What part of the vine?

Jesus said to his disciples:
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.
He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,
and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.
You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.
Remain in me, as I remain in you.
Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own
unless it remains on the vine,
so neither can you unless you remain in me.
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.
Anyone who does not remain in me
will be thrown out like a branch and wither;
people will gather them and throw them into a fire
and they will be burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you,
ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.
By this is my Father glorified,
that you bear much fruit and become my disciples." Jn 15:1-8


After hearing this Gospel reading at Mass today I was wondering what part of the vine am I and am I where "the vine grower" wants me.  Have I stayed close to the trunk of the vine (Jesus) and producing good fruit or am I way out too far away from the trunk to be of any good and to produce any good fruit?

I decided to find out about grapes and their vines.  On a website on basic pruning it states that all good fruit comes from one year old vines.  Jesus had to know this when he said this parable.  Do we realize that all through our lives he would be pruning us?  Every year the vine has to be pruned to produce good fruit.  When was the last time I was pruned?  I need a retreat from the sounds of it.  Time to go let the Lord do some pruning. 

By the way Lord I am thankful for the pruning you have already done.  I am also thankful for the gift of the trunk (Jesus Christ).  May my life give glory to you.

A very good man

For those who do not know me or in case I have never written it here I work for a funeral home here in my home town.  This morning I helped with the funeral of man named Frank.  When my boss first told me who we had this morning i replied "I don't know him."  My boss assured me I did but anything he told me about him did not ring a bell.  When we were going in to close the casket after the family said their last goodbyes I looked in the casket and there was a face I saw everyday at Mass.  Thats right a daily Mass person who I had no idea what his name was.  I can tell you where he sat.  I can tell you what he wore for a coat in the spring, fall and winter but I could not tell you his name till today.  I feel a loss for not knowing this man better.  Here he was 93 years old (looked about late 70's) going to Mass daily and I knew nothing about him except the clothes he wore to church everyday.  A little of my defense he is not a member of our parish and never was just apparently liked the time of our daily Mass instead of the 7AM Mass at his own parish.  I will say though forever I will and have thought of him as the example of St. Francis when he said "Preach at all times and when necessary use words."  Frank preached with his daily Mass attendance up till his 93rd year.  Yes indeed, a very good man.

Imagine

I have been wondering what I would be thinking if I was one of the apostle during this time after Easter.  Can you imagine there he is the risen Jesus!  It is so good to have Him here with us but what does this mean?  Is he finally going to straighten things out around here?  Is he going to the leaders of this world and show them who He is and take over?  What does he want from me?  What do you think Jesus will have to say to us today?