I AM THE TRUE VINE

At 9,26-31; Ps 21; 1 Jn 3,18-24; Jn 15,1-8
29 APRIL – V SUNDAY OF EASTER – B
The image of the vine gives a substantial change of essence to the whole of the Old Testament. The Old Covenant is unity of the Twelve Tribes in one people kept united by the Law of the Lord alone. One God, one people, one Law, one Vineyard with many vines. The fruit that the vineyard should have brought was obedience to every word of its Lord. Justice and love in the people are born with obedience. Every injustice, abuse and hatred of man for man is produced with disobedience. The vineyard does not produce fruits of obedience and God must intervene with a strong hand. Jerusalem is destroyed and the people deported into exile.

Let me now sing of my friend, my friend’s song concerning his vineyard. My friend had a vineyard on a fertile hillside; He spaded it, cleared it of stones, and planted the choicest vines; Within it he built a watchtower, and hewed out a wine press. Then he looked for the crop of grapes, but what it yielded was wild grapes. Now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard: What more was there to do for my vineyard that I had not done? Why, when I looked for the crop of grapes, did it bring forth wild grapes? Now, I will let you know what I mean to do to my vineyard: Take away its hedge, give it to grazing, break through its wall, let it be trampled! Yes, I will make it a ruin: it shall not be pruned or hoed, but overgrown with thorns and briers; I will command the clouds not to send rain upon it. The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his cherished plant; He looked for judgment, but see, bloodshed! for justice, but hark, the outcry! (Is 5,1-7).

With Jesus, change is substantial. The Lord plants on his hill only one true vine, Lord Jesus, which will remain true forever. This vine will produce to him every fruit of justice for the redemption and the salvation of humanity. God will never eradicate this vine, never abandon it to wild animals, it will always be the one and only true vine. Christ Jesus is the eternity and immutability of the gift of the Father. Successor in Abraham’s blessing is Isaac, Jacob, Judah and David. Jesus has no successors. He is the only one, the eternal, the unchanging over the centuries. He is the unmodifiable perennity of the Father, in the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the eternal true life of the Father. There are no others, never will there be any. This truth today is urgent to the Church and to every disciple of Jesus. The recommendation of the Letter to the Hebrews is also valid for us: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever! Do not be led astray by various and foreign doctrines, because it is good that the heart be sustained by grace and not by foods that have never benefited those who use it” (Hebrews 13: 8-9).

“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 everyone 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.

If one is the true vine, if there are no other true vines planted by the Lord on his holy hill, who is the disciple of Jesus before God and the world? He is a branch of this true vine. The consequences are of essence and not only of superficial or extrinsic morality. Who is inserted in Christ, through obedience to his Word, produces fruits of eternal life for himself and for the world. Who is inserted in Christ, but does not obey his word, not only does not produce any fruit, the Father comes and cuts him as a branch. Separated “naturally” from the true vine, it dries and is burned in the fire. While the branch that produces, the Father prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. Obedience to the Word produces fruits of Christ in Christ. The unity of essence with Christ is the only source of life.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels, Saints, make us live branches of the true vine.