I AM THE VINE, YOU ARE THE BRANCHES

V SUNDAY OF EASTER - John 15:1-8

Most of us learnt the 10 commandments when we attended catechesis for the first communion or the baptism. They set the values which should guide us, being the foundation of our moral behaviour. However, according to Jesus the two most important commandments which include all the others are: Love God and love your neighbour as yourself. And according to Paul, all commandments are summed up in this one: “you shall love your neighbour as yourself.” (Ro 13:9). John, in his first letter, tells us that there are only two commandments: 

“His commandments are these:

that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ

and that we love one another

as he told us to.” (1 Jn 3:23).

We must believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of the living God. Salvation is given to us only through him. To believe in Jesus, that is to accept him, to listen to him, to follow him and become one with him - is a commandment given to us by God. Even before the creation of the world, God had a plan for us - that we live in his love and share in his glory. With sin, humanity turned that plan upside down. However, we cannot undo what God has decided since he always finds a way of straightening what we have made crook. Thus, through Jesus Christ, His beloved Son, God has carried out his plan of salvation. Jesus is the Way, the only to the Father. In him, we become God’s children, so that his glory may be manifest in us. That’s why we must believe in Jesus Christ and become one with him. He is the role model that we must follow. It is not enough to love my neighbour as I love myself. I must love in the way Jesus loved. In true love, there is no selfishness. Love gives us the strength to offer our life at the service of others as Jesus did.

In the Gospel, Jesus stresses the importance of having a deep relationship with him. He uses the comparison of the vine, explaining that he is the vine and we must be the branches of that vine. Being one with Jesus, we can bear fruit in plenty, “for cut off from me you can do nothing.” (Jn 15:5).

Let us examine our relationship with Jesus. How deep is it? How committed are we? What effort do we put in to become more and more like Jesus?