As Lent rolls on, I pray that your plans for additional prayer, fasting and almsgiving are holding together. Opportunities to practice those three activities seem to arise rapidly these days. Even if we have fallen flat, or back tracked, when we should be moving forward, all is not lost. The fig tree in today’s Gospel should give us hope.
Kind and Merciful
“The Lord is kind and merciful” says the responsorial psalm today. The psalmist lists many things that we can receive by putting our faith in the Lord. Pardon from inequities, healing of ills, securing justice and more. God is so merciful to allow all these gifts. His mercy is surpassed by his kindness, however. We certainly do not deserve all this, but the mercy and kindness are a perfect combination that we can receive, simply by asking.
Patience
Beyond the infinite kindness and mercy that can be bestowed upon us, there is even more, if you can believe it. Add patience to the mix. The parable of the low yielding fig tree explains this patience to us. The fig tree has been given every opportunity to grow and yield fruit, which is its purpose in life, but no yield has been produced. This sounds like many of us and people we know. This is the type of tree that humans would cut down, use for fuel or fertilizer, and replace with a tree that can yield. However, God is not a human, and has given the tree one last chance. He shows his mercy and kindness. And now, his patience. One more chance for the tree to get nutrients, water, and a tilling or softening of the soil around it. One more chance to show that it can achieve its purpose. One more chance to produce the gift of fruit.
Last Chance
This “last chance” to save the tree is like US on our Lenten journey. Perhaps we can redouble our efforts to go to Confession, which is like clearing away weeds and bad soil around us that might not let in water and nutrition. There could be pests there, that need to be removed. We can focus on the Eucharist, to provide us food that feeds the entire tree, including making powerful roots. Reading the Bible may add nutrition to the soil around us, so we have strength to stretch our leaves, and make fig pods, and reach for the sky.
We have two scenarios to contend with. One scenario is the axe on our trunk, ready to take us down if we don’t get our act together. The other scenario is to play on God’s kindness, mercy, and patience. I want to avoid the axe, don’t you?
[Readings: Ex 3:1-8a, 13-15; 1 Cor 10:1-6, 10-12; Lk 13:1-9]
