I love grapes! Easter 5

Reflections   Easter 5

Acts 8:26-40,  Psalm 22:25-31,  1 John 4:7-21,

 John 15:1-8

”I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. ²He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. ³You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. ⁵I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. ⁷If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.

Grapes may be my favorite fruit.  They can be sweet or tart, easy to eat a handful or just one or two.   Their variety is legendary.  Both the grapes and the wine made from them seem to yield a kaleidoscope of flavors.    

My commentary on the Gospel is the following personal allegory.  About five years ago we planted three vine stocks under a trellis, with the plan to have table grapes in a few years.  We knew it would take at least two seasons before the stumps would grow a central vine and the vine produce fruiting branches.  We had a general idea that the vines would need to be tended, trained up the trellis, and pruned, but that would be much later.  That same year we planted three dwarf fruit trees, lilacs and a lot of ornamentals around the yard.  Then three years went by.  In the summer, we noticed the mass of gangly vines that had found their way up the trellis and over on to the plum tree and across the garden gate so that we could hardly open it!  The few grape bunches that were produced were inedible. They were small and did not ripen well, and molded.  But it was summer, and we were afraid to cut anything until the vines were dormant in the winter.  Then busy winters came and went and we were not outside noticing the vine at that time.  Finally, this year, in January, we put a day for pruning on our calendars, found instructions for pruning, and did it.  We filled up our wheel barrow, leaving only six branches per central vine.  We’ll see what the vine and branches produce this summer.

What strikes me about today’s Gospel reading is how much God wants to love us, for us to be engrafted in the life and purposes of God.  And to produce good quality fruit.   In the letter to the Galatian church we read that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (5:22).  The monastic movements through the ages, including the one we are involved in, are defined by a certain singularity, allowing God to prune away that which is secondary, to allow what is primary to be fed and grow -- to be more fully alive and fruitful in God’s vine.