. gain access to 50+ premium resources to enhance your study of Scripture. By receiving the Holy Spirit, Who is the bond of union between us and Christ our Saviour, those who are joined to Him, as branches are to a vine, share in His own nature. Jesus first mentions that He is the vine a few verses earlier: I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener (John 15:1). (Comp., e.g., Romans 2:14-15, Notes. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. - John 15:5 Amid all the unknowns of today's unprecedented chaos, there's one thing we're surely learninghow interconnected we all are. I like to state it this way: If you stay at home in me and I stay at home in you, you will bear much fruit. Jesus is to be so much a part of our daily existence that He feels like home. This is such a contrast to the modern worldview of stringent individualism that we inherited from the Enlightenment era. Like branches growing from a vine, we now draw our life from Christ and we cling to His holy commandment, in order to preserve this life. Other readings: Acts 9:26-31 Psalm 21 (22) 1 John 3:18-24, Our Journey Together To Achieve Participation, Our Journey Together To be open to Mission, Our Journey Together Training and Support, https://www.dioceseofbrentwood.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Fr-Graffy.mp3, They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, My God, my God, why have you deserted me?. The people of Israel are compared to a vine, which is supposed to bear abundant fruit. Talking to Him becomes like talking to your best friend. The words have often been unduly pressed, to exclude all moral power apart from Christ, whereas the whole context limits them to the fruit-bearing of the Christian life. 3 You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Apple of My Eye. By our belief in the finished work of Christ, we have been brought or grafted into the vine. Christ is the true vine (Gospel). 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. The vine and branches image is redolent with Old Testament passages as well. When Jesus says He is the true vine he is contrasting Himself from the vine of Israel. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. We are branches connected to Him, drawing that life from Him as branches draw the necessary nutrients to survive and flourish. Be still. Then be still for a few moments. This was as commonplace as growing corn in Kansas or potatoes in Idaho. as so many sermons. . This Site is placed under the Patronage of my many favourite Saints and especially, St Paul. If you remain in me, and I in you, you will be fruitful ."John 15:5. All rights reserved worldwide. Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular. If we dont remain in Jesus, we are just remaining somewhere elsein anxiety, in anger, in fear, in shame, in ambition, in numbness, in self-absorption. We see hence: 1. that to him is due all the praise for all the good works the Christian performs. Rolly A. After explaining to his disciples how his Father is the gardener that prunes each branch so that it can bear more fruit, Jesus urges them to stay grafted in. Other, the Kingdom of God, is in this sense dependent on us to do our...., Jesus Crucified its often words of great importance, words that reveal deep. Contexts commonplace in Jesus times sometimes need a bit of explaining ( Ex 3:14,. Existence that he feels like home not take the time to listen -! # 1 I am the True vine he is calling us back to God and to miss all... Israel being a vine, which is supposed to bear abundant fruit word I have spoken you. 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