Today's Gospel in Art - I am the vine, you are the branches

Patrick van der Vorst
May 1st, 2021

Gospel of 2nd May 2021 - John 15:1-8

Jesus said to his disciples:

'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 pruned already, by means of the word that I have spoken to you. Make your home in me, as I make mine in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself, but must remain 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 like a branch that has been thrown away - he withers; these branches are collected and thrown on the fire, and they are burnt.

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask what you will and you shall get it. It is to the glory of my Father that you should bear much fruit, and then you will be my disciples.'

Reflection on the Photograph

As Jesus shares with us in our Gospel reading today, He and the Church exist together as vine and branches. As I write this, we are just after having had our Mass here in seminary half an hour ago. Everything starts from Christ in the sanctuary, the vine. From His gift of Body and Blood that we just received, He now flows through us. And if we let Him be in control, then He will continue to flow through us to reach other people. We are as such true branches, reaching out to others and hopefully bearing fruit. This is probably the essence of the dynamics of seminary and what we get trained for.

But of course that calling to be branches and true members of Christ's Church is there for everyone, without exception. The image of the vine and branches Jesus paints for us today is a truly beautiful one. The stem bears only branches, but ultimately it is the branches that bear the fruit. So Christ depends on us to bear fruit in the world. If we cut ourselves off from the stem there won't be any fruit. So Jesus is calling for the sap of His Love to flow through us and His Church. Together, Christ, his Church, you and I, will be able to produce an abundant harvest of the fruit…

The Eucharist is therefore the living means for us to be in communion with Christ and the Church. That is where we get the nourishment to try and be good branches and produce good fruit. On 14 April, my Second Year seminarian brothers and I received the gift of Ministry of Acolyte here in college… I share with you a photo of that evening. It was another step for all of us to try and grow into more fruitful branches….

LINKS

Today's story - https://christian.art/en/daily-gospel-reading/793
Christian Art - www.christian.art/index.p8