The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to consider the image of vine and branches as we celebrate acceptance of Christ by more people.
The Reading from the Acts of the Apostles presents the Council of Jerusalem.
* [15:1–35] The Jerusalem “Council” marks the official rejection of the rigid view that Gentile converts were obliged to observe the Mosaic law completely. From here to the end of Acts, Paul and the Gentile mission become the focus of Luke’s writing.
* [15:1–5] When some of the converted Pharisees of Jerusalem discover the results of the first missionary journey of Paul, they urge that the Gentiles be taught to follow the Mosaic law. Recognizing the authority of the Jerusalem church, Paul and Barnabas go there to settle the question of whether Gentiles can embrace a form of Christianity that does not include this obligation. (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 122 celebrates pilgrims obeying the law to visit Jerusalem.
* [Psalm 122] A song of Zion, sung by pilgrims obeying the law to visit Jerusalem three times on a journey. The singer anticipates joining the procession into the city (Ps 122:1–3). Jerusalem is a place of encounter, where the people praise God (Ps 122:4) and hear the divine justice mediated by the king (Ps 122:5). The very buildings bespeak God’s power (cf. Ps 48:13–15). May the grace of this place transform the people’s lives (Ps 122:6–9)! (Psalms, PSALM 122 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of John, Jesus presents the image of Vine and the Branches.
* [15:1–17] Like Jn 10:1–5, this passage resembles a parable. Israel is spoken of as a vineyard at Is 5:1–7; Mt 21:33–46 and as a vine at Ps 80:9–17; Jer 2:21; Ez 15:2; 17:5–10; 19:10; Hos 10:1. The identification of the vine as the Son of Man in Ps 80:15 and Wisdom’s description of herself as a vine in Sir 24:17 are further background for portrayal of Jesus by this figure. There may be secondary eucharistic symbolism here; cf. Mk 14:25, “the fruit of the vine.”
* [15:2] Takes away,prunes: in Greek there is a play on two related verbs.
* [15:6] Branches were cut off and dried on the wall of the vineyard for later use as fuel. (John, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB, n.d.)
Mike Cherney comments that retirement has given him more time to reflect on his life and the words of Pope Francis, “Who am I to judge?”.
In John 15:1–8, Jesus offers a powerful image: “I am the vine, you are the branches.” I find a call to community to be at the heart of this passage. I hear a message involving a shared existence, mutual dependence, and organic growth. It reminds me that faith is not rigid or static, but it is something living and dynamic, just as a vine grows, twists, and adapts.
My prayer today focuses on this community.
Dear Lord,
We are the branches, all of us, in our diversity, our questions, and our hopes.
May we remain part of the Vine, not through fear of pruning, but connected through love.
Let Your Spirit flow through us into every part of our society.
Let our fruit be the kind that nourishes a world in need of compassion, justice, and healing. (Cherney, 2025)
Don Schwager quotes “Cleansed by Jesus' word,” by Basil the Great, 329-379 A.D.
"So the world - life enslaved by carnal passions - can no more receive the grace of the Spirit than a weak eye can look at the light of a sunbeam. First the Lord cleansed his disciples' lives through his teaching, and then he gave them the ability to both see and contemplate the Spirit. He says, 'You are already made clean by the word I have spoken to you' (John 15:3). Therefore 'the world cannot receive him, because it neither sees him nor knows him... You know him, for he dwells with you' (John 14:17). Isaiah says, 'He who settled the earth and the things in it; and gives breath to the people on it, and Spirit to them that tread on it' (Isaiah 42:5). From this we can learn that those who trample earthly things and rise above them become worthy to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (excerpt from ON THE HOLY SPIRIT 22.53) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on John 15:1-8 comments that as followers of Jesus, we, too, need to be continually pruned and cleansed. This can make us feel anxious; it surely doesn’t sound like a pleasant prospect! But as one commentator said, “The vinedresser is never closer to the vine, taking more thought over its long-term health and productivity, than when he has the knife in his hand.” So we can trust that if we experience him “pruning” us, he is doing it with great care and love. And he is doing it only because he sees how it will help us to bear more fruit for him and his kingdom.
There’s no doubt that the experience of pruning can be painful. Yet we can trust that our faithful and loving Lord knows exactly what he’s doing. He will stay close to us as he prunes us and helps us to bear fruit in every area of our lives.
“Lord Jesus, I trust that you will cleanse and prune me so that I can bear fruit for you!” (Meditation on John 15:1-8, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the tension at the Council of Jerusalem when Christian Pharisees sought to have Gentile converts follow Jewish Law and customs because Jesus was a Jew. The leadership of the discussion is by Paul in Galatians and by Peter and James in Acts. Friar Jude reminds us that our fullness of life is dependent on our connection to Jesus as vine and we choose to reject that life when we cut ourselves off from Him.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM introduces CAC faculty member Carmen Acevedo Butcher who shares her relationship with Scripture.
For me, Scripture was first the Hebrew Bible and then the New Testament—and in my childhood, I experienced it as mostly learning about what it said so I could pass some imaginary test on being good that some imaginary policeman installed in me. But eventually, Scripture for me became about transformation, about finding out who I am and how I can be more loving and self-aware.
The Christian Scriptures are an anthology written by human beings. They contain the good, the bad, and the ugly. We should wrestle with them. In the end, what I’m supposed to walk away with from reading the Christian Scriptures is a sense of astonishment about God’s love. If they’re not coming across as astonishing, then I need to take another run at it…. My hope always, for my own path of growth and transformation, is to try to read the Scriptures as Jesus did. (Rohr, n.d.)
We seek the guidance and Wisdom of the Spirit to be open to the life offered as branches on the Vine bringing a harvest of mercy, love, and compassion to our environment.
References
Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 21, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/15?1
Cherney, M. (2025, May 21). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved May 21, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/052125.html
John, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 21, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/15?1
Meditation on John 15:1-8. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved May 21, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/05/21/1281686/
Psalms, PSALM 122 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 21, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/122?1
Rohr, R. (n.d.). What Is Scripture to Me? Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved May 21, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/what-is-scripture-to-me/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Abide in Me, and I in You. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 21, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=may21
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