The Fifth Sunday of Easter, May 2, 2021

John 15:1–8

Jesus said to his disciples: “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.”

As we approach the Feasts of the Ascension and Pentecost, the Church presents to us readings from the Gospels in which the Lord Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit and the Church.  We are reminded of the unity we enjoy with the Lord through our baptism into his Body, and we are prompted to meditate on the meaning of this mystery.

During the Last Supper, the Lord emphasized the unity of the Apostles with him in order to offer them consolation for their separation from him in his coming Passion and Death, and also for the long years ahead in which they would go abroad, proclaiming the Redemption which he wrought for the human race.  

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.”  In this way, the Lord likens a plant to himself, not himself to a plant.  Thus, characteristics we see of the vine we can understand as signs for the reality of Jesus.

“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.”  Jesus speaks of the Father examining his Body, the Vine, and determining that certain branches do not bear fruit.  He then takes these away and the angels “will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned.”  The fruit of the branches of the earthly vine is the grape, but the fruit of the branches of the heavenly Vine, that is, the members of the Body of Jesus, are converts, which the Father greatly desires.  To this end, the Father “prunes” the branches so they may bring forth the most produce.  This “pruning” strengthens the members in their virtues and faith and enables them to persevere despite inclement weather.  We members may experience this “pruning” as trials and sufferings, but the Father does not abandon us in them, for we are set in them for a purpose.  He holds us tight, for he rejoices in us: “My delights are to be with the children of men” (Proverbs 8, 31). 

Let us hold fast to the Body of our Lord, whose ingrafted members we are, knowing that the Father has desired us so much that he sent his Son into the world for us, and in clinging to the Son may we bear the fruit of many conversions through our words, works, and prayers.