V SUNDAY OF EASTER (B)

Sunday, April 28, 2024
Jn 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.”
(Jn 15: 1-8)

An agriculturist who desires to make his vineyard fruitful to obtain a quality product, takes care of the vines and seeks to get the most out of them: every branch that bears fruit is pruned, and every branch that does not bear fruit is cut off.

In the Bible, the people of Israel are compared by the prophets to a flourishing vine (Hs 10:1; Jer 2:21), and in this passage of the Gospel, Jesus affirms that He is the TRUE vine, the Father is the agriculturist, and each of us is a branch. The Father prunes every branch that bears fruit, literally ‘purifying’ it, so that it may bear more fruit. In this brief discourse, Jesus repeats the verb ‘remain’ five times, the first time in the imperative mood: “remain!” This exhortation of the Master helps us understand that it is not automatic for us to remain in Him, precisely because of the pruning, which causes pain and instinctively pushes us to detach ourselves…

Remaining attached to the vine means maintaining our trust in the Lord even in the moments of purification through which we pass. In a word, it requires FAITHFULNESS! That’s why the Greek verb ‘remain’ also has a meaning of ‘resist’. How many times are we tempted to give up, for example, personal prayer because we “feel” nothing, no consolation, no presence… But it is precisely at that moment that Jesus’ imperative must shake our hearts: REMAIN in Me! Depending on Him, day by day, transforms us and makes us blessed.

Pray, do not give up! Remember the promise: “ask for whatever you want and it will be given to you” (Jn 15:7).

Fr. Giuseppe