Gospel – 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.
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.”
Reflection on the Gospel
Let us remember we are in the holy presence of God.
In this week’s Gospel, Jesus provides us with a powerful image of not only who He is but who we are meant to be in relation to Him. “I am the vine,” he says, “you are the branches.” And yet, what is most important about this passage for us is not the description but the key verb repeated throughout: Remain. Jesus is telling us to remain in Him, not merely for a few moments, but to stay, to love in Him, suffer in Him, work in Him, and live in Him permanently. It is in this way that we grow and bear abundant fruit. Trees that bear fruit do not grow quickly; their growth is slow and oftentimes unseen and unnoticed. But they grow nevertheless. So it is with us. By remaining patient and steadfast in Jesus and trusting in His saving power, we grow as branches of the vine, bearing fruit and becoming true disciples of Jesus in the process.
Mr. Malik Neal
La Salle Academy – NYC
Saint John Baptist de La Salle—Pray for us.
Live, Jesus, in our hearts—Forever.