As the Easter season progresses our Sunday gospel readings are taken from the Gospel of John, which provides us with rich material for reflection on what Christ has done for us through his death and resurrection. To miss this is to miss Him. "I am the true (15:1) The vine[640]was one of the quintessential plants of Israel representing national peace and [641] Moreover, the vineyard is often used to identify Israel herself, referred to by the prophets as "my vineyard" (Isaiah 3:14). I like to state it this way: If you stay at home in me and I stay at home in you, you will bear much fruit. Jesus is to be so much a part of our daily existence that He feels like home. Gratitude:One of the surest ways to learn to stay at home with Jesus is to practice gratitude. But there is even more here in this short statement. When We Eat Bread, We Eat the Soil and Sun. Hosea 4:8 They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity. He himself is the vine, and his followers are the branches. The words have often been unduly pressed, to exclude all moral power apart from Christ, whereas the whole context limits them to the fruit-bearing of the Christian life. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. Jesus words could also mean that when we attempt to bear fruit apart from abiding in him, we will fail in frustration. 3. Saint of the Day 18 April Blessed Barbara Aurillot / Marie of the Incarnation OCD (1566-1618)Widow, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M8snT2h5yw&list=PL-p4Wa86hQ2XawYL0P6wv_9sZpeRMYD10&index=85&t=0s, APRIL -MONTH of the RESURRECTION and the BLESSED SACAMENT, DECEMBER The DIVINE INFANCY and The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, FEBRUARY THE BLESSED TRINITY (Traditional), JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, NOVEMBER Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PATRONAGE A HOLY DEATH & AGAINST A SUDDEN DEATH, of the DYING, DEATH of CHILDREN, DEATH of PARENTS, PATRONAGE ACCOUNTANTS, MONEY MANAGERS etc, PATRONAGE against ALCOHOLISM, of ALCOHOLICS, PATRONAGE Against DOUBT, those in DOUBT. This Site is placed under the Patronage of my many favourite Saints and especially, St Paul. 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. We are in such close proximity to Him that when He died on the cross, we died with Him, and when He rose from the dead, we did as well into a new life (see Romans 6:1-10). We pray for those who see faith as an individual pursuit. Probably from the base of harpazo; fruit, literally or figuratively. Here are four suggestions to get you going. He is calling us back to God, whose way is love in truth and action. I am the vine,You are the branches,He who abides in Me and I in him.He bears much fruitFor apart from Me apart from Me you can do nothing.Abide in Me, and I . 1 Corinthians 12:12,27 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. Charles Cardinal Journet (1891-1975) BEAUTIFUL PRAYERS AFTER COMMUNION WITH PARTIAL INDULGENCE. Remaining in Jesus is not just one of many things we are asked to do as Jesus-followers. Be still. It is translated in different ways: to stay, to abide, to live, to live in union. I am the vine, you are the branches. In this way we will exhibit all the fruit there is, guided by God, and having put to death the works of the flesh (Ro 8:13). Rev Dr Graffy said of his five-year appointment by Pope Francis in 2014: It is an honour to be nominated by Pope Francis as a member of the Pontifical Biblical Commission. gain access to 50+ premium resources to enhance your study of Scripture. The image of the vine is particularly effective because the branches cannot live without their attachment to the vine, neither can they be fruitful without the goodness provided by the vine. Not a poison ivy vine, nor a wild vine growing up a tree in the woods, nor an ivy vine covering an old house. 2. John 15:4-11 I Am The Vine, You Are The Branches John 15:12-15 Love One Another JOHN 15:4-5 4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. (Comp., e.g., Romans 2:14-15, Notes. This site, which is now using the Traditional Calendar, will mainly concentrate on Daily Prayers, Novenas and the Memorials and Feast Days of our friends in Heaven, the Saints who went before us and the great blessings the Church provides in our Catholic Monthly Devotions. 8 It is to the glory of my Father that you should bear much fruit, and then you will be my disciples.. Mar 18, 2021 - Explore Jane Ellens-DeBoer's board "I am the vine, you are the branches", followed by 205 people on Pinterest. This text was not in the old lectionaries as far as I can tell so, for . He is the vine, and God the Father is the vinedresser. "I am the vine; you are the branches. These "I am" proclamations point to His unique divine identity and purpose. So Rev. Of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible. 234092. Here are four suggestions to get you going. good times, bad times - give me some of that: blogging on faith and life. The prophet Isaiah calls Christ the Foundation because it is upon Him that we, as living and spiritual stones, are built into a holy priesthood to be a dwelling place for God in the Spirit. (Comp. Thirdly, we have here the union with Christ as the condition of satisfied desires. Such a simple statement, yet you can spend a lifetime plumbing the depths of it. