JOHN 15:1-12 I AM THE VINE; YOU ARE THE BRANCHES
“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 branch that does bear fruit, he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you…
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…
As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
REFLECTION:
The Father is the vine grower;Jesus is the vine… “I am the vine you are the branches…whoever remains in me will bear much fruit”…Jesus addresses his disciples as branches of the vine…are we branches attached to Jesus…..every branch bearing fruit will bear more fruit as it is pruned…do we resist when God tries to remove shoots from the branch that may inhibit the bearing of more fruit….
” remain in my love…and your joy will be complete”…anyone who doesn’t remain with Jesus will wither and die…do I want to wither and die…we have Jesus’ promise if we remain with him our joy will be complete…all of us want to be happy…really happy…really whole…by keeping the commandments and loving one another, my joy will be complete…
Jesus tells me so…why not believe him…have I not had enough disappointment and unmet expectations seeking material pleasures that only satisfy for a moment… I was made by God for God…to share in His divine life …isn’t it time to embrace His pruning…that we may bear more fruit… “This is my commandment, love one another as I have loved you!”
SILENT PRAYER
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