1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
Husbandman - it was a little like a discovery for me as I thought these are the different professions: one is grain-grower and another is the videdresser, as these are given in the Revised Standard Version of the Bible that I read together with the Russian one at home.
I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser (John, 15-1).But it is just a headnote because today is very special day for me indeed!..
My own secret Initiation into that is above from Bible, John, 15-1.
Yesterday before writing and sending a letter I had prayed with hot tears asking my Lord to open me the path from that ditch where I was lieing almost really half-dead.
And I started reading all the Liturgy text as it had been my praying rule.
And when I came to the point of reading Gospel - I breathed in sharply as if the next moment I would jump into the deep cold waters of the sea (space).
That act/jump differed from reading Bible at ramdom for a case (maybe this is not a good method at all I think but sometimes when all is well we might do this?) as immediately I caught the tale of the thread between God presence in that moment in the room and myself, praying and needing...
Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
And having read till up the 11 verse in the15th head, I felt how the breath was interrupted as if it was enough to stay under water without oxygen, and I came up gulping for air. I articulately penetrated the sense of it for me, for us Christians, how it is and could be the message through time (though all things within time from God direct to the main purpose and they, of course, are not separated) before the Last Supper where and when our Lord Jesus Christ first opens the practical meaning and form of what He began to speak in the 15th chapter of the Gospel of St. John.
I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing.
If a man does not abide in me he is cast forth as a branch and withers... If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.
Reading or somehow even listening to these words yesterday I made a rapid question somewhere between the gaps of the full attention and perŅeption (how?).
Today I have got already heard (heard - better to say was directed for action)the answer (specially for me as to the stupidest one) -
Through Liturgy. Liturgy - this journey to Kingdom is the actualization first and foremost of what how to be administered into the Vine. And the three parts (first 2 and then the 3d, the most inportant where, without any doubts, only baptized elements of the person assist) of the Liturgy are moving towards the final transubstantiation - thus we leave the withered branches in ourselves, the branches that are yet without true Wine and in this manner are fruitless, to those which are baptized in Blood of Christ and abided - thus they become accepted and homologated into/for Kingdom. Waters of Liturgy are washing all, and maybe more those who (which are prepared to be fruitful) are yet without but with hope and every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. All the earth is prepared to enter the kingdom, and where the first elements have already being traveled into while the rest are prepared through hope and beauty. All agency is reigned by the Holy Spirit Who presents now outside the Kingdom (I will send the Holy Spirit to help you) to lead the created elements to their fullfiment:
that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be perfect.
Though it is just a short description of that comprehension and presence in the air and life of that liturgy leading to the gate of the kingdom, the liturgy of your spirit which you make at and as home prayer is not easy tranferable at all, and I do hope no one finds here elements of magical practice or whatever but only a desire to understand and serve, and be with Christ, inside of Vine, of Church.
May as One, Your Wings o Lord, your Vine and Sacred Blood protect us in the Battle...
Abide in Me and I in You...John 15:4
What a liturgy It was today.
