True Vine, Much Fruit
This Sunday, we hear Jesus say, “I AM the True Vine…Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit.” During this time of year, when we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus, we are pushed forward into the life of the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit. If we understand the Old Testament as the setting where God the Father is revealed, and the New Testament as the revelation of Christ, then our current age is that of the Holy Spirit, which guides and sanctifies the Church and its members. When we remain in Christ, and Christ in us, we are made holy by the dwelling of the Spirit within us. And, of course, to remain in Christ first of all means to remain in his Mystical Body the Church, God’s instrument of salvation for those who would trust in God’s promises and cooperate with God’s love.
How do we remain in Christ? By keeping his commandments, as we hear in the First Letter of John. But this does not mean living inwardly; rather, we are to be always looking out to the world— what does the teaching of Jesus do but call us out to others? Simon and Andrew are commanded to be fishers of men (Mt. 4:19), and like them we also are to gather others for Christ, so that we can remain together in Christ’s Body, guided by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus tells us that we will bear much fruit. However, this fruit is not for ourselves, but for God and for others. Paul gives us a list of fruits in his Letter to the Galatians: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. All of these fruits are made present in each of us, and certainly we feel joy at God’s presence within us, but each of these gifts is primarily to be made present for others, so that they, too, can know God’s love. If, on the other hand, we notice ourselves falling into anger, resentment, agitation, or impatience, then we ought to heed Christ’s call to remain. Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est. “Where there is charity and love, there God is.” By own cooperation with God’s grace within us, we become “laborers in the vineyard,” cultivating the Vine which is the Church.
