"I am the true vine and my Father is the vine grower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine and you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:1-5)

Sitting on my front porch this lovely, warm fall morning, I am enjoying the tree on my front lawn perhaps for the last time. This tree will be replaced sometime this week. It was declared dead a year ago. Even in its present state the tree has continued to give me enjoyment. It also has provided me an opportunity to work on my patience, not my most honorable virtue, as I have waited for a replacement for a year this week.

I am admiring the grey tones still present on the bark of the trunk of this tree. I am observing in its bareness how the branches evolve from the trunk, two branches opposite each other, and how from those branches more branches grow. "Only God can make a tree."

My thoughts at this moment in time are twofold:
Firstly, the branches off the trunk are an image in my mind's eye of God’s gracious, vast loving arms reaching to enfold me as He wraps His arms about me and lifts me up every day.

Secondly, I am taken back to a snowy, day in December many years ago. The date is December 13, 1959, my wedding day. Our priest was a wonderful, loving, humble servant of the Lord. He was well up in years and spoke fluent Greek. What English he could speak was quite broken. He gave us permission to have an English speaking priest from a different parish do our wedding celebration. After the ceremony was completed, he spoke a few words most of which I cannot recall. However I can vividly hear him now, saying, "From good vine grows good branches. Good branches bear good fruit."

In my silence, as I was enjoying my last views of this tree, I know that God sent me these thoughts to recall the 37 wonderful years Joe and I had together. He gave me these moments to review the movie of our life together with lots of fond loving memories. Hopefully we were and I continue to be a good Christian role model for my children and their spouses and my grandchildren as well as to friends and neighbors.

While wrapped in my memories, the Holy Spirit moved me to fetch my Bible to re-visit John's Gospel, Chapter 15. In verse 1 Jesus called himself "he true vine" and in verse 4 he stated, "Abide in Me and I abide in you." These two statements make my relationship as one of his "branches" unique and intimate. All of the folks who have come into my path are "branches" each with their own uniqueness. These "branches" have provided me with love and happiness, joy and sorrow, laughter and tears, compassion and contentment. When some of these folks came into my path in times of brokenness and need, my hope is that my “branch” provided good fruit by serving them, and through them, Jesus "The True Vine." Through my unique and personal relationship with Him, my "branches"can and will bear fruit, in both good works and missions of service.”

Good and Gracious God, Thank you for your saving grace through faith. Thank you for the image of Christ the "true vine." Guide me to foster a relationship with you that reaps good things. Let me feel Your Presence in every deed and action of every day, those coming from me and coming to me. Let me be a witness to Your Abiding Presence in my service to others and to the missions of our Church Community: locally, nationally and globally. This I ask in your name, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen

Contributed by Joyce
Monday November 9, 2015
Liturgical Year B: Week 50
Liturgical Color: Green
Sunday Gospel reading: Proper27
Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost