Jesus is the Vine and We are the Branches

“This week Jesus gives an interesting image of the vine and branches to illustrate to us that our lives must be connected and grounded in Him in order to bear fruits” said Fr. Dom.

Fr. Dom explained that Jesus is the vine and the branches are the disciples. Without Jesus, we are nothing; just as the branches wither away without the sustenance from the vine, so do all those who cut themselves away from Him through sin.

Fr. Dom added that for many are so accustomed to sinning that they become numb and do not realise that they are withering away. Jesus was a friend of sinners- he did not condemn them. So as disciples, it our duty not to condemn them but to draw them back to Christ

We also need to be careful of false vines- there may be others who may draw us through various ideologies but we must be careful and know that Jesus is the only true vine – the source of our sustenance that we receive through our sacraments.

“If we are to bear fruits, we too need to be pruned”, said Fr. Dom. Just as pruning removes the unwanted branches and renews the grapevine to bear more fruits, we too are renewed and nourished in Jesus when trials come. We may encounter many difficulties but as long as we are connected to Jesus, we will still experience peace and joy. Thus through trials we grow in faith to become better disciples.

Fr. Dom concluded that being connected to Jesus has its rewards “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (Jn15:7). – SR