May 25, 2011
Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter
By Colleen O’Sullivan
Jesus said to his disciples: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you… I am the vine, you are the branches. (John 15:1-4a, 5)
Piety
And so long as you haven’t experienced this: to die and so to grow, you are only a troubled guest on the dark earth.
(from “The Holy Longing” by Johann W. Von Goethe, translated by Robert Bly, http://www.poetseers.org/the_great_poets/eu/johann_wolfgang_von_goethe/the_holy_longing/)
Study
In Isaiah 5, there is a story of God planting a vineyard. He selects fertile soil. He clears the ground. He builds a watchtower. He selects only the highest quality vines to plant. After all this loving care, God eagerly awaits the harvest. But what comes of all this work? To his sorrow, all he has to show for his efforts are wild grapes. These vines, the people of Israel, turn out to be a disappointment.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus, who would certainly have been familiar with Isaiah’s words, asserts that he is the true vine. His Father has planted him in our midst and gives him everything he needs to flourish. God invites us to be the branches, able to grow and produce good fruit because we are sustained by our connection to Jesus. Branches that aren’t firmly connected to the vine don’t last very long. They dry up and fall off. Branches that yield no fruit are removed. Unless we are firmly rooted in Christ, we will amount to nothing.
The second thing Jesus tells us in the Gospel reading is that even branches which are firmly attached to the vine sometimes have to be pruned. In front of my parking space at my office, there are three rose bushes. Sometimes they grow almost as tall as I am (which isn’t gigantic, as I’m short). They produce beautiful, fragrant blooms. One of my co-workers endowed with a green thumb planted them and takes care of them. It always amazes me how they rebound after being pruned almost to the ground. The thorny stubs projecting from the ground are an ugly sight to behold. But, before you know it, they are back bearing even more gorgeous roses.
Action
Find a quiet spot and imagine yourself as a branch attached to a life-giving vine. How firmly connected are you to the source? Would a strong wind blow you away? Are you barren and in danger of being thrown into the yard waste waiting to be burned? As we read through the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry, we see he receives direction and sustenance from his Father through prayer. No matter how busy he is, no matter how large the crowd clamoring for his attention, he makes time to go off alone and commune with God. That’s the way to stay connected to the vine – through prayer and meditation. Do you need to carve out time to go to a quiet spot and commune with your Source?
Pruning may be painful while it is going on, but we often become stronger and more productive than ever before. Reflect on some time(s) in your life when God has used his pruning shears on you. How have you grown from the experience?
