5EasterB, Sullivan Park Care
Center, May 3, 2015 by Annette Fricke
May is a month of flowers and
flowering fruit trees. Most people know
the phrase, “April showers bring May flowers” and for the most part, those
living in the Northern Hemisphere, it is a truism. Although today’s gospel imagery
probably has grapes in mind as opposed to apples, apple trees are more familiar
to those who have lived in this area for any length of time. Washington is a leading producer of apples in
the nation and in order to keep that production going, there needs to be people
who are invested in keeping that reputation as the years go by. Just this past week, on the front page of the
local daily newspaper was an article about apples. It piqued my interest. This story was about a researcher whose goal
was to search for “lost” varieties of apples.
What do I mean by that?
Apparently, some apple trees left from orchards of earlier settlements
were still alive, not noticed due to present location. For example, one lost variety was found inside
a state park. It is estimated that there are indeed 17,000 of these lost
varieties of apples that originated in the hands of early European
immigrants. Even a nursery that once
existed near present day Oakesdale, WA through historical records has been
identified as a source of these lost apple trees. These so called “heirloom
varieties” are being recovered and will continue to feed the already 100
million boxes per year of apples grown in Washington State.[1]
What do apples and grapes have in
common? They are both fruit. As fruit, both grow at the tip of the
branches and contain seeds (never mind that what we actually see on the market
now are seedless grapes), in Jesus’ time, grapes were not seedless. It was the seeds that produced apple trees until
it was discovered by cultivators of this fruit, that one could also graft
different varieties onto the same apple tree.
Thus we get out the Gurney seed catalog, whose nursery is located in
Yankton, South Dakota and discover that we can order an apple tree with five
different varieties. Though each fruit, if left long enough can rot and die,
each still has the potential to live through the seeds it produces. Similar to this, my mind takes me to Jesus
cursing the fig tree that did not produce figs.
It wasn’t about the figs at all since it was not the season for figs to
appear.
The bottom line is this: Jesus calls
us to not only abide in him, but to produce fruit and it is not just here, but
in several other Biblical passages that we are asked to bear fruit, as early as
Genesis where God tells us to “be fruitful and multiply. For a long time I tied the two together as if
multiplying and being fruitful were one and the same. It also seems to have been a misconception of
the Church, because that became its form of evangelism rather than reaching out
to others to invite them to believe in Jesus Christ. This cannot be done if you say nothing to
others outside the faith and outside this worship service. We are not alone as individuals to affect
this task. We are each the fruit and
branches attached to the vine, equally.
There are no distinctions here between clergy or laity or various
positions in the Church. We all bear the
name, “Christian” and are called to walk as Jesus’ body here on earth. Jesus is the vine. Jesus supports us at all times, having the
everlasting support of God. Like the tap
root of an apple tree that will help stabilize a hillside, keeping it from
sliding downward, God holds us firmly, through every storm of life.
First and foremost, we are a
community of believers. Whatever we are
able to contribute to the whole of the community and reach out as a community,
this is our vocation. My ministry here
is not so much as an outreach of the cathedral of which I am a member as it is
as a Christian who is to bear fruit, just as all Christians are called to bear
fruit. In that sense, it doesn’t really
matter to what denomination I belong either.
When I am at work, I interact with many different denominations,
supporting them in their faith. I also
have conversed with a companion who is still exploring Christianity and the Bible. You also have opportunity to do that. You don’t need to be profound or know all the
answers. Don’t be afraid to say anything
because you might not know how to answer certain questions. Remember that Jesus is the vine who supports
you in all that you do and loves you more than anyone here in this world. But
most of all, remember that many others believe as you do.
Sometimes I see the artificial
barrier of age. Remember, there are no
boundaries and we are all equal in God’s eyes.
Don’t allow a difference in age to discourage you from sharing your
faith with others. They need to know
that God loves and cares for them in a way that surpasses all their other relationships,
especially that relationship some have with their phone. Real relationships face-to-face are of
ultimate importance in sharing the love of God.
There is no substitute for that.
You can teach them how to connect one-to-one rather than through the
social media via electronic devices.
And, finally, the image that John
paints for us is one of anonymity. If
you were to look at the grapes or apples while they are still attached to the
branches of a live plant or tree, you will notice that they look pretty much
the same. In a box also, the grapes and
apples are of a relatively uniform size and color, if, of course, they are of
the same variety. All the grapes get
thrown into the same vat and all the apples into boxes and more boxes. They are essentially without
distinction. We are as well. God does not make exceptions for what we have
or don’t have, our personalities, talents, or gifts. We are to use all that we are given so that
we produce fruit for God. The mark of
the body of Christ is that it bears fruit, that we love as God has loved and
continues to love us. It doesn’t matter
who we are in the world, but only that we love.
Any branch is able to love if it remains with Jesus. We are all God’s
children, united in God’s love for us.
We need to see beyond being a tree and see ourselves as part of a forest
of believers because that is who we are.
We are an orchard of apple trees.
We are a vineyard. We are God’s
vineyard rooted in God’s love. Be
fruitful—every day.
Allow God to work in your life daily
to prune away the dead branches so there will be potential for more fruit. Practice repentance as a daily discipline,
for it will put your heart in a place to accept God’s pruning and enable you to
be more humble before others. As in the
words of a favorite hymn of mine, “I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless;
ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where,
grave, thy victory: I triumph still, if thou abide with me.”
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