This coming Sunday is the 5th Sunday of Easter. Many Catholic scholars (Raymond Brown, Jerome Kodell, Eduard Schwizer, etc.) see a part of John’s Eucharistic theology in the metaphor of the “Vine and the Branches” – specifically serving as the cup, as a type of parallel to the “Bread of Life” discourse in John 6. The vine was a recognized Eucharistic symbol at the time the Gospel according to John reached its final written form. We read in the Didache: “And concerning the Eucharist, hold Eucharist thus: First concerning the Cup, ‘We give thanks, our Father, for the Holy Vine of David your child, which you make known to us through Jesus your child…” (IX:1-2).

The parallel is reinforced by the egō eimi statement “I am the true vine” corresponding to “I am the bread of life” (6:35). The discourse takes place at the Last Supper, where the presence of the cup evokes a connection with the Eucharist. In addition the emphasis on “abide/remain” and mutual love are very similar to the themes of the cup in Mark (10:38-45; 14:36).

Gail O’Day (760-610) offers that this reading presents a challenge to the contemporary Church about its self-identity in two areas: community and organization. The image of community that emerges from this text is one that emphasizes connectedness, mutuality and indwelling. Consider that image of the branches – they are indistinguishable from one another; rather hard to see where one stops and the next begins – yet they are all rooted in the one central vine. There are no free-standing individuals even as their fruitfulness depends solely on their relationship to the vine, nothing else.

Second, the image points to an organization other than necessarily hierarchical. No branch has pride of place or can claim precedence or priority over another. The only differentiation is fruitfulness and it is on that basis that the gardener/vine grower prunes, cuts, cleans and chooses. All are accountable to the standards of fruitfulness and love.

Image credit: Pexel with Canva | G Corrigan | CC-BY-NC