The
Gospel on Sunday was the story of the vine and the branches. At Evening Prayer
on Saturday evening Sr. Aileen gave her reflection. Her thoughts have stayed
with me as the week has progressed.
She
emphasized that a vine is a type of plant that attaches itself to some
structure and its branches are in intricate part of the vine, not a separate
entity. The nutrients that are coming into the vine and passed along to the
branches.
I
keep imagining the nutrients of Christ coming into my very being, just as
nutrients come into a living vine and its branches. I ask myself what
difference are those nutrients in my life, in how I view the world, how I treat
others, in what decisions I make every day.
And
what are the nutrients—the values of respect, compassion, selflessness.
Are
these the hallmarks of my daily life? Do these determine how I act?
Some
years ago, the phrase “what would Jesus do” was popular. If I’m really a branch
on the vine that is Jesus I think that question is still relevant. What Jesus
would do, should be what I would do, as a living branch of Jesus, without even
asking the question.
What
do you think?
Dear Sister, thank you for this good word. It is a good question. What would Jesus do? Let us consider his pattern and teaching. It is very good to think about this. That greatly loved passage at the beginning of ch. 8 in St. Jn (which they say was added later) speaks so strongly of the true Jesus. A puzzle. Are there patterns of Jesus that were not in the original Gospel? Wow (if you permit me to say so) Wow -- that guy over there? But she's not even ... what is the vine? what is its lifeblood? the last question must be love, unselfish giving love. The good brother the good sister God bless OSB OSC amen Happy Easter to you amen
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