In this Gospel, words that are said multiple times over are: vines, branches, fruit. Something we see twice is prune(d).
When I read the Gospel, I think about us as the branches, personal strength, faith and relationships with others as vines and what we have to offer as fruit. And what I want to focus and reflect on specifically are these verses:
“…every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit…
Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine…”
We cannot handle everything single thing we go through on our own. Yes, we want to because we wouldn’t want to burden anyone, we want to be able to overcome it, but sometimes you need help, you need support. The vines help you stabilize/support you. Because for fruit we all have so much to offer. Like I said vines can be personal strength, faith and relationships with others because personal strength we have a story to offer, a goal to strive to. Faith finding another part of yourself to learn, to share, to participate your gifts such as volunteering. Relationship with others, is what that is. Relationships to hold on to, laughter and tears to share with each other, someone to love whether it’s romantically or platonically.
I didn’t forget prune(d) because to me what that symbolizes is the growth we want to invest into ourselves to allow ourselves to grown and open ourselves up to what is out there.
You don’t need to do everything alone. Yes, you are capable, because you have so much strength. But you also can rely on faith and the relationship you built to support you too. Because when you have all of that and are aware of that, you allow yourself to open up, to grow and in return offer fruit for others to consume your love.