In the meditation for the fourth Sunday of Easter, I mentioned that one of the characteristics of a true leader is that the true leader seeks unity always so that, as we read in the Gospel passage of that Sunday, there will be one flock and one shepherd.

Unfortunately, experience has shown us that although there is an almost universal yearning for unity, many people want unity but on their own terms and the desire for power is very often much more powerful than the attractiveness of unity. When we succumb to the seductiveness of power, we become immune to the cries for unity, and harmony, which is the fruit of unity, is lost.

Today the Gospel passage reminds us of the way in which we can achieve unity and bear fruit.

Jesus tells us that “ he is the vine and we are the branches. ” All of us know that branches only bear fruit if the sap flows through the trunk into the branches.

Moreover good agriculturists know that if they want the branch to bear plentiful fruit, the branches must be pruned. Superfluous twigs and leaves must be removed so that the energy of the plant is directed, not into supporting superfluous twigs and leaves but into producing fruit.

Jesus is aware of this and so continues his comparison by telling us that “ every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it bears more fruit. ”

The tool the farmer uses to prune trees is a pruning knife; Jesus tells us that the pruning knife of the Father is “ the word that I spoke to you. ”

It is that word, “ sharper than a two edged sword ”, which relieves us of the superficialities of life, and keeps us focussed on the essentials.

Cutting is always a painful exercise, especially for the one who is being cut. Pruning is never pleasant. To be pruned by God's word means accepting the pain of giving up the self; it means listening carefully to what others have to say; it means the ability to see another's idea as being more suited to a specific circumstance than one's own, it means allowing oneself to be guided by the Spirit given to us, so that we be led into total truth.

To accept the word spoken to us by Jesus is to accept Jesus himself without whom we cannot do anything of truly lasting worth. It is to take Jesus as our model, not only in the glory of the Resurrection but also in the pain of the Cross.

And so Jesus exhorts us, “ Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. ”

As we do battle with the seductiveness of raw power, the word spoken to us by Jesus reminds us that leadership must always be conceived in terms of service; that “love is not tit for tat”; that all authority is given so that God's plan for the world, as described in the creation story [cf Gen. 2] be facilitated.

The Gospel passage ends with two important assertions, assertions we see fulfilled so often. Leaders may do many good things. Infrastructure may be developed, education promoted etc, but if the yearning for harmony is not satisfied, those leaders are very soon rejected. In the words of the gospel “ people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. ”

The second assertion is that true discipleship is seen in the fruit of harmony. “ By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples .”

Prayer

All powerful and ever loving God, we thank you for the leaders in the world who have truly sought to unite peoples and institutions and country.
We thank you for those who put themselves above partisan politics and selfish interests and who, relying on the wisdom which comes from you the only true God, have tried to bring harmony to their institutions and countries. They are truly your disciples.
As we face the seductiveness of power which often disguises itself as a desire to serve, help us to root ourselves in your Word, so that we be pruned of the superficialities of life, so that we may concentrate on bringing your plan for our families and institutions and the world into reality.
United to you always, may we be agents of unity and of its fruit, which is harmony. We ask this through your Son Jesus and Mary our Mother. Amen.

Gospel Meditations for May are by Fr Joseph Harris, CSSp, a former parish priest and rector of the Regional Seminary, Fr Harris now works on the Archdiocesan Marriage Tribunal.