Today’s Theme for Prayer – Jesus Makes Me His Intimate Disciple
How Do I Gain Deeper Personal Knowledge of God
If everything that exists was made by God and for God, and God is superior to the things made by Him, he who abandons what is superior and devotes himself to what is inferior shows that he values things made by God more than God Himself.) St. Maximus the Confessor
Abiding in the Vine: A Journey into Trinitarian Intimacy
Jn 15:1-11
“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 branch that does bear fruit he prunes, so that it may bear more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also 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. If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered and thrown into the fire and 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 my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.”
Grace Prayed For
The grace to remain in Christ, to allow his words to take root in our hearts, and to trust in the Father’s loving care, even in times of pruning. We should pray for the grace to recognize the life-giving flow of the Trinity within us and to respond to that divine love with our whole being.
Reflection
Jesus’ words paint a vivid picture of our relationship with him and the Father. We are not isolated individuals, but branches intimately connected to the Vine, which is Jesus himself. The Father, the Divine Gardener, lovingly tends to us, pruning us so that we can bear even more fruit. This pruning, though sometimes painful, is an act of love, shaping us to reflect more perfectly the life-giving sap of the Trinity. To remain in Jesus is to remain in the very heart of God’s love, a love that has been poured out for us from the beginning. It’s an invitation to abide, to dwell, to make our home in the Trinity. As we do, the very life of God flows through us, empowering us to love as Jesus loved and to experience the fullness of joy he promised. This isn’t a distant, abstract connection, but a vital, life-sustaining union, as close as the branch is to the vine. It is in this intimate abiding that we discover our true selves, bearing fruit that glorifies the Father and fills our own hearts with an overflowing joy.
Growing in Intimacy/Union with Jesus
This passage reveals Jesus’ deep desire for intimate connection with us. He uses the analogy of the vine and branches to illustrate just how vital and close this relationship is meant to be. He invites us to “remain” in him, a word that suggests not just a fleeting thought but a constant, active dwelling. By remaining in Jesus, we open ourselves to the very life of God, allowing it to transform us from the inside out. It’s in this abiding, this constant connection, that we truly come to know Jesus, not just as a historical figure, but as the living source of our being.
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Sharing
Jesus last words on Earth were to his disciples, can be found in Matthew Chap 28 when Jesus told his disciples, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Jesus calls all of us to share in his redemptive mission here on Earth. I would ask you to share this Scripture reflection with your family, your friends and your acquaintances, and then share it with a couple of individuals that you may may not be comfortable sharing with, keeping in mind always the words of Jesus, And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
Author was assisted by AI in the drafting of this Post