Easter  VI                                             Rev'd Deacon Carol Archer

Rogation Sunday                                   Procession & Solemn Mass

Jn 15:1-8                                               April 27, 2008

1 Pet 3: 8-18

 

I speak to you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

 

“Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower.”

 

It was early one morning last week, I let the dogs out and stumbled my way over to the large area of our backyard encircled with a temporary fencing, I bent over frowning to see a bit better and with triumphant joy that I pumped my fist in the air and in hushed excitement whispered… “We have grass! Yes!”

 

The dogs looked at me as if thinking…yeah, not for long if we have anything to do about it!

 

For those of you who've ever attempted to plant a new lawn or establish new garden beds whether vegetable or flower you know already about this joy, this happy satisfaction and no small wonder at seeing the tiny sprouts emerging from the dark earth…

 

for those of you who have never put spade to soil let me tell you then, it's a lot of work, money, a lot of time and energy and a good deal of hope as well. As gardeners, growers, farmers of all types and varieties know hard work and diligence, hope, prayer and a complete dependency on the grace of Mother Nature all factor in to achieving the goal of abundant blooms and successful harvests.

 

It is exciting and rewarding to see the results of such labor come to fruition. To see beautiful flowers and trees, bountiful crops and healthy green grass is the objective of all our determined efforts.

 

Can we imagine then what God desires, expects to see from the work of his hands, his creation, the fruit of his garden?

 

“Jesus said, “I am the vine, and my Father is the vinegrower…I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.”

 

A beautiful analogy…Jesus the vine, tended/cared for and fed by the Father; Jesus becomes then the source of nourishment for us so that we may sprout, grow, bloom and thrive to become nourishment for those around us; bearing plentiful fruit as God, the grower, intends and provides for us to do.

 

We understand this fruit to be the good works we can achieve through “unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart and a humble mind”….seeking peace and turning away from evil to do what is good…as 1 Peter teaches us.

 

Within this gospel passage however there lays a harsh reality.

Jesus couples his message of hopeful abundance through him with a stark warning of the consequences that exist as well for those who do not seek the nourishment the he gives and thus bear no fruit, are infertile, unproductive and essentially dead.

 

“Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.”

 

What causes these branches to wither away and who gathers them for burning? What is this “fire”?

 

People who work the soil know that it takes daily, consistent maintenance, attention and care & feeding in order to reap what they sow. The same goes for those who do not.

 

When we plant our gardens and fields in rich soil giving them good nutrients, plenty of water and careful weeding we are purposefully working towards a strong and healthy outcome. If, however, we are negligent, uncaring, failing to nourish and cultivate ~ what was once full of promise and potentially glorious, fades and withers to decay.

 

Jesus is warning us of this danger; it is clear and undeniable. He is saying to us “feed on me, that you might live and prosper and follow me in helping others do the same!” Because if you don't what will you feed on and what will be the outcome? Selfishness, self-righteousness, greed, intolerance, self-medicating, the quest for instant gratification all are fuel for acts that lead to the fire; It's “Miracle-Gro” or “I'm tired of weeding too much work not fun not cool boring!”

 

This fire is of our own making, and it is not God who throws us into this fire but we do, ourselves!

 

And just as we willingly or ignorantly work our way into this fire we can just as surely jump out of it; we can drop the remote and pick up the watering can.

 

The fire is not a permanent sentence nor is our fate as dried up twigs; just as Spring brings the hope of new life to what for all intents and purposes appears to be lifeless, so too can we repent, turn around and graft ourselves onto the vine, affect the changes necessary to seek the nourishment God so wants us to drink in and develop to our fullest potential.

 

We are called to be good stewards of our own beings as well as to those who inhabit God's Creation along with us.

 

On this Rogation Sunday we offer prayers for the harvest and preservation of crops, all the fruits of the earth and the works of our hands; we pray also for the current extreme food shortages affecting millions of people who are going hungry now, today without the most basic staples of rice and wheat.

 

We must help tend this global garden home called Earth so that there is good air, clean water and wholesome foods for all who are planted here. We must feed our minds through creative thought, being inventive, provocative and involved; actively seeking ways to make positive changes for a better world, not complacent, disinterested or discouraged.

                        

Abuse of creation brings destruction to all. As is said, by not being part of the solution we are part of the problem; by not abiding in Christ and bearing good fruit as his disciples we entertain evil and allow that which is unhealthy and ultimately destructive to thrive.

                        

This is why we read and study Scripture today …the lessons have not changed nor has their relevance; they speak to us as loudly and fervently in this our post modern, throw away society, this high tech, industrialized global village, indeed as ever before.

 

Finally, we cannot forget to also feed our hearts; by exercising compassion, mercy, generosity and kindness; by taking extra care of the smaller, weaker seedlings, recognizing them where they struggle to survive; giving them the time and attention necessary to help them endure what this often severe and merciless world brings to bear.

 

Our responsibility as branches on the vine of Christ lies in both meeting physical hunger and spiritual hunger, that of others as well as our own. Rather than withering away unmindful and uncaring of satisfying any but our own often unhealthy needs may we seek to reverse our course, rethink our purpose here and open our eyes to see the interconnectedness of all creation and the common thread of dependency for survival that unites us all.

 

My brothers and sisters… If we allow ourselves to feed on Christ, to find our sustenance in him who would give us everything we need to live…than we can find strength in the times of drought, raging storms, pestilence, and frost; through Christ rooted in God we can then bring abundance to this hungry world.