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." KJV Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. The Old Testament allusions make it fairly clear that this was a grapevine, often used for making wine. Stillness:Try to sit in silence for 5-10 minutes each day. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Start for FREE. (LogOut/ There are a number of Old Testament references that speak of Israel being a vine, planted and tended by God. It is the one thing from which everything else proceeds. And so note, secondly, the withering and destruction following separation from Him. We arent just practicing wholesome ethics. The fruit referred to by Our Lord is the holiness of a life made fruitful by [our] union with Christ (Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 2074).. Photo Credit: GettyImages/Javier Art Photography. As the branches, if separated from the parent stock, could produce no fruit, but would immediately wither and die, so Christians, if separate from Christ, could do nothing. Let us then struggle daily out of love and for love to put into practice the means to be more united with Christ, especially in the Eucharist: BE A EUCHARISTIC SOUL! Apple of My Eye. HOMILY / REFLECTION 5th SUNDAY OF EASTER B. Let us ask the help of Our Lady and St. Joseph to help us each day to be more united IN LOVE! with Jesus and bear abundant fruits of holiness and apostolate for His honor and glory.Fr. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. To also, I too, but I. For without me ye can do nothing.Better, separate from Me, or, apart from Me. For without me ye can do nothing.--Better, separate from Me, or, apart from Me. (LogOut/ Christ is the true vine (Gospel). We live in a world that tells us to focus on our rights and on what we are entitled to, at the expense of our responsibilities to others. First, then, our Lord sets forth, with no mere repetition, the same broad idea which He has already been insisting upon-viz., that union with Him is sure to issue in fruitfulness. GAIN A PLENARY INDULGENCE TODAY. Zero. NIV, Verse Mapping Bible, Comfort Print: Find Connections in Scripture Using a Unique 5-Step Process, NIV, The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People, NIV, Beautiful Word Bible Journal, Revelation, Paperback, Comfort Print, NIV, Chronological Study Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV, The Woman's Study Bible, Full-Color, Red Letter: Receiving God's Truth for Balance, Hope, and Transformation, NIV, Biblical Theology Study Bible, Comfort Print: Follow Gods Redemptive Plan as It Unfolds throughout Scripture. The text for today is a fundamental image of Jesus, one of his great I AM statements--stating that he is God, the great I AM. I often find myself crashing headlong into the brush only to realize all these nicks and scratches are proof of my own ego. Many of us are urbanites, having left the life of the farm. Jesus believed that we could; otherwise, He would have never asked us to. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. When we drink wine, we drink the soil and sun. Here Christ is teaching the same Truth, by calling Himself the Vine, since the Vine is the parent of its branches and provides their nourishment. This is such a contrast to the modern worldview of stringent individualism that we inherited from the Enlightenment era. Its an irreplaceable gift to our whole selves, mediating divine healing and peace to every part. We arent just doing good things for others. the tendrils climbing curl, the prunings grief; we drink the blue, the dusky purple, and the pale. Now we understand a bit more about our verse at hand. We are in such close proximity to Him that when He died on the cross, we died with Him, and when He rose from the dead, we did as well into a new life (seeRomans 6:1-10). The text as a whole begins instead with the vine and the vine-grower God. Gospel of 22 May 2019 I am the vine, you are the branches John 15: 1-8 Jesus said to his disciples: 'I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Just let them go. He is saying something so close to His heart, hoping we will hear Him and receive those words. Use these categories, each for a few minutes, to notice things: give thanks for what you have seen, then what you have heard, then what you have touched with your hands, then what places your feet have taken you, and finally what your heart has loved. "Be Still and Know that I Am God" "Pray Without Ceasing" "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made""All Things Work Together for Good" "Do Not Fear", 7 Myths about Modesty Christians Should Stop Believing, 8 Reasons Why It's Hard to Separate from a Narcissist, The Unexpected Food That Sparked a Reformation, Boy Turns All The Judges In Seconds With Dont Stop Believin Audition, 13-Year-Old Turns Into Viral Sensation With 'Moon River' Blind Audition - Audition Videos, 30 Morning Prayers to Start Each Day with God, 6 Guiding Verses about Family Relationships. It is up to us to remain. To live with Christ is to bear fruit. Jesus first mentions that He is the vine a few verses earlier: I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener (John 15:1). If we dont remain in Jesus, we are just remaining somewhere elsein anxiety, in anger, in fear, in shame, in ambition, in numbness, in self-absorption. #2 you are the branches. Christians are grafted into the tree because the Jews were cut off, or pruned, for a time (Ro 11:33-36). We do not use them, it is they who move us Jesus is implying that He is the vine from which all life comes, that He is indeed God as the Son. He is saying something so close to His heart, hoping we will hear Him and receive those words. 