"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 every one 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.
Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own
unless it remains on the vine,
so neither can you unless you remain in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without me you can do nothing.
Anyone who does not remain in me
will be thrown out like a branch and wither;
people will gather them and throw them into a fire
and they will be burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you,
ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.
By this is my Father glorified,
that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."
REFLECTION
"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 every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.
The parable of the vine and the vine grower makes perfect sense. Vines are quite easy to grow. The branches are forever rich because they share from the sap of the stem rooted in rich soil. As the branches grow, they stretch out toward the light and receiving their nourishment from the ground that is full of minerals, they produce beautiful flowers, buds, or fruits.
When I see my vines growing in such a manner, I know I had nothing to do with their growth. It comes from the genetic makeup of the plant. But it reminds me of my prayer life. I need a base where I can get nutritious knowledge of God's love and His mercy.
I need to see the waters of God's graces settling in and saturating the ground. The intertwining branches flexing and extending here and there, seeking the sun, remind me of countless prayers always finding paths in a continuous conversation with my Father.
Seek Jesus in all things and always find Him in every small detail of your life.
