When someone is nearing death, what do they talk about? By the grace that is given to us in the sacraments, especially in the Eucharist, Christ remains in us and we in him. If a man does not abide in me, he is cast. Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular. 'I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. In John 15 Jesus uses the relationship of branches to the vine to illustrate our relationship to Him: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. IF WE REALLY WANT TO GROW IN LOVE WITH OUR LORD, WE NEED TO UNITE OURSELVES WITH HIM THROUGH FAITH AND GRACE. If we dont remain in Jesus, we are just remaining somewhere elseinanxiety, in anger, in fear, in shame, in ambition, in numbness, in self-absorption. HOMILY 2ND SUNDAY OF EASTER YEAR A. DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY. More help in understanding Jesus words comes when we look at the context. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, NT Gospels: John 15:5 I am the vine (Jhn Jo Jn). Start each morning by having a conversation with Him about some passage of Scripture and the day ahead. 2. that they will perform good works just in proportion as they feel their dependence on him and look to him. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing" (Jn. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing., What is the fruit referred to by Our Lord? As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself, but must remain part of the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit, apart from me you can do nothing.". When we eat bread, we eat the soil and sun. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou. I. A few hours after He finishes these words, He is arrested, tried, and crucified. ALL CHRISTIANS ARE CALLED TO HOLINESS AND APOSTOLATE. We are the body of Christ, and He is the head. 3 You are pruned already, by means of the word that I have spoken to you. Third, just as an apple tree does not grow bananas, so must the fruit we bear in our lives be the fruit Jesus bore. We arent just doing good things for others. Without them, it would be very difficult to progress in our spiritual life, in our love for God and for others. In the Old Testament, Israel is often represented as a grapevine (Ps 80:8; Isa 5:1-7; Jer 2:21). In the Song 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. He who abides in Me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 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. I am the vine, you are the branches. Lets explore its meaning. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. WHAT IS HOLINESS ACCORDING TO CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH? The significance of the context now becomes clear. Apart from, separately from; without. What was going on in John 15 when He spoke these words? 1: . When Jesus says He is the true vine he is contrasting Himself from the vine of Israel. To belong to the One who took our flesh, and to belong to all our human neighbors, is also to belong to the earth. Rev Dr Adrian Graffy is a member of the Vatican Commission that takes a lead in Bible scholarship, interpretation and promotion in the Catholic Church. SOULS! 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.. Todays 5th Sunday of Easter Year B Gospel presents Christ as the true vine and we, Christians, as the branches: I am the vine, you are the branches. So agricultural contexts commonplace in Jesus times sometimes need a bit of explaining. Without me ye can do nothing - The expression "without me" denotes the same as separate from me. Apple of My Eye. Such a simple statement, yet you can spend a lifetime plumbing the depths of it. A primary pronoun of the first person I. Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular. HOMILY / REFLECTION 5th SUNDAY OF EASTER B. margin.) Try one and see where it takes you: 1. Zero. Our Lord asks from each one of us abundant fruits of holiness and apostolate. Passionate Catholic. 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). Bill Delvaux is a graduate of Duke University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. For less than $5/mo. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. We encounter this Sunday another image which Jesus uses to describe himself and his relationship with his disciples. I am the vine; you are the branches. Jesus is the vine, the true source of life for us believers. Listen now to Jesus as he begins one of His most amazing statements: I am the vine; you are the branches (John 15:5). Notify me of follow-up comments by email. It is his words that should always guide our lives. 3 You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Being a Catholic is a way of life - a love affair "Religion must be like the air we breathe"- St John Bosco 3:14). The key action is to remain. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. Many of us are urbanites, having left the life of the farm. gain access to 50+ premium resources to enhance your study of Scripture. Let that sink in. That Christ will remain in those disciples that remain in him is a given. 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. We are branches connected to Him, drawing that life from Him as branches draw the necessary nutrients to survive and flourish. In, on, among. In todays Gospel reading, Jesus explains all of this using a metaphor from nature: Abide in me as I abide in you. All
the quiet winter rest, the surge of spring; we eat the summers heat, the cloud and rain. October 12, 2020 Marilyn Reflection. margin.) This Site is placed under the Patronage of my many favourite Saints and especially, St Paul. 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. REFLECTION The Lord calls Himself the Vine and those united to Him, branches, in order to teach us how much we shall benefit from our union with Him and, how important it is for us, to remain in His Love. I am the vine, you are the branches - John 15:5. Let us give thanks to God for the gift of His transforming love. the tendrils climbing curl, the prunings grief; we drink the blue, the dusky purple, and the pale. After Jesus states that He is the vine and we are the branches, the rest of John 15:5 reads this way: If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.. Jesus believed that we could; otherwise, He would have never asked us to. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Such is the relationship between Christians and Jesus. When someone is nearing death, what do they talk about? Its not for nothing that every Christian ritual of inclusion, acceptance, pardon, peace, and nourishment requires us to touch the things of earth and to let them touch us. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. He is calling us back to God, whose way is love in truth and action. 4 Make your home in me, as I make mine in you. Its his catchword, a simple two-word expression continuously repeated without apology: in Christ. #5 Apart from me you can do nothing. The works we do when we are not connected to the source, Jesus Christ, are works of the flesh, and even the ones that seem like they are for God will be proven to be selfish and empty at the judgment (1 Cor 3:15). For without me ye can do nothing.--Better, separate from Me, or, apart from Me. The image also has its negative side. 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 fruitful branches represent men that abide in Me . To make this point even stronger, Jesus concludes this verse by stating the same truth in the negative: There is nothing you can do in terms of bearing fruit by yourself. 