If you ever had to prune branches on a vine, you know it’s no easy task. They are so intertwined and interconnected that it’s almost impossible to tell where one ends and one starts. In today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “I am the vine and you are the branches.” This is the image of our relationship with Jesus, we are in Him and He is in us. Without Him we wither and die. As the vine to our branches, Jesus tells us that He is present in all areas of our lives: at work, at play, at our worst, at our best, He is ever-present. It’s up to us to draw on Him for support and inspiration. When we do, we will bear much fruit. Think of the times when a quick prayer helped unblock your thoughts, motivated you to finish a project, opened your conscience to make amens to someone you hurt, humbled you to let go of control, awed you to giving thanks to God for a gift received. We experience daily the truth of this Gospel.
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Good Shepherd Sunday