Pope: Jesus can do nothing without us

Pope Francis Photo: iz.ru

On May 13, 2020, during the sermon at an online mass, Pope Francis declared that God cannot do anything without man. The full text of the sermon is published on vatican.va.

Speaking on the subject of vine and branches (John 15, 5), the Pope noted that “branches without a vine can do nothing, because they need juice to grow and bear fruit.” However, in his opinion, "the tree, the vine needs branches, because it is a mutual need, it is a mutual coexistence in order to bear fruit."

The Pope added that "we cannot do anything without Jesus like branches without a vine." But, according to the pontiff, "He – may the Lord allow me to say it – without us it seems that He can do nothing."

In addition, the Pope said that God needs a man as a witness: “Let's put it a little boldly: testimony of Jesus having a need in us.”

“Jesus, glorified in heaven, after His Passion, needs our testimony in order to grow, in order to declare that the Church must grow ... We, the branches, need juice, and the vine needs fruits, i.e. testimony,” summed up the Pope.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that Pope Francis no longer considers himself a “vicar of Christ”.

Read also

ROCOR Priest Reflects on Trip to Capitol Hill

Archpriest Victor Boldewskul participated in the Society of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco's Day of Action to raise awareness about the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Hundreds of Chinese Christians Arrested in Pre-Christmas Crackdown

Hundreds of Chinese Christians face spending Christmas in detention after authorities launched a sweeping pre-holiday crackdown on churches under Beijing’s campaign to control religious life.

Ukraine Adviser: UOC Not Banned, but Offered a 'Choice' of Jurisdictions

A Ukrainian presidential adviser said the UOC is not banned but pressured to choose between joining the OCU, submitting to Constantinople, or remaining unregistered, while dismissing international concerns as propaganda.

Indiana Reports 98% Drop in Abortions Under Stricter Law

Indiana’s latest health report shows a 98% drop in reported abortions under stricter laws, though dozens still occurred under legal exceptions and concerns persist about unreported pill abortions.

Armenian Apostolic Church Pushes Back on Political Encroachment

The Armenian Apostolic Church plans to appeal to international bodies to resist government interference and defend its clergy and sacred relics.

Attempted Takeover at Armenian Etchmiadzin Cathedral Thwarted by Faithful

Supporters of Armenian PM Pashinyan attempted to storm Etchmiadzin Cathedral amid calls for the Catholicos’s resignation but were blocked by parishioners and security.