Today's gospel begins with familiar words: "I am the vine, and my Father is the vine grower." Then a few lines further in the evangelist's writing we encounter even my familiar words: "I am the vine, are you are the branches."
What is the message for our consideration? Jesus invites us to consider that a branch has a unique relationship to a vine. It is our relationship to Jesus, his impact upon each person's life, that will demonstrate to others whether or not we are the voice of God in our world today. We are called to be that voice by our baptism!
Ignatius of Loyola uses an metaphor in his Spiritual Exercises that comes to mind. He invites us to consider that faithful follower's role in relation to the master, in this case, Jesus. The loyalist is presented as the staff that the master relies on. Perhaps in our urbanized experiences staffs are not too frequently used by the general population. We are not out with the herds or in the fields! We might say that the branches that Jesus mentions is very much like the staff. The branches become extensions of the vine.
Pope Benedict's message was a call to renewal of a spiritual life. He endeavored to teach us this message by using a unique theme for the visit: Jesus our hope! We must delve into that message to discover the awe that comes to the one whose life follows the life of Jesus Christ. Those who live with their true selves, who know who they are, become the vibrant branches that give new life, that teach others the gift God gives those who stand firm with the Lord.
