Text: The Holy Gospel According to Saint John 15:1-8
In the beautiful Central Valley of California (USA), while stationed at the Lemoore Naval Air Station, we were surrounded with the most fertile and well acclimated area for grapes and raisins in the United States. There was no end to the productivity of that Central Valley for wines and fruits of all types. The climate was hot and dry, just what was needed for the varieties of productive vines, trees and plants available.
On occasion, we used to go to one or more of the hundreds of vineyards that surrounded the air station to enjoy the beauty of the productive vineyards of Central California. Often, we would consider the words of Jesus, the True Vine, when we walked amongst the productive fields.
Beloved, Never once, did we ever see a group of grapes that somehow separated themselves from the True Vine that they derived their existence from. None of them walked away from their Vine and decided to live by themselves.
Yet, today, we have multitudes of Christians who have done exactly that. Many think they can live apart from the True Vine, Jesus.
On one level, many would interpret this as referring to our being a part of the True Church, loyal to the Holy See, a full partaker in the Sacramental life of the Catholic Church. There is some merit in this interpretation.
However, there is a deeper level that we believe to be true here as well.
The focus is directly upon Jesus and a relationship that is vital IN Christ Jesus, the True Vine.
Last Sunday we spoke of the Good Shepherd and the fold of Peter and other sheep who followed Jesus.
Today, we speak of The True Vine and the branches in that Vine that derive their sustenance from the True Vine, Jesus Christ. This speaks also very broadly of all the followers of Jesus Christ.
Jesus said --
1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
2 Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit."
How often have we heard these words in the crucible of human experience.
Note the branches are "mine," belonging to Christ. If no fruit comes from that branch, he prunes it and takes it away in order that the energy and the abundance might enter into those branches that are producing abundantly. Many times, I would see once lush vineyards completely and seemingly "savagely" pruned back to just the vine and a few little twigs. But, when growing season came they produced greatly and abundantly in the hot sun and in the well watered plain.
The Father KNOWS what WE NEED...
If we bear no fruit, he takes us away... and if we bear fruit, he prunes, that we might bear more fruit. This pruning is a hard lesson for us so often. These are exercises in humility. WE NEED the pruning of HUMILITY in order that we might grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. St. Peter tells us to be humbled under the mighty hand of God.
We have encounter a Litany of Humility and we share it today...
THE LITANY OF HUMILITY
(By Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val (1865-1930), the Secretary of State of Pope Saint Pius X)
O Jesus! Meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed... Deliver me, Jesus
From the desire of being loved... Deliver me, Jesus
From the desire of being extolled... Deliver me, Jesus
From the desire of being honored... Deliver me, Jesus
From the desire of being praised... Deliver me, Jesus
From the desire of being preferred to others... Deliver me, Jesus
From the desire of being consulted... Deliver me, Jesus
From the desire of being approved... Deliver me, Jesus
From the fear of being humiliated... Deliver me, Jesus
From the fear of being despised... Deliver me, Jesus
From the fear of suffering rebukes... Deliver me, Jesus
From the fear of being calumniated... Deliver me, Jesus
From the fear of being forgotten... Deliver me, Jesus
From the fear of being ridiculed... Deliver me, Jesus
From the fear of being wronged... Deliver me, Jesus
From the fear of being suspected... Deliver me, Jesus
That others may be loved more than I, Jesus grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I... Jesus grant me the grace to desire it
That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease...
Jesus grant me the grace to desire it
That others may be chosen and I set aside... Jesus grant me the grace to desire it
That others may be praised and I unnoticed... Jesus grant me the grace to desire it
That others may be preferred to me in everything... Jesus grant me the grace to desire it
That others may become holier than I, Provided that I may become as holy as I should...
Jesus grant me the grace to desire it
This is what we need, the pruning of our own self effort and our reduction to dependency upon the True Vine, Jesus Christ.
So, Jesus says --
"3 You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
5 I am the vine, you are the branches."
There is ownership...we are Christ's possession, his very own people, a people of his very own... and he says,
"He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."
How can there be any argument?
Without God we can do nothing. May we realize this? I think of Mary often as I read this and discover that it was with St. John that Mary (who lived at his home as our Mother) shared her thoughts on this True Vine that grew within her and sprang forth from her womb to take us into the True Vine. Without God we can do nothing.
So, we are warned, beloved.
6 If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned.
There is discipline in the Family of God.
We are called to remain (abide) in Jesus... it is a conditional clause. If we, then, such and so will happen. If we do not, then, the alternative will happen.
There is no middle ground, no fence walking...
7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.
8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.
We think of our own journey home to the Church.
We were of another fold, following Jesus. Our heart cried out to God for the Truth, the True Vine, and we saw as God revealed more and more to us the path that we needed to take to fullest Communion with Christ. But, this is the work of God. We asked God and God answered. So, we now ask at whatever state we are in and God answers in order to allow within us the graces to "...bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples."
May God grant that we live to see the day when the Church is again One Fold and all the people of God are joined together bearing much fruit in perfect union with the Fruit of the womb of Mary?
Yes, may it be so sooner than we realize.