Scrutinizing Scripture: ‘I am the true vine’

Jesus said to his disciples: “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 every one 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.” – John 15: 1-8

By Father Patrick Carr

My grandfather was from a small farming town called Welsh, a little town between Lafayette and Lake Charles.

I will always remember my grandfather’s garden. He grew cantaloupes. They were always so sweet and good.

He also grew big beautiful green beans, very red, juicy tomatoes and mouth-watering cucumbers. My grandfather spent a lot of time in his garden, but I didn’t know exactly what he did there.

After I graduated from college, I started to cook for myself. I would go out and buy green beans, tomatoes, and cucumbers. But they didn’t taste like my grandfather’s. So, I decided to grow my own garden.

I went and bought some seeds and planted them. The seeds started to sprout. I couldn’t wait until I had a garden like my grandfather’s!

But I soon became extremely disappointed. My green beans had all but died; the cantaloupes were not so sweet; the cucumbers were ridiculously small; and the tomatoes had been eaten by squirrels.

I called up my grandfather and told him what happened. He laughed and said a garden doesn’t grow on its own. It needs care, watering, someone to cut back the wild branches and someone to protect it from being attacked by bugs and other animals. I realized that my grandfather grew such nice, juicy vegetables because he took care of his garden.  

That is what Jesus wants us to see in today’s Gospel. Jesus refers to himself as a vine. This vine is perfect! It is perfect because God, the Father, is the gardener. This vine produces the best fruit because the Father is its constant source of life.

Jesus is inviting you to become branches on that vine. If you become branches on that vine, you will bear much fruit. You will love as God loves. You will be hopeful and faithful. You will know right from wrong. You will know how to properly use the things of this world. But most of all, God opens up a future for you – a future where you will live as a human being forever in your resurrected bodies. Nothing can ever erase your future, because God, the gardener, will protect you.

So, how do we become branches on this vine? We become branches on this vine through prayer, through the sacraments and through worshipping God in the Mass.

We cannot cut off ourselves from God. We are not the source of life. God is.

Father Patrick Carr was a certified public account before his 2016 ordination to the priesthood. In addition to being pastor of St. Rita Church in New Orleans, he serves as the archdiocese’s vicar for finance.