"I AM" the Vine

Homily for the Feast of St. Clare

The last of the “I AM” statements in St. John’s Gospel tells us that Jesus is the vine and that we are the branches. In order to really understand what is intended in this statement, we must read it backwards. The very last verse gives us the hermeneutic to interpret the symbolism of the vine and the branches. That last statement reads: ““I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.”

We are all sufficiently able to understand that the life of any plant depends upon the life force moving through the plant from the root to the wood and then to the leaves. The sap that runs through the plant moves moisture and nutrients from the soil into the fruit of the plant. Since it seems that joy is the fruit of the vine and the branches, we must look at joy as the fruit of the Holy Spirit as well as the fruit of the vine branches.

The world can be grim. There is often much darkness because for anxiety and disappointment. Yet Jesus ensures us that his death and resurrection will bring us joy, for he intends to go before us to prepare a place for us in the mansions of his Father. If this is to be the source of our joy (which is to be put off until Jesus’ death and resurrection) then we will only find that joy if we, as Jesus has told us, abide with him.

The Hebrew Scriptures have often compared the Kingdom of God and Israel to a vine that has been transplanted by God from Egypt to the Promised Land. This particular image was so important to the children of Israel that it was engraved in gold above the door of the temple. However, Jesus replaces Israel as the vine as he states, “I AM” the vine. While the children of Israel had been grafted onto the image of the vine that was displayed at the door of the temple, Jesus tells his apostles as they walked past the Temple of Jerusalem on their way to the Garden of Gethsemane that he is now the source of their joy.

Down through the ages, many Christians have made the statement that the true sign of any Christian is the joy that they carry with them as they make their way through the world. As we celebrate today the feast of the little plant of St. Francis, namely St. Clare, we remember the joy that both of these beloved Saints displayed because of their deep relationship with the crucified Jesus. They had learned the lesson of abiding with the Lord. Through their sufferings, they realized that God was pruning this vine so that their branches could bear even more fruit.

Our Eucharist today in the memory of St. Clare brings us great joy and helps us to preserve that joy as we continue to abide with the board, who is the true vine.