From the Gospel according to John
Jn 15:1-8
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.”
Remaining in Him. Being connected to His intimacy, what a marvel! Where better! And on top of that, we bear fruit, and on top of that, we give glory to the Father, and on top of that, we become disciples of the Lord. This is God’s great plan. If He has to prune us a little here and there, then blessed be!
Applied to married life:
Merche: I’m beginning to glimpse what it means to live in communion with each other and in Christ. It seems so precious, so incredible to me, that I am willing to do whatever it takes to live it with you.
Jesus (Merche’s fiancé): Then teach me, Merche, because I also want to experience with you what you’re talking about, but I lack faith.
Merche: Don’t worry, Jesus. You just have to trust and let yourself be carried along. If then your dreams start coming true, you’ll see how you keep moving forward on your own.
Jesus: For love of you, I am willing to leap into what you’re telling me, into that void that stands before me right now.
Merche: Blessed are you, because that longing has not been planted in you by any flesh and blood, but by our Father who is in heaven.
Jesus: Well, thank you, Father, if you hear me wherever you are.
Mother,
We only want to be united to Christ, drinking from His intimacy, and we also want all our loved