Matthew van Maastricht

When I sit on the sofa in our living room, I look directly at this icon. The text in the open Bible is “I am the vine, and you are the branches” from John 15:5, the next phrase of that verse is depicted here: “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.” Here in the center, one can see Christ, with the cruciform halo around his head with the abbreviation for “He Who Is,” with his hands offering a blessing. He is at the center in the thickest part of this vine in which we can see the deep roots (partially obscured in this photo by the candle). The apostles are depicted here as the branches on this vine, and you can see leaves and fruit growing from these. The apostles, then, represent the mystical reality of the church, and of us. And we can see the fruit, here, grows because the branches are connected to the vine which are connected to the roots.

There’s much to meditate upon in this icon, and the practice of praying with the eyes can be very fruitful.

It brings questions to mind. Are any of us truly individuals? I mean, we have our own unique individuality and that is good. But are we truly individuals, as if we are isolated from one another, independent from one another, as though we are all just individuals making choices for ourselves that do not impact others? What happens when one of the branches is sick or in need? After all, they are all connected at the level of existence as all the same part of a living organism. And how does our interactions with one another impact our relationship to God? That is, if one branch of the vine harms another, are we also not doing this to Christ?

This reality, then, of the vine and the branches carries deep meaning, not only for our ideas about the church or our theological anthropology, but carries deep meaning for how we engage and interact with one another. And, most significantly, it challenges our American ideas of libertarianism and freedom over-and-against collective responsibility. Because there is no exercise of “freedom” that doesn’t carry with it deep impacts to everyone else, and Christ. And so in a way, when we care for others, we also show care for Christ. When we do not show care to others, we do not show care to Christ (cf Matt 25).

And this is part of the centrality of the Eucharist for Christians. Because in the sacrament we do not just have our own spiritual experience, but we have a deep and mystical connection with one another and with Christ, and the bonds that hold us strengthen, the vine grows and connects us more deeply with one another and with Christ.

And this has deep impacts for all of our life. It impacts and informs how we treat one another, both in the context of church, but also everywhere. It has deep impacts on how we understand social policy, economics, the climate crisis, and so much more. This deep and existential interconnectedness requires that we think about others, and not just ourselves.

This mystical reality is at the root of everything that we do and all of how we are.