3. that the reason why others fail of being holy is because they are unwilling to look to him, and seek grace and strength from him who alone is able to give it. I feel humbled and very much look forward to being of service to His Holiness and the Church., He added: A great deal has been achieved in England and Wales in recent years by many co-workers to advance Biblical scholarship and the provision of easy-to-use resources. This is exactly how we should see Jesus words inJohn 15:5. #4 you will bear much fruit. It is truly amazing that we dont even need to know what fruit we are going to bear in the future. The text as a whole begins instead with the vine and the vine-grower God. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. How can you derive more strength from the vine which is Christ? It seems that we are not quite so autonomous as we imagined. I am the vine, ye are the branches. Gratitude:One of the surest ways to learn to stay at home with Jesus is to practice gratitude. 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. Fourth, as Jesus points out earlier in the passage, if we are branches of his vine, we must be ready to be pruned: . John 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. b 4 Remain in me, as I remain in you. The people of Israel are compared to a vine, which is supposed to bear abundant fruit. If you remain in me, and I in you, you will be fruitful.John 15:5. Paul uses this phrase to describe almost everything about being a follower of Jesus. ), Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them and the Bishops Conference Department for Evangelisation and Catechesis for their efforts to promote understanding and love of the Bible, particularly through the publication of the teaching documents, The Gift of Scripture and the study guide to Verbum Domini, The Word of the Lord.. It's a simple but rich image. AND WHAT DOES CHRIST WANT? How do we learn to remain in Jesus so that He becomes like home to us? Let that sink in. Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. By these earthy things we learn how precious and loved we are, in body as well as soul. The Vine and the Branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing., KJV I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing., NKJV I am the vine, you are the branches. But there is even more here in this short statement. A personal reminder for myself. What kind of vine was Jesus speaking about here? Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular. I often find myself crashing headlong into the brush only to realize all these nicks and scratches are proof of my own ego. Try one and see where it takes you: 1. At first glance, we may assume that branches bear fruit, but in another sense, its really the vine that makes it all happen. It is the one thing from which everything else proceeds. What do they want to say? Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. he that abideth in me, and I in him; which is the case of all that are once in Christ, and he in them: the same bringeth forth much fruit; in the exercise of grace, and performance of good works; and continues to do so as long as he lives, not by virtue of his own free will, power, and strength, but by grace continually received from Christ: for without me ye can do nothing; nothing that is spiritually good; no, not anything at all, be it little or great, easy or difficult to be performed; cannot think a good thought, speak a good word, or do a good action; can neither begin one, nor, when it is begun, perfect it. It is he, and he only, who brings forth fruit, for the man who is separate from Christ can bear no fruit. He helps them to grow in love and reverence for God and teaches them, to discern right from wrong and to act with integrity. St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Known as The Pillar of Faith Archbishop of Alexandria, Father & Doctor of the Church, Doctor Incarnationis (Doctor of the Incarnation) [Commentary on the Gospel of John]. Without it we can do nothing. He himself is the vine, and his followers are the branches. Thought for the Day 18 April A Life ofFervour, Quote/s of the Day 18 April Embrace, then, Jesus Crucified. Who Is the Beast in Revelation 13, and Have We Met Him Yet? Amid all the unknowns of todays unprecedented chaos, theres one thing were surely learninghow interconnected we all are. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. For worship, flame and flower. Eager to safeguard the blessing of our noble birth, we are careful not to grieve the Holy Spirit Who dwells in us and Who makes us aware of Gods Presence in us. Charles Cardinal Journet (1891-1975) Through these earthy things the grace of loving Pesence materializes. Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular. He is the vine, and God the Father is the vinedresser. GAIN A PLENARY INDULGENCE TODAY. good times, bad times - give me some of that: blogging on faith and life. We pray for those who see faith as an individual pursuit. Seven years ago, he pioneered Landmark Journey Ministries to help men find their guide, own their identity, and discover their quest through Christ. Better, separate from Me, or, apart from Me. The point is, as Christians, our lives are nourished, strengthened, and find their identity and purpose in Jesus, the True Vine. For apart from me you can do nothing." ESV "I am the vine; you are the branches. (LogOut/ Paul uses this phrase to describe almost everything about being a follower of Jesus. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. II. "I am the vine and you are the branches. Jesus is implying that He isthe vine from which all life comes, that He is indeed God as the Son. III. Listening:Remaining happens as we just start the conversation with Jesus. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.. 3 You are pruned already, by means of the word that I have spoken to you. And to miss Him is to miss it all. But listening to it and reading it today, I felt that Christ is not referring to that at all, and how human/animalistic it was of me to think of it that way before. Christ is the true vine (Gospel). "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. We do all of this by simply staying at home with Him. 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).. Whoever remains in me, with me in him, bears fruit in plenty; for cut off from me you can do nothing. Used by permission. 15 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. If a man does not abide in Me, he is cast forth as a branch and . The demand for autonomy has bred an epidemic of loneliness, despair, and alienation. 3. I am, exist. New International Version (NIV). - John 15:5 Amid all the unknowns of today's unprecedented chaos, there's one thing we're surely learninghow interconnected we all are. (Comp., e.g., Romans 2:14-15, Notes.). Let the wisdom of John teach us how we live in Christ and Christ lives in us: The proof that we are living in Him and He is living in us, is that He has given us a share in His Spirit. John 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Over time you will begin to notice more of His presence already alive in you. 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. For without me ye can do nothing.Better, separate from Me, or, apart from Me. In Communion, its wheat and grape. Adverb from chora; at a space, i.e. We are in Christ, literally and figuratively. "I am the vine; you are the branches. It is up to us to remain. One Minute Reflection 18 April My Lord and myGod! And thats a good thing. , activity of the Christian life in general is meant, , Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers. Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. This text was not in the old lectionaries as far as I can tell so, for .