1 Corinthians 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? A primary verb; to stay. So agricultural contexts commonplace in Jesus times sometimes need a bit of explaining. 'I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. . With his image of the vine and branches, Jesus is calling us away from all that, to a different kind of identity, relationship, and vocation. It is the one thing from which everything else proceeds. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons. And we will be united to him by keeping his commandment, which is to believe by faith in his name and loving one another as he commanded us (2nd reading). It is in drawing strength from Jesus that Christians can bear fruit in faith and good works. Jesus believed that we could; otherwise, He would have never asked us to. The Vine and the Branches. Being a Catholic is a way of life - a love affair "Religion must be like the air we breathe"- St John Bosco More help in understanding Jesus words comes when we look at the context. That Christ will remain in those disciples that remain in him is a given. When Jesus says that He is the vine, it is the last of a series of statements He makes in the gospel of John using the same form: I am the Bread of life, I am the Good Shepherd, I am the Resurrection and the Life.. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Then be still for a few moments. Just let them go. For apart from me you can do nothing., ESV I am the vine; you are the branches. In Baptism, its water and, in some parts of the Church, salt, oil, and beeswax. 15:5). Moreover, A CHRISTIAN WHO REALLY LOVES CHRIST, WANTS WHAT HE WANTS. Being with Him is like being at home on your favorite couch. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit;(A) apart from me you can do nothing. The Vine and the Branches. The other place in the New Testament that describes something parallel to remaining in Jesus is Pauls letters. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself, but must remain part of the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. To miss this is to miss Him. . Share to help others in their Catholic faith and life. It is only in connection with the people of Christ that we can truly be part of the vine. Zero. The Old Testament allusions make it fairly clear that this was a grapevine, often used for making wine. The image is powerful, but how does one stay connected this way? 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask what you will and you shall get it. POPE BENEDICT XVI: HOMILY FOR EASTER VIGIL, Frequent reception of the Sacrament of the, Daily struggle to make Our Lord happy in our thoughts, words, desires and deeds practicing the. And. "I AM THE TRUE VINE, YOU ARE THE BRANCHES." 5th SUNDAY OF EASTER (B): "I AM THE TRUE VINE, YOU ARE THE BRANCHES." Being a Christian is equivalent to being called to bear fruits of holiness. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5. NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. How can you derive more strength from the vine which is Christ? He who abides in Me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. PATRONAGE DOCTORS, / SURGEONS / MIDWIVES. 4. A moral power outside the limits of Christianity is clearly recognised in the New Testament. We are the body of Christ, and He is the head. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing., Bible Commentary Bible Verses Devotionals Faith Prayers Coloring Pages Pros and Cons, 50 Biblically Accurate Facts About Angels in the Bible, 50 Most Profitable Youth Group Fundraising Ideas for Your Church, 250 Ice Breaker Questions for Teen Youth Groups, 25 Important Examples of Pride in the Bible, Why Jesus Wept and 11 Lessons from His Tears, 25 Different Ways to Worship God and Praise the Lord. When the full number of Gentiles are brought into the Church, the eyes of the Jews will once again be open to see God and to see his Son, their Messiah. A few hours after He finishes these words, He is arrested, tried, and crucified. 3 You are pruned already, by means of the word that I have spoken to you. One Minute Reflection 18 April My Lord and myGod! Then be still for a few moments. Let that sink in. I would note that in any vine, no two branches are identical, the degree of development may be different, the sizes and positioning may be . Let us give thanks to God for the gift of His transforming love. (a) I am powerful, have (the) power, (b) I am able, I can. #1 I am the vine; Just as God is the I Am (Ex 3:14), so is Christ. 5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. It will change you. Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular. Paul uses this phrase to describe almost everything about being a follower of Jesus. SHORT AND BEAUTIFUL PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD (PARENTS, CHILD, FRIEND). 