I AM - the Vine
John 15:1-5
April 1, 2007 - Palm Sunday
Rev. Nancy Pfaltzgraf
We are greening, greening with life
We bare our fruit for all of creation.
We are greening, greening with life
We bare our fruit for all of creation.
Limitless from the depths to the stars
Loving all, flooding all
It is the royal kiss of peace.
We are meant to bear fruit -you and I. Jesus said to his disciples and that includes us- "I am the
vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart
from me you can do nothing."
Hildegard of Bingen was a remarkable woman: a mystic, a poet, a visionary, an author, a
prophet, a healer, a painter, a composer, a playwright and the founder of a Benedictine monastery
for women. But it almost was not so.
For the first 42 years of her life, Hildegard lived the quiet life of a nun, abiding in the heart of
Christ and strengthening the branch that would eventually allow her to bear fruit. Then at age 42 in
an ecstatic vision in Hildegard came to a deep understanding of the meaning of various scriptures
and was told to write down what she experienced and share it. But it was Germany in 1041 C.E and
she was a woman and not only did women not do such things, but Hildegard had such low selfesteem
that she could not imagine herself capable of such a thing. So she refused this call to write
for a long time until she fell ill and almost died.
Although she was a woman of faith, her own sense of inadequacy and the culture in which she
made her hesitant to answer the Spirit's call and risk giving her fruit. "I am the vine, you are the
branches." Jesus said to his disciples. "Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit,
because apart from me you can do nothing."
"I am the vine, you are the branches." This is the fifth of the sayings in the Gospel of John, each
beginning with the words "I am" that we have been considering during Lent this year. As you will
remember, when Jesus says "Inana" - the word translated as "I am" he is not saying pointing to
himself in the same way we would say "I am a woman, I am a mother or I am a pastor." Rather he is
pointing to the essence of the Divine that he knew was within each being; the Divine I AM in the
heart of every person; that which connects each soul to its Source. What follows each of these
sayings then is a metaphor illuminating some gift we experience through opening our heart mind and
spirit to the Divine I Am.
So here, Jesus is saying that this Divine I Am is like sap that runs through the vine and feeds the
branches; this Divine I Am is the life force which keeps each and every life green and growing. Not
only that, this Divine I AM tends and prunes and cuts away whatever hinders growth so that each
branch bears good fruit. Likewise, each branch is connected to each other branch through the vine
and together they bear an abundant harvest.
When Hildegard refused to follow her visions, when she disregarded the movements of the Spirit
within her, she nearly died. But finally, through the counsel and encouragement of a few trusted
companions who dared to believe that Divine Truth could come from a woman, the Spirit began to
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prune away her fear, her sense of inadequacy and the messages of oppression from her male
dominated world and Hildegard's life began to bear fruit that blessed not only her community of faith,
but all those who came after her, for her words and her visions are as fresh and powerful today as
they were in the 12th century.
In the last thirty-eight years of her life Hildegard wrote 9 books -three of which contain both
paintings and descriptions of her visions which she called "Illuminations." She became a skilled and
much sought after healer. She wrote music that stirs the spirit and fills the soul with joy. She traveled
widely, preaching and calling people into the fullness of their own Divine creativity. We have over 100
letters which she wrote to religious and political rulers -including the Pope- as well as common folks
challenging each one to allow the greening power of Divine Love to animate their lives and flow out
in good fruit.
Each and every one of us is intended to bear fruit-in our own unique way, using the gifts and
talents God has given us. As I was thinking about Hildegard and Jesus' words I thought of the way in
which a community of faith can call forth and support the process of bearing fruit, until we find
ourselves doing things we could never have dreamed of or imagined. I thought of my friend Yolanda
and the first time she dared to sing a solo in church. I remembered how frightened she was. But I
also remembered the way in which the community affirmed her and nurtured her gift. Then I thought
of how her voice has blossomed and grown as she has dared to share her gift and the fact that she
now sings with boldness and beauty and grace not only in her local congregation, but as a soloist and
song leader for hundreds of women at Northern California-Nevada yearly regional assemblies.
Then I thought of the ways in which I have seen many of you blossom and grow as you have
dared to risk sharing your fruit in projects like Foods Resource Band, Artic Adventure, working with
our youth, preaching, leading healing prayer services, singing solos in church, becoming Taizé
cantors, publishing a reflection book, serving as Stephen ministers, participating in peace rallies,
talking with senators and representatives, producing a musical called Godspell and much, much
more.
As each of us is connected to the vine, we are nurtured and we nurture and affirm one another,
so that all that would keep us from being fruitful is pruned away and we are able step by step to bear
our fruit for all of creation.
"I am the vine, you are the branches." Jesus said to his disciples.
We are greening, greening with life
We bare our fruit for all of creation.
We are greening, greening with life
We bare our fruit for all of creation.
Limitless from the depths to the stars
Loving all, flooding all
It is the royal kiss of peace.
Amen.
