WEEKLY REFLECTION

The Gospel Reading mentions of the parable of Jesus namely the unproductive fig tree which stresses God’s divine patience and forbearance. This parable immediately follows after Jesus explained that sin is offensive to God, that it deserves severe punishment. Sin is understood as missing the mark and negation of God’s presence. 

In the parable that Jesus told, a man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard. The fig tree was a favorite tree of the Jews. It was a tree of peace where a happy Jew sat for his regular prayers. Here is the fig tree that had taken so much nourishment from the soil. At the same time, there is not much arable land in Israel. So the fig tree had to justify its existence. The gardener a willing to be far more patient with the barren fig tree than the tree’s owner was. The tree was given additional time to be productive. 

In the parable, the master had already waited for three years and the gardener asks for another year where it would receive extra care.

The fig tree reminds us of two kinds of human persons, those who give and those who take. Those who give symbolize the sacrifice they make and fulfil the purpose of their existence. They give what they have without holding back anything for themselves and this is in generosity. Those who only take have to justify their existence. They have to fulfil their purpose of existence. To accept Christ’s message is to be open for conversion and change of heart. It invites the person to bear fruit and fulfil the purpose for which it has been created, namely to give.

Reflections courtesy of Evengeli.net.