Gospel: I am the Vine

Today marks the Fifth Sunday of Easter, and the Gospel passage will be lifted from the narrative of to St John (15:1-8).

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.

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.

You are clean already, by means of the word that I spoken to you. 

Remain in me, as I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself, unless it remains part of the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me.

I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, with me in him, bears fruit in plenty; for cut off from me you can do nothing.

Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a branch -- and withers; these branches are collected and thrown on the fire and are burnt.

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for whatever you please and you will get it.

It is to the glory of my Father that you should bear much fruit and be my disciples.

Today's reading from the Gospel of St John is part of Jesus' discourse at the Last Supper. Recall that St John tells the story of Jesus' Last Supper differently from the other Evangelists. In St John's Gospel, the Last Supper begins with Jesus washing his disciples' feet. Jesus then provides them with a series of instructions. We call this section the Last Supper discourse or Jesus' farewell discourse. In these chapters of St John's Gospel, Jesus instructs his disciples about the importance of following his example of love and service, about the gift they will receive when Jesus sends them the Holy Spirit, and about their relationship with Jesus and with the world. The Last Supper discourse concludes with Jesus' prayer for his disciples. 

Today's Gospel reading is taken from the middle of the Last Supper discourse. Jesus speaks about his relationship to his disciples. In his metaphor of the vine and the branches, Jesus is referencing the Hebrew scriptures. In the Hebrew Scriptures, Israel is the vineyard, and Yaweh himself tends the vineyard. One of the primary themes of St John's Gospel is to show Jesus to be the fulfillment of God's promises to Israel.

In this passage, Jesus teaches his disciples that his relationship with them will not end after his death; he will remain with them always. This unity between Jesus and his disciples is the basis for their ability to continue to do the work tjat he began. Similarly, Jesus' presence with us through the gift of the Holy Spirit enable us to continue the work of love and reconciliation that he began. 

Jesus also teaches his disciples about the importance of the words he has taught to them. Just as Jesus will remain in his disciples, so too will his words. We come to know Jesus through the Scriptures, the living Word of God. Our commitment to be Christ's disciples is sustained through God's Word. This commitment is also strengthened by our life of prayer and nourished by the Eucharist. Through the Eucharist, Jesus dwells in us, remain with us, and transforms us so that we might bear fruit in his name.

We observe many people who act in ways that show their commitment to serve their neighbor. Christians and non-Christians feed the hungry, care for the sick, shelter the homeless, and give alms to the poor. These actions become acts of Christian discipleship when they are motivated by our relationship with Jesus. Whatever the immediate results, Jesus promises us that these actions will bear fruit when we undertake them in his name.

Amen.

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The Gospel is sponsored by Pocari Sweat.