Remain in the Vine, Together

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Remain in me and I in you, and you will bear much fruit. As the Father loved me, I too have loved you. Remain in my love.”
—John 15:5, 9

Jesus invites us to stay close to him– the true Vine– and to receive life from the same source that nourishes every follower of Christ across time, culture, and denomination. Jesus is the center. We are the offshoots, growing in different directions but rooted in the same source.

To be ecumenical is to recognize this shared root. It’s personal, yes—but never individual. We do not belong in Jesus alone. We belong in Jesus with others. Ecumenism is to remain in the Vine and let his life flow through our shared life. As we do, something quiet and miraculous happens: we grow—together.

We begin to see others differently. Not as competition. Not as strangers. But as fellow branches—distinct, yet drawing life from the same Christ. Some stretch wide. Some grow deep. Some bloom early. Some bear fruit slowly. But all are held by the same source, nourished by the same Spirit, formed by the same Love.

Our unity doesn’t come from agreeing on everything. It comes from abiding in the same Love. This is the beauty of the Church. Not sameness, but shared life. Not uniformity, but unity in Christ.

And as we remain in him, fruit begins to grow. Love that stretches beyond boundaries. Joy unthreatened by difference. Peace that makes space for one another. Fruit that shows we are alive—not just with belief, but with Christ himself.