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“I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
On Holy Thursday, I had a surreal experience during the Mass of the Lord's Supper. My husband and I were asked to take the place of two of the disciples during the Washing of the Feet. It was completely unexpected—we weren't even at our own parish; we were visitors. The invitation had come a week earlier. As my husband and I were leaving a weekday Mass at this church, two women approached us in the parking lot. When they asked if we would participate in the Foot Washing, my husband explained that we weren't parishioners. They simply smiled and said it didn’t matter.
As I sat there in front of the entire congregation waiting for the priest to reach me, I felt a wave of total embarrassment. A single thought looped through my mind: “I am a sinner. I don’t deserve to be here.” But then the priest looked at me and smiled. In that moment, I didn't just see a man; I saw the face of Jesus. I realized then that He hadn't chosen me despite my being a sinner, but because of it. He washed the feet of the Apostles who would soon abandon Him. He washed the feet of Peter, who would deny Him, and even the feet of Judas, who would betray Him. And there, in a parish that wasn't my own, He washed my feet—knowing full well the many times I, too, have abandoned, denied, and betrayed Him. It was a profound lesson in the mercy that makes Easter possible. We don't earn His love; we simply receive it.
Having experienced that radical mercy on Thursday, I see now that the Resurrection isn't just a historical event; it is the power that allows us to rise above our 'Capital Sins' and embrace the Seven Capital Virtues. Every capital sin is tied to a capital virtue that can help us overcome it. These virtues are the fruits of the Resurrection: meekness defeats anger, kindness conquers envy, chastity crushes lust, humility vanquishes pride, temperance overpowers gluttony, diligence masters sloth, and generosity overcomes greed.
Jesus tells His disciples on the night of the Last Supper:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit He prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers” (John 15:1-6).
In order for our virtues to grow and get stronger, we must stay connected to Jesus. Just like new plants are often grafted onto a healthy, established vine to give them the best chance at success, we are grafted onto Jesus, the True Vine. It’s not up to us to try and bear fruit alone. We receive our strength and life from God, who blesses our efforts and makes us fruitful. In order for our virtues to bear abundant treasures, we must remain firmly connected to the Risen Christ through prayer and the Sacraments. In our daily surrender, His resurrected life—His "Divine Sap"—begins to flow through our own veins.
Our struggle with the seven capital sins doesn't end because we are "good people"; it ends because we are ‘connected people.’ We are connected to the One who conquered death. And just like I was reminded on Holy Thursday during the Washing of the Feet, Jesus doesn't choose us because we are perfect—He chooses us because He loves us. He did it all for Love.
As we celebrate this Easter, let us not just look at the empty tomb from a distance. Let us abide in the Risen Lord. When we remain in Him, the capital virtues aren't just goals we strive for—they are the natural, beautiful fruit of a life lived in the light of the Resurrection.
He is Risen! And because He lives, we—the branches—can truly begin to grow.
Copyright © 2026 Christy Romero. All rights reserved. If you thought of someone while reading this, bless them by sharing it with them.
My name is Christy Romero and I am a cradle Catholic. I met my husband, Rafael, 46 years ago on a Youth Encounter, and we got married four years later. We have three young adult children who are all happily married, and two grandsons that have stolen our hearts. Even though I have always loved writing, God took me on a different career path. I graduated with a degree in Accounting in 1986, and thirty years ago, I established my practice to help small businesses and individuals with their tax filings. Last year, I decided to retire to spend more time with my growing family, and to dedicate more time to writing. I created a blog to share my meditations ten years ago, and I have a faithful following of family and friends. Now, I feel God urging me to share the Good News of the Church that He established over 2,000 years ago with a larger audience. In the words of St. Teresa of Calcutta: “I am just a little pencil in the hand of a writing God sending a love letter to the world.” You can find more of my writings at https://christysmeditations.blogspot.com/
