The End Times Revelation continued
I AM
The vine
In all three synoptic gospels Jesus asked the disciples “Who do people say I am?” But in John's gospel Jesus makes several I AM statements that reveal much about His identity. He said, I am the way the truth and the life. I am the light of the world. I am the Good Shepherd. I am the door. I am the bread of life. I am the resurrection and the life. I am the vine, and you are the branches. Each statement reveals a different aspect of his identity and the path to a more perfect union with his loved ones.
A gardener knows all too well the importance of caring for his plants. He needs to weed water and fertilize his field. A garden left poorly tended becomes quickly overgrown with weeds and rambling, unproductive branches which need to be pruned and thrown into the fire. Our lives too can be overgrown with worthless habits and sin which needs to be pruned or uprooted. Sometimes the soil is depleted of nutrients and requires feeding. The soul too needs to be fed daily with prayer, scripture, and frequent use of the sacraments. Otherwise, little fruit is produced.
However, pruning causes trauma requiring the cutting or splicing of the plant. It's life force seeps away unless it is rapidly bound at the wound site. Pruning away useless limbs allows the plant to focus its energy on the main stem so that new growth can flourish.
The analogy for the soul is to root out all sin and the sources of temptations to sin, in order to make room for the plenitude of graces that God wants to pour into it. The soul needs to practice self-denial shed its materialism and pride. If it is slow to do so, God, the gardener, may take the initiative and prune the selfishness and self-will himself thus allowing hardships to squelch its pride. Like job, sometimes all seems lost but God is merely strengthening the roots in order that we may be grafted into. Him. By doing so we become one with the vine sharing our life blood with His to the extent that He becomes more visible in us. We must decrease and He must increase. Then, the fruit will be good.
Some people ask why bad things happen to good people. If the plant is so weak and rotten that it is beyond hope of producing good fruit, then it is worth nothing but to be thrown out. If there is any hope for a fruitful life, God may splice cut and graft a strong vine to the stem to enrich the plant, thereby, producing something better, something new. The pain of pruning or grafting is worth the temporary suffering for good health to result. Sometimes hurtful things produce abundant good fruit. Therefore, our response to suffering should be gratitude. Yes gratitude! You see God sees something good in us, something worth saving and the pruning will only make it better.
Who is Jesus? He said He is the way so don't get lost. He is the truth, there is no other truth. He is life without him you have no life. He is the light to show the way when you are blinded by darkness. He will always be there for you as your Good Shepherd, listen to His voice. There are many paths through life and pastures to dwell in but he is the door to your safe haven. He will see that you never starve for bread or grace because he is the bread, the body given for you but not a dead body with no sap remaining. He is the resurrection and the fullness of life that Hse has long desired for you to be grafted into for all eternity.