Fifth Sunday of EasterOur rootedness in Jesus is what gives us the ability to be truly productive, because no good can come from a branch that is broken, dried out, fallen or dead.
Keep connected, says Jesus in Sunday's Gospel, “because apart from me you can do nothing."
At the same time, branches on the Jesus Vine know that it is better to bunch together than to stand out. The True Vine has always been healthiest when its branches have grown together instead of shooting off in a thousand different directions. To do the work of Christ requires commitment and coordination, not occasional flashes of brilliance and daring individual efforts. To be true disciples, we need to love one another, just as Jesus has loved us.
Keep together, says Jesus, “bear much fruit and become my disciples." Being a fruitful disciple is always a team sport, not an individual activity.
