Once again, we gather during this wonderful easter season to celebrate the resurrection in our lives. The resurrection of the risen lord. In john’s gospel today we get another one of those great “i am” images. As you might recall when Moses was approaching the burning bush out in the desert he said, “who are you?” And the response the voice from the burning bush said, “i am who am.”  

In John’s gospel we find about 16 different I am’s. I am the good shepherd. I am the bread of life. I am the sheep gate. And today we’re told: I am the vine, and you are the branches and away from me you can do nothing.  

When I was a little boy, I wanted to show my parents that I had grown up, and they went away on a Saturday to do some shopping and so I thought I would surprise them. I went into the garage and I took out the hedge clippers and in front of our picture window – the front of our house There were all these evergreen bushes. I went behind the bushes and I started cutting away all the dead branches. I wanted to surprise my parents. 

And then I took a little saw and I cut away some of the bigger branches but they were dead and there was one really large dead branch and I’m cutting and cutting and cutting and next thing you know, it drops and I can see all the way out onto the street. I cut the bush right in two. I was petrified. I ran into the garage. I found an orange rope of all things. I tied the branch back onto the bush. I went into the house and I closed our drapes thinking that our parents would never open the drapes again. It didn’t take long when I was caught.  

And of course I destroyed the bush. The branch that was cut away from the rest of the bush Withered and died and we actually had to pull up All the bushes in front of the house and start all over again. I learned my lesson. My parents weren’t too happy with me, as you can imagine.  

I am the vine. You are the branches. We’re connected to the lord, to the life source, The source that nourishes us and nourishes us in so many ways. Christ nourishes us as we hear the word of God Proclaimed at this eucharist today. Christ nourishes us by the eucharist that we share in. Christ nourishes us in the community That we gather with family members and with friends. Christ nourishes us in our lives of prayer. Christ nourishes us by calling us disciples and going out and doing good for others.  

We need to stay connected to the life source, to the vine. The vine that nourishes us and gives us life and love So that we can do the work of God in this world.