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. – John 15:5
Have you ever felt burned out in your vocation, job, or ministry? Completely spent, like you just couldn’t get anything accomplished or make progress at all? If so, today’s Gospel reading is for you. Well, it’s for all of us, but it can particularly speak to anyone who has struggled with burnout.
In the allegory of the Vine and Branches, Jesus tells us that He is the True Vine, and we are the branches. That without Him we can do nothing. He doesn’t say that without Him we can do a little bit on our own; nor does He say that with Him we can do things better than we could just on our own. No, we can do nothing without Him. Contrast this with Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” You can do all things with and through Christ; you can do nothing without Him.
If you’ve ever felt burned out, you might ask yourself if you are trying to take on your vocation, job, or ministry without allowing Jesus to be the source of those activities. Ask yourself if you are truly attached to Christ the Vine, allowing the Holy Spirit to fill you with the love of God the Father. Loving others the way they need to be loved is practically impossible without the love of God flowing through Christ into your heart.
To be a fruitful branch (not a withered one), seek to remain in Christ and let Him strengthen you to serve the people you love and for the work you do each and every day. Other things can get in the way of being fruitful, too, such as overbusiness or anxiety. Here is a reflection specifically on the things that steal our joy: The Thorny Soil. Here is another one with thoughts on how to “remain” in Christ, as He exhorts us to do in today’s Gospel: Remain in Christ.
It’s a mind-shift toward humility to admit that we cannot do everything on our own. We must be vulnerable and admit that we need God to help us in all that we do. God’s love and life can flow to you if you offer it to God and ask for His help and blessing. When you start to allow God to work in this way, you become fruitful, and you glorify God in all that you do.
Readings for 5th Sunday of Easter, May 2, 2021
- Acts 9:26-31
- Psalm 22:26-32
- 1 John 3:18-24
- John 15:1-8