The image of Israel as the vineyard God faithfully loves and cares for despite her inattentiveness and sinfulness was familiar to the disciples who in today’s Gospel hear Jesus say, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.” Jesus assured the disciples they are branches that have already been pruned, examined, and retained. Although this was spoken during the Last Supper, this is good Easter news; they are participants in His paschal mystery! They are one with Him and now able to produce fruit as long as they remain in Him. But Jesus reminds the disciples that without Him they can do nothing. Abiding in Him they can ask for anything and it will be done. The gift and responsibility is that they are to bear even more fruit.
Barnabas, as we hear in today’s First Reading, remembered both the gift and responsibility. Without him, St. Paul may have continued to be feared and treated suspiciously by the apostles. His astounding missionary work might have been greatly delayed, though perhaps given his zealous nature in cooperation with the Lord, he would have found another way. In any event, all of them—Barnabas, the Apostles, and St. Paul, in the midst of persecution, fear, and ordinary human weakness lived out St. John’s exhortation in today’s Second Reading to “love not in word or speech, but in deed and truth.” Branches of the True Vine, they brought forth much fruit for the glory of God.
For what mission have you been both nurtured and pruned? It is really fun sometimes to imagine ourselves with the missionary zeal of St. Paul traveling great distances. All of us share the same vocation as he; to be disciples of Jesus Christ. But our greatest mission and the discovery of where our salvation lies is most often close to home in our relationships with our family, at work, at St. Angela’s, and right in our neighborhood. These are the places where we are pruned as we experience our own weakness and life’s disappointments, humiliations, and betrayals. If we stay connected to the True Vine through prayer and frequent reception of the sacraments we will grow in humility and generosity, better prepared to respond lovingly in the challenges so close at hand. When we try to live the truth that everything is in Him and through Him and with Him for His glory, we more easily leave everything to the Grower and the Vine and simply enjoy the sweetness of being among the fruit.
You’ve experienced the pruning. Stay connected to the vine and don’t miss out on the growth. First, and sometimes most of all, we have to show up. Show up and be present, really, this week to your family, those with whom you work and at St. Angela’s.