“Remain in me” is the gospel imperative calling us to an intimacy in Christ that must be the foundation of our identity. St. John tells us that we remain in him when we fulfill the commandment to love by living in his Spirit.

What does it mean to “remain in Christ?”

First of all, we have to ask ourselves which Jesus is the “Christ” in which we hope and pray ourselves to be and remain? The gospels portray various facets of Jesus as “the Christ.” These same gospels also portray Jesus as, well, Jesus. The meaning of remaining “in Christ” takes shape in the scriptures for not only Jesus but also includes you and me.

Take John’s gospel, for example. The first sign of Jesus witnessing to the presence of God’s love at work in him is at a party—the wedding feast at Cana. There’s the Jesus who refuses his mother request saying that it’s not time to be “Christ.” However, collaborating with his mother, Jesus brings people together for a good time, foreshadowing the reign of God’s love.

A life that resonates with this Christ today is a hospitable presence in a world desperate for communion. Jesus also uses his “Christ-ness” in serving the best wine last. A total “no-no” when you’re paying the wedding bill or is it Christ-like?

There is also the Jesus who performs his song and dance to the gathered listeners but then he escapes to a lonely mountain. His “Christ-ness” hears those gathering listeners following him who want and need to hear even more about faith and fidelity to God. He slowly becomes Christ, as we do, and then joining them enjoying fish and chips at the sea or in making a couple of fish become baskets full leftovers for all the folks to take home with them. No refrigerators, so quickly please pass and share the Good News about the food of life to your neighbors and friends.

That’s his beautiful, powerful vine story about himself and us. There’s that ever growing and expanding vine bearing fruit for all to pay attention to and enjoy. Whether it’s salty fish, cheap wine or good wine, a shared piece of bread, telling and sharing a story or two, or touching his tortured side, as Sly and the Family Stone sang, “It’s a Family Affair.”

Fast forward to the account of the woman caught in adultery. In this story of misery meeting mercy, a woman is about to be stoned. Rather than expressing scorn or condemnation, Jesus, or now the Christ, offers only words of love and mercy. In our human judgmental world we keep our stones close at hand. Sin sticks. But to remain “in Christ” is to be a nonjudgmental presence with no dividing stones at hand to cast but open hands calming us to heed that other Divine voice, the Holy Spirit.

The garden of Gethsemane is the best duality example of our Jesus/Christ story. First, it’s the earnest plea of “Father, let this cup pass (Jesus) followed by his saying “Your will be done.” (Christ-stuff)

When are we the searching and stumbling “Jesus” and when are we a “Christ-like” one?

Throwing stones is so maliciously easy…mercy is the Divine living within in us to come down from the mountains of ourselves and become the “Christ-like” to both ourselves and especially to others.

This may surprise you but Christ is not his last name. It is who he struggled with, argued about, bowed downed to and slowly became. Christ is not a last name, it is a title, an earned title. Can we hope and say the same about our searching and stumbling lives?

If we are not pruned of ourselves to reap the vine of a Christ-like love then we are very much withering away, alone.

“There is [but, only] one vine and we [We?] are the branches.”

Adapted from Fr. Richard M. Gula

Richard M. Gula, PSS, taught in seminaries and ministry formation programs for many years and then served as director of personnel for the U.S. Province of the Sulpicians. He is now retired.