In vino veritas (“In wine, there is truth”) is a famous saying. But in order to have wine, one needs grapes, and in order to have grapes, one needs grapevines. Hence, we come to today’s Gospel. To have good grapes (or indeed any fruit, vegetable, or flower), the vines need to be healthy. Sometimes, the plant needs to be pruned to stimulate new growth.
So, too, in our spiritual and physical lives. We need to prune away those parts of our lives that are unhealthy or impede progress or growth. For physical health, we trim the fat, cut the calories, and limit the intake of sugar and salt because they may contribute to poor health and lead us on the road to disease. In addition, we have the assistance of a physician or nutritionist, who offers suggestions for improvement.
To foster spiritual growth, we also need to prune. This involves eliminating sinful behaviors and developing good habits. Sometimes, assistance from a spiritual guide is necessary to determine what areas we need to improve. Jesus works through those people to help them discern what needs pruning in our lives. But we can also discern this for ourselves, provided that we open our hearts to the Word of God.
We cannot live apart from the Lord, and sin impedes our relationships with God. So, we need to discover ways to increase spiritual growth in our lives. Perhaps we need to add more prayer time. Maybe God is inviting us to spend more time doing corporal works of mercy by volunteering in the community. Or maybe we are already “doing” what is required, and God wants us to “be” with him by spending time in quiet reflection and discernment.
This week, ask the true vine, Jesus, what needs pruning in your life so that you may better grow the spiritual grapes that produce the wine of truth.
