The True Vine

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Gospel of 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.

This Sunday's gospel reading reminds me of a wonderful trip I took to Italy in September 2004.  At the time, my boyfriend worked in the wine biz, so we toured Southern Tuscany with industry-only access to the best wineries in the region.  We stayed at a 17th century chateau in Siena overlooking the gorgeous countryside.  I remember walking along the cobblestone streets of Siena's famous town square eating real Italian pistachio gelato.   We discovered a secluded restaurant nestled inside of a cave where we later ate a fantastic dinner accompanied by carafes of red wine.  After relaxing in Siena, we took a chartered bus tour throughout the Tuscan countryside visiting one winery after another. Wild lavender and rosemary grew along the roadsides, stunning the olfactory senses with aromatic delight.  We just so happen to visit Italy about a week or two before grape harvest, so the vines were loaded with grapes. Most of the wineries and vineyards were hundreds of years old. At one point we visited an old fortress built around the time period Saint Dominic lived (ca 1100's). The highlight of the trip was when we dined at the personal home of a vintner who owned one of the oldest wineries in the region of Montepulciano.  Nothing better than homemade Italian cuisine!!  I loved the prosciutto, but where did the green olives go?? Locals told us olives couldn't be harvested for another month!

I love the image of the grapevine.  Jesus is the true vine and God the Father is the vine grower. We are the branches which grow from the vine's trunk, either producing good fruit or bad.  If we remain properly trellised, we allow God's light to shine through us.  We are given just the right amount of nutrients to grow in our faith.  We can choose to grow toward the sunlight, ripening up to become big juicy and mouth watering grapes, or we can choose to hide ourselves under the shade of the leafy canopy, turning moldy and rotten.  We may decide to "prune" ourselves away from Jesus' vine thinking we can "grow" without his help.  What a mistake!  Allow Jesus to "prune" in ways that brings us closer to him!  Pruning encourages growth and maturity when done properly.

The next time you drink the communion wine at mass, think of the image of the grapevines in the vineyard.   Remain on the vine! Stay close to the Lord!  Allow him to prune you into a better person, a better friend, a better servant and an even better Christian!

-J.