Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter
My sister and her husband live in the Napa Valley of California. I always say that if you stand in their yard and throw a rock in any direction, you’ll hit a vineyard! Driving through that area, I’m awed and overwhelmed by the beauty of the vineyards – some in massive acreages on flat land, others growing up the gentle hillsides of the mountain foothills. Being present in any part of the Napa Valley, one cannot help but be taken in and captivated by the majesty and the fertility of the vineyards. For the people who live there, grape-growing and the wine industry form a central part of their culture. I can imagine if Jesus showed up there today to offer a parable that it would center around grapes and vineyards. The people of Jesus’ day had a similar understanding of this unique agriculture. In today’s Gospel, Jesus paints a vivid picture of our life in him and offers us hope and comfort through an invitation to abide under the loving cultivation of our Heavenly Father.
Typically, when I read this passage in John’s Gospel, I focus on Jesus as the Vine. This time, the Spirit opened my eyes to the role of the Father as the Vine Grower. Like any type of farmer, a vine grower undertakes an enormous responsibility. The vine grower must intimately know and understand the climate and its limitations for grape growing. I recall visiting the Napa Valley once when an unusual cold front came through. The farmers worked around the clock keeping small fires or heaters burning to keep the vines warm and prevent a catastrophic crop loss. Vine growers must know optimal soil characteristics and chemistry and work to achieve the right balance for the plants. A grape vine’s annual cycle has two parts: vegetative and reproductive. Two different prunings take place at established times within this biological cycle. Vine growers work tirelessly to control pests that threaten the crop – anything from insects to fungi and mildew. Irrigation is a critical aspect; the vine grower carefully manages the water in the soil, as too much or too little can compromise the entire crop.
I’m reflecting on all these processes because it makes me mindful in a new way of our Father’s loving care. Grape vines can live and produce grapes for over 120 years. There are particular vines on record around the world that date back to the 17th century! Grape vines remain a long, long time. In our Gospel text, John repeats the word remain 8 times. Hearers of Jesus’ parable would have understood the longevity of a grape vine, its abiding permanence in a vineyard. That kind of abiding is only possible under the tender, loving, faithful, constant care and cultivation of the vine grower. We can abide, remain, as branches in Jesus our Vine because he gives us life through his rootstock and because our Father the Vine Grower never tires nor ceases to care for us. God places us in the Vine and nurtures the conditions of our discipleship; we simply must abide. Sometimes faithful discipleship feels like hard work. Sometimes we feel weary and overwhelmed in our efforts to be obedient. I hope we can find hope and comfort in today’s Gospel, knowing that remaining in Jesus is a form of rest. Let’s rest in our Lord today, trusting that his life flows through us just as sap flows through a grapevine. Let’s rest in our Lord knowing that our Heavenly Father lovingly nurtures and cultivates the conditions for our growth. Let us pray that we will be disciples who glorify the Father who cares for us by bearing fruit for the Kingdom. May our branches be forever fruitful. Amen!
- Elizabeth Wourms