October 24
The Parable of
the
Barren Fig Tree
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| Image created by Google AI Image Creator. |
Today’s Gospel:
Luke 13:1-9
(Parable of the
Barren Fig Tree)
A Call to Repentance. At that time some
people who were present there told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate
had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. He
said to them in reply, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in
this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By
no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!
Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them
do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in
Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not
repent, you will all perish as they did!”
The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree. And he told them this parable: “There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’ He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not, you can cut it down.’
Reflection:
Paul
tells the Ephesians that each of us has received a gift of grace, and Christ
gave the Church, the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to
equip all of us for the work of ministry. Notice that: all of us! We are meant
to grow up in Christ, speaking the truth in love, with every part of the Body
doing its share. Nobody is a spectator in our Church; everyone’s gifts are
needed.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the story of a fig tree that hasn’t
borne fruit, and the owner wants to cut it down. But the gardener steps in and
says, give it one more year; I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. Do you hear
the tenderness? Our Lord is the Gardener who asks for one more chance. God
never gives up on anyone, and He is willing to get His hands dirty for us. So,
let’s never give up on anyone either.
Saint Anthony Mary Claret was a man on fire who used every tool he
could find to bring Jesus to people. He preached everywhere, and he printed and
handed out an astonishing number of books and leaflets because he believed the
printing press was a pulpit. His community, the Claretians, are the Missionary
Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Beneath the Standard of Mary, anybody who
writes, prints, posts, or sends a message for Jesus is in his family. Today is
Saturday, Mary’s day, so give her your gifts and let her put them to work.
What gift has God put in your hands that could
bring someone closer to Jesus, whether it’s words, music, cooking, or a
listening ear? Who is the one person in your life that you haven’t given up on?
Offer it all to Our Lady today and let her put it to work.
Rosary
Man Jim 🌹
Freely
given. Freely shared.
