John 15:1-8
“I am the true Vine, and my Father is the Gardener. He
lops off every branch that doesn’t produce. And he prunes those branches that
bear fruit for even larger crops. He has already tended you by pruning you back
for greater strength and usefulness by means of the commands I gave you. Take
care to live in me, and let me live in you. For a branch can’t produce fruit
when severed from the vine. Nor can you be fruitful apart from me.
“Yes, I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives
in me and I in him shall produce a large crop of fruit. For apart from me you
can’t do a thing. If anyone separates from me, he is thrown away like a useless
branch, withers, and is gathered into a pile with all the others and burned.
But if you stay in me and obey my commands, you may ask any request you like,
and it will be granted! My true disciples produce bountiful harvests. This
brings great glory to my Father.
Food for thought!
We and Jesus are so much united that we are like the
branches attached to a tree. And as branches, there's constant and consistent
communication between us and Jesus. While Jesus is constantly feeding us, the
Father is constantly pruning us to bear more fruit. However, something we must note is that pruning is a
painful process. It is not fun to be pruned. Bearing fruit cannot be achieved
in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering. All
successful people can attest to the multitude of difficulties that were
overcome on the journey to their destination.
Jesus makes a revelation: "apart from me you can’t
do a thing." This neans in effect that there is nothing we can do on our
own without the assistance of Jesus. But we're not the only one. Even our
heavenly Father did nothing without Jesus. The Bible says: "God created
everything through him, and nothing was created except through him." (John
1:3) St. Paul puts it this way: "For in him all things were created:
things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers
or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for
him." (Collossians 1:16).
If and when we separate from Jesus, we become useless and
powerless; we're thrown away like a
useless branch, wither, and are gathered into a pile with all the others and
burned. But if and when we stay in Jesus and obey his commands, we may ask any
request we like, and it will be granted! It is by prayer and meditation that we
stay in touch with Jesus. In prayer we touch God and let God touch us. We do
well to stay in touch, even when we away from the church. Be in touch with God,
and let God be in touch with you. As St. Paul recommends us, "Continue
steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving." (Colossians 4:2)
I attribute all my success to the power of prayer in my
daily life. In fact, I begin all my activities with prayer, especially mental
prayer. Whatever you do in life, whether you get married, bring a case to a
court of law, perform surgery on a child, or buy a stock, it is wise to begin
with prayer. Remember, without Jesus we're nothing and can do nothing.
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