May 2003

Jesus is about to return to the Father. In his death and resurrection, now imminent, the parable of the grain of wheat falling to the ground and producing much fruit is being fulfilled. Jesus carries out his work: on the cross he gives himself completely (the grain of wheat that dies) and with his resurrection he gives life to a new humanity (the ear of wheat with many grains). But Jesus wants his work to continue in his disciples: they too will have to love to the point of giving their life and, in this way, generate the community. For this reason, when he spoke to them at the Last Supper, he compared them to vine-shoots called to bear fruit.
Practically speaking, how can we be grafted onto the vine? Jesus explains that to remain in him means to remain in his love (see Jn 15:9), to allow his words to live in us (see Jn 15:7), to keep his commandments (see Jn 15:10), above all “his” commandment: mutual love (see Jn 15:12,17). During that Last Supper, he also gave us his body and blood. In us and among us, he will continue to bear fruit and carry out his work. But if we refuse this relationship of love, we are cut off:

«He [my Father] takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit.»

This drastic action on the part of the Father cannot help but reawaken in us the fear of God. We cannot abuse his love. Precisely because God is Love, he is also justice. If he cuts it away it is because he sees that the branch is already dead; it condemned itself: it refused the sap and no longer bears fruit. We could fall into the error of believing that bearing fruit means activism, organizing activities, efficiency… forgetting what really counts: to be united to Jesus, to live in his grace, or at least in conformity to our conscience. So the Father cuts off the branch because, in spite of appearances, it has no life.
Does this mean that there is no hope? The vineyard of the Lord is mysterious, and he knows how to re-engraft the branch that was cut off: we can always convert, we can always begin again.

«… and everyone that does [bear fruit] he [my Father] prunes so that it bears more fruit.»

How will I know that I bear fruit?
To whoever behaves well, trials will necessarily arrive: they are expressions of God’s love which purify our actions in such a way that we bear more fruit, exactly as what happens in nature through pruning. And so there are physical and spiritual sufferings, illnesses, temptations, doubts, a sense of abandonment on the part of God, the most diverse situations which speak to us more of death than of life. Why? Could it be that God wants death? No, on the contrary, God loves life, but a life so full and so fruitful that – for all our striving towards what is good, positive, and peaceful – we will never be able to imagine it. He prunes for this very reason.

«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 everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.»

This Word of Life assures us that the trials and difficulties are never an end in themselves. They come so that we can bear “more fruit”. And the fruit is not only apostolic fecundity, that is, the capacity to kindle faith in others and to build the Christian community. Jesus indicates other fruits to us. He promises us that if we remain in his love and his words remain in us, we will be able to ask whatever we want and it will be given to us (see Jn 15:7,16), we will give glory to the Father (see Jn 15:8), and we will have the fullness of joy (see Jn 15:11).
It makes sense then to entrust ourselves completely to the expert hands of the Father and to allow him to work in us.

Chiara Lubich