‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser….you are the branches.‘
Today’s reading from the Gospel of St John strongly implies mutual friendship between God and us. It is our friendship with him that causes us to produce good fruit and make good wine. We are bound together in mutual friendship and love.
Our relationship with God is more complex than the model of the master and his servant or a Father and his children. We are expected to do more than just follow blindly.
As Christians, we produce good fruit by following Christ’s example, which takes strength and courage. We are asked to bear witness. With the perfect growing conditions provided for us, what God hopes is that will we grow up and mature into good grapes that will produce good wine. Just as the vine draws nutrients from the ground, so we draw our strength from God to do whatever it is we must do — whatever it is the Spirit asks of us. We do so remembering that we are not alone but intertwined in love and friendship with many other branches, and One very strong vine.