The month of May is beautiful! Spring flowers and trees are blooming and everything in our landscape in Wisconsin seems to be turning from the brown colors of winter to many shades of green! With the season of spring and the month of May comes a time for planting and new growth and life. Many of you who enjoy planting are getting your gardens and soil ready and putting those flowers and vegetables in the ground.
(Jesus said:) “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 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. 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. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”
John 15: 1-8
In the Gospel of John, Jesus shares a wonderful message to the disciples and to each of us about a garden metaphor. God is the gardener, Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. The fruit in our lives is made up of many blessings from a life in Jesus. God has called us and claimed us in those baptismal waters, and we have been given an amazing gift as we live a life connected with God, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Wishing you all a blessed and joyful season of Spring!
Jim Ranney
