“I am the vine, and you are the branches.  Whoever remains in me, and I in him, will bear much fruit.”(John 15:5)

What a vigorous analogy!

It resonates with the teaching of the ‘food for life’: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven.  If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever.”(John 6:51)

The living bread is the Eucharist.  “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life.” (John 6:54)

After we have received the Holy Eucharist, Jesus’ flesh becomes our flesh, His blood becomes our blood!

Meanwhile, the word of God becomes the guidance of our thought.

“Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words that give eternal life.”  (Peter)

The Eucharist and the Word of God have become the greatest legacies Jesus left for us!
To live in God’s grace is the prerequisite of achieving union. “If you love me, you will obey my commandments.”

In other words, when we observe the commandments of love, we live in God’s love.  Or we will be burnt as withered branches.

Jesus would like to share His life with us.  He hopes our joy be complete.  But we need to work hard too.

“If anyone wants to come with me, he must forget self, carry his cross, and follow me!”