This past Sunday’s Gospel was from St John Chapter 15. Jesus is describing Himself as the True Vine. I found an interesting article on how a grapevine is maintained when I visited a horticulture website. The amount of pruning is based on the amount of fruit produced the year before. There is a scientific method involved in matching the number of buds to the yield of fruit desired. Wood that cannot support new growth is removed. Vines which produce the correct number of buds will remain. What really interested me is that there must be a balance on the vine. If the yield is too heavy, the vine cannot support the grapes, which will then be inferior. The grapes must be both abundant and of the best quality. Buds which are producing grapes of poor quality are cut. The vine will actually bleed as this is done. Discipleship is a life long process. Often there is pain involved, but by remaining on the Vine, and yielding to the tools of the Gardener, the result is fruit which brings glory to the Father, and life to the branch. I thought about the branches that willingly disconnected from the Vine. The Protestants left the true Vine. They set up vines to themselves, and the fruit is evident. The truth was gradually lost, heresy spread, and the seamless garment of Christ has been rent asunder. If Jesus is the True Vine, then why would we leave His vineyard, the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church?