In Saint John’s Gospel, Jesus uses many different titles and images to describe himself. “I am the bread of life” he says. “I am the resurrection and the life,” “I am the Way, the truth, and the life” There are eight of these “I AM” statements found in John’s Gospel. Last week, we heard Jesus say, “I am the Good Shepherd”. And on this fifth Sunday of Easter, Jesus tells us, “I am the vine, you are the branches”
Notice how all of these “I Am” statements requires a response from his disciples. If Jesus is the Good Shepherd, we must follow where he shepherds; If Jesus is the Truth, we must believe what he teaches; If He is the Bread of Life, we must eat what he feeds us with. Today, Jesus even tells us the response we must have; he is the vine, we are branches, and we must remain attached to him, so that we may bear fruit.
Let’s unpack this image a bit. A branch utterly depends upon its connection to the vine: for nutrients, for water, and life itself. If it is not attached to its main source of life, it will not bear fruit, it will die.
The same sap that runs through the vine gives life to the branches and causes the fruit to grow. Just so, when we are united to Christ, God’s grace, God's own divine life flows through Christ and into us.
Jesus presents us with this good earthy image to teach profound truth. Jesus didn’t just come to earth to give us a teaching or a philosophy on how to live a successful earthly life. As the branches are totally dependent on remaining united to the vine, so too are we. Our life is a failure, if we are not united to Jesus Christ. What is a successful life? It’s not about having a perfectly landscaped lawn, a fancy car, season tickets, or a room full of plaques and trophies as proof of our earthly accomplishments. The successful life is one that bears much fruit through its union with Jesus Christ, and ends with the soul being judged worthy of heaven.
What is the fruit that Jesus is talking about here? St. Paul in his letter to the Galatians lists some of the spiritual fruits that come from being in a living relationship with Jesus: “the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” And we aren’t just to bear one of these fruits, or some of the fruits, sometimes. These fruits are the signs that we are united to the Lord.
For the Lord doesn’t say today, bear some of these, if you really feel up to it. He says that we must remain in him so we bear MUCH FRUIT, and if we don’t we will wither, thrown out, and thrown into the fire. If I’m not bearing all those fruits listed by St. Paul, then I’m not as united to Jesus Christ as I should be.
So, the question arises, HOW do we stay united to the vine in order to may bear much fruit and be judged worthy of eternal life?
First, staying united to the vine means constantly growing in our prayer life.
Prayer is how our souls are exposed to the divine sunlight. Just as plants need constant exposure to sunlight for energy, so we need constant expose to God through prayer. If our prayer life is the same when we are fifty as it was when we were fifteen, might be a sign that are spiritual growth has become stunted.
Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta urged Christians to make time every day to listen to God in silent prayer. She taught that listening to God in prayer was the very first link in the sacred chain of charity and interior peace. She said: The fruit of silence is prayer, the fruit of prayer is faith; the fruit of faith is love; the fruit of love is service; the fruit of service is peace...”
All the noise and distraction and business in our lives must be countered by intentional moments of silent prayer. So make time for prayer every day: Read and reflect on scripture daily, make visits to the adoration chapel throughout the week, pray the rosary.
Pope Francis is a great devotee of the rosary, and said, “I urge everyone in this month of May to pray the prayer of the Holy Rosary.” The Month of May is dedicated to Mary. As we speak, the Sunday school children are gathered around the statue of Mary for a May Crowning; our day school students will participate in a May Crowning later this month. Mary always helps our souls to be open to God, as she was, totally open, totally faithful. She truly bore much fruit. So, invoke the intercession of Mary every day for the Lord to grant mercy and peace and grace to your soul, the Church and the world.
Secondly, "remaining in Christ" means making good use of the sacraments, most especially the sacraments of the Eucharist and confession. If a branch gets damaged in a wind storm, the gardener knows that the branch needs to be reattached to the vine or the branch will die. And that’s precisely what happens in the Sacrament of Confession: Jesus binds up and heals that connection with him that our sin has damaged or broken.
Even if we haven’t committed mortal sin, making frequent confession is important to bind up any smaller fractures. For, if not bound properly, small fractures can become bigger ones. I recommend going to confession four to twelve times a year. It is a healthy thing to bring your faults to God for healing.
And in the Eucharist, our union with Christ is strengthened more powerfully than at any other time—we receive an influx of grace like no other. IF you are properly disposed, every Holy Communion can be a spiritual springtime in which a new outpouring of divine life surges into your hearts and minds.
Thirdly, and perhaps the most difficult part about remaining on the vine is through loving obedience to God’s Holy Will. This is what St John refers to in today's Second Reading, when he writes: "Children, let us not love one another in word or in speech, but in deed and truth." Being a Christian isn’t just about calling oneself a Christian, or giving God lip-service.
It's easy to talk the talk of being a good Catholic. But that talk has to translate into honesty, purity, faithfulness, courage, self-sacrifice, and obedience to all Church teaching. If there is a Church teaching you are explicitly breaking, you are not united to Christ as you should be. Pope Francis recently said that it is an absurdity to say you love Christ without being united to Him through the Church, to follow Christ from the outskirts. For Christ always calls those on the outskirts IN, to intimate relationship.
Prayer, the sacraments, and loving obedience keep us united to Christ and yield fruit that lasts for eternal life. And when we are actively seeking to grow, our life begins to be charged with the presence of God, it begins to exude joy and enthusiasm, and will draw others to the Lord.
Both our cub scouts and girl scouts will receive their religious emblems today: the Light of Christ Medal, and the Family of God Medal. They are a wonderful reminder to all of us, that we are to bear the light of Christ and become fruitful members of God’s family.
As we continue with this Holy Mass, let us thank God from the depths of our hearts for the life he has given us, the opportunity to know, love, and serve him in this world and be happy with him in eternity for the Glory of God and salvation of souls.
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