Homilies on the Gospel of John

“You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you.”

That is, I ran upon your friendship. And He stayed not here, but,

“I set you,” He says, (that is, “I planted you,”) “that you should go,” (He still uses the metaphor of the vine,) that is, “that you should extend yourselves”; “and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.”

“Now if your fruit remain, much more shall you. For I have not only loved you,” He says, “but have done you the greatest benefits, by extending your branches through all the world.” Do you see in how many ways He shows His love? By telling them things secret, by having in the first instance run to meet their friendship, by granting them the greatest blessings, by suffering for them what then He suffered. After this, He shows that He also remains continually with those who shall bring forth fruit; for it is needful to enjoy His aid, and so to bear fruit.

“That whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in My Name, He may give it you.”

Yet it is the part of the person asked to do the thing asked; but if the Father is asked, how is it that the Son does it? It is that you may learn that the Son is not inferior to the Father.