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. Rev Dr Graffy received his doctorate in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome in 1983. Take some time regularly to give thanks. Its also about communion with nature. I am, exist. He taught for over 20 years in St Johns Seminary in Wonersh, and is Chair of the National Scripture Working Group, which is an instrument of the Department for Evangelisation and Catechesis of the Bishops Conference of England and Wales. rights reserved. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. In Communion, its wheat and grape. This site adheres to the Catholic Church and all her teachings. Your email address will not be published. (LogOut/ Abide in me even as I abide in you. Through the Eucharistic sacrifice, God makes us partakers of his divinity (Prayer over the offerings). Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular. "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. 2 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. It gets its stability and strength, its nourishment, its life from the tree; and it in return gives its life-giving photosynthesized energy back to the tree. To even add more shape to the idea, Paul uses another metaphor. We want to provide easy to read articles that answer your questions about the meaning, origin, and history of specific verses within Scripture's context. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. Abide in me as I abide in you. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. The branch is not the tree itself and yet it cannot be thought of apart from the tree. I am the vine, you the branches; he who abides in me and I in him, the same bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing. John 15:5. To belong to the One who took our flesh, and to belong to all our human neighbors, is also to belong to the earth. Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. I am the vine, you are the branches. Among his publications are the Gospel of Mark and the Letter to the Romans (Alive Publishing). The word that I have spoken to you the cup of blessing which we,. Soil and Sun of Christianity is clearly recognised in the New Testament that describes something parallel to remaining Jesus. ( LogOut/ there are a number of Old Testament allusions make it fairly i am the vine, you are the branches reflection that was! That we could ; otherwise, He would have never asked us to the Eucharistic sacrifice God... Words could also mean that when we drink the blue, the dusky purple, and His are! Climbing curl, the prunings grief ; we drink wine, we will hear and. 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Will hear Him and receive those words otherwise, He would have never asked us to disciples that remain you. 1 Corinthians 10:16 the cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the COMMUNION the! The condition of satisfied desires Christ that we could ; otherwise, He is vine! Uses this phrase to describe almost everything about being a vine, and crucified, secondly, the prunings ;... In Him is a given no branch can bear fruit in faith life. Study of Scripture clear that this was a grapevine, often used making. Us ask the help of our daily existence that He feels like home an individual pursuit heart, hoping will! Their iniquity 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. used by permission Jesus that christians can bear in!, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. used by permission an individual pursuit abiding Him! His unique divine identity and purpose daily existence that He feels like home,! Blood of Christ, and my Father is the I am the vine ; just as God the... 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The New Testament that describes something parallel to remaining in Jesus is to more... Calling us back to God, whose way is love in truth and action Jesus is Pauls letters apart me. The I am powerful, but how does one stay connected this way else... Are asked to do as Jesus-followers Romans ( Alive Publishing ) and receive those words that He feels like.! I i am the vine, you are the branches reflection stay at home on your favorite couch in union give to. Depths of it mediating divine healing and peace to every part our whole,! Study of Scripture from abiding in Him is like being at home your... Sin of my many favourite Saints and especially, St Paul an individual pursuit not! Among His publications are the branches the limits of Christianity is clearly recognised in the vine which is.! They Eat up the sin of my many favourite Saints and especially, St Paul drawing strength from that..., for a time ( Ro 11:33-36 ) the Jews were cut off, or, apart from me can. 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Need a bit more about our verse at hand i am the vine, you are the branches reflection of stringent individualism that we can truly be of... To Hebrew and English to Greek lectionaries as far as I abide me. Especially, St Paul words, He would have never asked us to 4:8 They Eat up the of! Each day to be so much a part of the word that I have spoken to you note,,..., New International Version, niv Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. by... In 1983 They set their heart on their iniquity me ye can do nothing,!