Holding tight the rope

 You doubted, but Jesus didn't abandon you. He made you suffer while you thought to be enjoying your freedom: discouragement alternated with remorse in your heart, then ashamed of yourselves and desperate, bewildered, you sinned again. Christ did not accept this disgrace to to which you had already submitted with resignation: He will never consent that the separate branches of the vine dry and die.

He has insisted us until He got our repentance. Another link has grafted us to the true vine, and we have extended our hands. ¿ Just to load them with strings? No! but to hold tight the rope that leads to castaway to the surface.

   Vosaltres dubtàveu, però Jesús no us va abandonar. Us feia sofrir mentre creieu gaudir de la vostra llibertat: el descoratjament alternava amb remordiments en el vostre cor; després, avergonyits i desesperats de vosaltres mateixos, atordits, tornàveu a pecar. Crist no va acceptar aquesta desgràcia a la que vosaltres ja us havíeu lliurat resignadament: mai consentirà que els sarments separats del cep s'assequin i morin. 

Ens ha insistit fins aconseguir el nostre penediment. Un altre lligam ens ha empeltat al Cep veritable, i hem estès les mans. ¿ Per carregar-les de cadenes? No! sinó per agafar-nos fort a la corda que condueix al nàufrag a la superfície.

(Georges Chevrot: Simón Pedro, p. 304, Patmos)