To be all we can be

We can only be all that we can be by being united to Christ the Vine. Separated from him we can only be a poor second – a shadow of the self that God the Father has in mind for us.

In the gospel this Sunday Jesus says, “I am the vine, and you are the branches.” Conversely, cut off from me you can do nothing,” (John 15: 1-8).

How can anyone be united to Christ? How can we be ‘the difference?’ Through belonging. We show belonging to a particular football team by going to matches, singing the songs, wearing the tee shirt and scarf and going to the pub afterwards either to commiserate or rejoice.

In the same way we show belonging to Christ by meeting his followers in Church for song and worship and by sharing our hopes and struggles joys and sorrows. When life gets tough we turn to Jesus and grow, becoming much more than we were before. As this gospel passage tells us, we bear even more fruit in our lives.

This may not be world changing but can be life changing for us and those we love and care about and those we meet each day.  

In the words of Mother, now Saint, Theresa of Calcutta;

 “We know only too well that what we are doing is nothing more than a drop in the ocean. But if the drop were not there, the ocean would be missing something.”

Rooted in love which comes through Christ, we can be all that God has planned for us since the beginning of time. Rootless what are we and where are we going?