Fr. Victor Bongiovanni
Jesus told the people this parable, "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none. He said to his vinedresser, `For three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be taking up the ground?'
‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.' "
REFLECTIONS.
- On one hand, this is a parable of compassion, which gives comfort in the disciple who finds it difficult to follow Jesus, the Way. On the other hand, it is a challenging parable for all those disciples who have not decided yet to follow Jesus with all their hearts.
- The fig-tree occupied a specially favoured position. The soil was so poor in Palestine that trees were growing only where there was suitable soil for them to grow. But the fig-tree did not prove worthy of the privilege it has received.
- Uselessness invites disaster. The fig-tree was drawing strength and sustenance from the soil; and in return was producing nothing. That was precisely its sin.
In our world there are two kinds of people:
- those who take out more than they put in,
- and those who put in more than they take out.
In one sense we are all in debt to life. We came into it at the peril of someone else’s life, of our mother, and we would have not survived without the care of those who loved us, our families. Baden Powell used to say: ‘At my death I would like to leave the world better than how I found it at my birth’. There is laid on us the duty of handing things on better than we found them.
- d) A fig-tree normally takes three years to reach maturity. If it does not produce fruit by that time, it is not likely to produce fruit at all. But to this fig-tree of the parable was given another year. It is always the way of Jesus to give to man chance after chance. God is infinitely kind to the man who falls and rises again.
“I am a God of tenderness and compassion, rich in kindness and faithfulness.” (Ex 34,6)
“Can a woman forget her own baby and not love the child she bore? Even if a mother
forgets her child, I will never forget you!” ( Is 49,15)
“Turn away from your sins and live.” (Ez 33,11)
- The parable makes it quite clear that ‘there is a final chance’. Conversion is urgent, because God’s patience has a limit! If we refuse chance after chance, if God’s appeal and challenge come again and again in vain, the day finally comes, not when God has shut us out, but when we by deliberate choice have shut ourselves out. May God save us from this tragedy!
Jesus told the people this parable, "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none. He said to his vinedresser, `For three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be taking up the ground?'
‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.' "
REFLECTIONS.
- On one hand, this is a parable of compassion, which gives comfort in the disciple who finds it difficult to follow Jesus, the Way. On the other hand, it is a challenging parable for all those disciples who have not decided yet to follow Jesus with all their hearts.
- The fig-tree occupied a specially favoured position. The soil was so poor in Palestine that trees were growing only where there was suitable soil for them to grow. But the fig-tree did not prove worthy of the privilege it has received.
- Uselessness invites disaster. The fig-tree was drawing strength and sustenance from the soil; and in return was producing nothing. That was precisely its sin.
In our world there are two kinds of people:
- those who take out more than they put in,
- and those who put in more than they take out.
In one sense we are all in debt to life. We came into it at the peril of someone else’s life, of our mother, and we would have not survived without the care of those who loved us, our families. Baden Powell used to say: ‘At my death I would like to leave the world better than how I found it at my birth’. There is laid on us the duty of handing things on better than we found them.
- d) A fig-tree normally takes three years to reach maturity. If it does not produce fruit by that time, it is not likely to produce fruit at all. But to this fig-tree of the parable was given another year. It is always the way of Jesus to give to man chance after chance. God is infinitely kind to the man who falls and rises again.
“I am a God of tenderness and compassion, rich in kindness and faithfulness.” (Ex 34,6)
“Can a woman forget her own baby and not love the child she bore? Even if a mother
forgets her child, I will never forget you!” ( Is 49,15)
“Turn away from your sins and live.” (Ez 33,11)
- The parable makes it quite clear that ‘there is a final chance’. Conversion is urgent, because God’s patience has a limit! If we refuse chance after chance, if God’s appeal and challenge come again and again in vain, the day finally comes, not when God has shut us out, but when we by deliberate choice have shut ourselves out. May God save us from this tragedy!