“Look, Rabbi,” he said to Jesus,” the fig tree you cursed has withered away.”
Initially a person might think that the object of today’s Gospel is about cursing and evil thoughts. These are deadly sins . I once new a youth pastor whose youth group cursed a healthy plant and the next day the plant withered.
Curses and thoughts are powerful. I am ashamed at some of the language that comes out of me in times of anger and stress.
When Jesus cleared out the Temple in today’s readings , it was not for the robbers or scribes or chief priests. It was a metaphor for us to clean out our lives of the residual dark spots that hold us back.
Jesus says in Mark’s Gospel , I tell you therefore: everything you ask and pray for, believe that you have it already, and it will be yours. And when you stand in prayer, forgive whatever you have against anybody, so that your Father in heaven may forgive your failings too. But if you do not forgive, your Father in heaven will not forgive your failings either.
Believe! Yes, Jesus was human and He understands that it takes to have faith is God as a human being. Worry penetrates our lives and doubt is always there. This is how we overcome not believing. He says if you believe it already, is ours. Okay, I never said it was easy. Reality and fantasy effect our thinking. To overcome we have to do one more thing.
Forgive! We have to forgive everybody that abused us either physically or emotionally. We have to forgive ourselves and our own failings.
The two things that strike me from Jesus words today have nothing to do with the fig tree. The tree was not in season. It couldn’t have produced fruit at that time of the year. It does have something to do with cleaning out the rubbish in our lives. Cleaning out our temple is no easy task. Lent was supposed to clean out our hearts, but there is something we have forgotten.
There is still time!
Belief and forgiveness are not easy. Our season to bear fruit does not depend on the time of the year. Our house cleaning should be every day of our lives as we look at the cross and believe and forgive as Jesus taught us.
God Love You Always
Bob Burford
Prayer: Dear Lord please give each of us the capacity to believe and forgive ourselves and others. May our faith grow so that with our faith in God we too can move mountains. Also, as a special intention, please pray for a dear friend, John Flynn, who is in poor health.
Picture Credit: “Pierre Auguste Renoir – Apricots and Figs” by irinaraquel is marked with CC PDM 1.0
