Like the gardener in the parable,  positively sees the potential of the currently unproductive fig tree

and is willing to risk giving it yet another opportunity and to work towards helping the tree realize the potential.

 

 Blessed Virgin Mary

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Ephesians 4:7-16

But to each of us

Divine grace is given according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore, it is said: When he ascended to the heights, he brought captives and gave his gifts to people.

 

He ascended, what does it mean but that he had also descended to the lower parts of the world? He himself who went down, then ascended far above all the heavens, to fill all things. As for his gifts, to some he gave to be apostles; to others prophets, or even evangelists; or pastors and teachers.

 

So, he prepared those who belong to him for the ministry in order to build up the Body of Christ until we are all united in the same faith and knowledge of the Son of God. Thus, we shall become the perfect Man, upon reaching maturity, and sharing the fullness of Christ.

 

Then, no longer shall we be like children, tossed about by any wave, or wind of doctrine; and deceived by the cunning of people, who drag them along into error. Rather, speaking the truth, in love, we shall grow in every way, toward him, who is the head, Christ. From him, comes the growth of the whole body, to which a network of joints gives order and cohesion, taking into account, and making use of, the function of each one. So, the body builds itself, in love.

 

Ps 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5 Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊

Luke 13:1-9

One day, some people told Jesus what had occurred in the temple: Pilate had had Galileans killed, and their blood mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. Jesus asked them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this?

 

No, I tell you. But unless you change your ways, you will all perish as they did. And those eighteen persons in Siloah who were crushed when the tower fell, do you think they were more guilty than all the others in Jerusalem? I tell you: no. But unless you change your ways, you will all perish, as they did."

 

And Jesus continued, "A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it, but found none. Then he said to the gardener, 'Look here, for three years now I have been looking for figs on this tree, and I have found none. Cut it down, why should it continue to deplete the soil?' The gardener replied, 'Leave it one more year, so that I may dig around it and add some fertilizer; perhaps it will bear fruit from now on. But if it doesn't, you can cut it down."

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"Change for the better."

God always calls us to conversion. He continually provides the occasion for us to turn away from sin. Today's Gospel tells of two things: Jesus' call to change ways and the parable of the barren fig tree. Jesus said that the Galileans and the Jerusalemites who died tragically were not worse sinners than those who were then listening to Jesus.

Here, their respective manners of death become secondary. The point here is that God does not want anybody to die in sin. Hence, he always gives us the chance to repent. As we can learn from the parable of the barren fig tree, the Lord does not want us to immediately be cut off and lose the chance of bearing fruit. The Lord hopes that we "may make fruit" (cf. v. 9).

 

The Greek verb used here is poieo, "to do" or "to make." This implies that while the Lord provides the occasion for us to bear fruit, we are also called to do our part, God never gets tired of giving us the opportunity to repent because he keeps on hoping that, one day, we shall change for the better. One day, we shall bear fruit as Jesus' followers.