Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
As I sit to pen this letter, my heart is both heavy with the weight of what was witnessed and light with the hope that was given during those final, pivotal days of Holy Week. My name is Philip, one of the twelve apostles called by Jesus. Perhaps you know me from the scriptures as one who had moments of questioning, yet always seeking understanding of the Truth embodied in our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Reflecting on Holy Week, a time dense with profound teachings and actions of Jesus, I find myself drawn to share insights not just from those days but from my journey with Him. It is my prayer that as you read, you may find encouragement, understanding, and a renewed call to abide deeply in Him.
Our time with Jesus was a mosaic of miraculous signs, deep teachings, and moments of intimate connection. Among these, one teaching stands out, particularly relevant as we ponder the events of Holy Week. It's about the vine and the branches (John 15:1-8), a parable that Jesus shared with us that last night, as He prepared us for His departure.
"I am the vine; you are the branches," He said. This simple yet profound analogy encapsulates the essence of our relationship with Him. Just as branches can bear fruit only when they remain attached to the vine, we can only live fruitful lives if we remain in Him. In the shadow of the cross, these words gain even deeper significance. Jesus was about to demonstrate the ultimate act of love and sacrifice, becoming the cornerstone of our faith and the source of our life.
During those days leading to His crucifixion, every action Jesus took, every word He spoke, was a testament to this unbreakable bond He invites us into. From His triumphant entry into Jerusalem, welcomed with palms and shouts of "Hosanna," to the Last Supper, where He broke bread with us, His actions were imbued with a love so profound, a love that calls us to abide in Him.
But how, you might ask, can we abide in Him, especially in a world so fraught with distractions, challenges, and at times, suffering? Jesus provided the answer through His life and His teachings. To abide in Him is to love as He loved, serve as He served, and walk in obedience to the Father's will, just as He did, even unto death on a cross.
Abiding in Jesus also means drawing nourishment from Him, the true vine. In practical terms, this can look like immersing ourselves in scripture, spending time in prayer, and living in a community with fellow believers. It's in these spiritual disciplines that we find strength, guidance, and the joy of the Lord, which sustains us through every season.
Moreover, Jesus's discourse on the vine and branches invites us to a life of fruitfulness. This fruitfulness manifests not just in what we do for the kingdom but also in the qualities we develop, such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
As we reflect on Holy Week, let us remember that the path Jesus walked was one of complete surrender and obedience to the Father, out of His deep love for us. He calls us to follow in His steps, to lay down our lives in love for Him and for one another.
In closing, I invite you to ponder your own connection to the vine. Are there areas of your life where you're striving in your strength, forgetting the source of your life and fruitfulness? Let this Holy Week be a time of returning, of recommitting to abide in Him, that your life may bear much fruit to the glory of the Father.
With love and prayers for a fruitful journey in Christ,
Philip
24-088 Abiding in the Vine: Reflections from Philip the Apostle