SATURDAY, TWENTY NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Eph 4: 7-16; Ps 122: 1-5; Lk 13: 1-9
GOD GIVES US TIME TO BEAR FRUIT
Today’s readings invite us to reflect on God’s patience, our gifts, and the fruitfulness of our lives. In the Gospel, Jesus tells us the parable of the barren fig tree. The owner comes looking for fruit but finds none. He wants to cut the tree down. But the gardener pleads with him to till and manure it another year! This is a beautiful picture of God’s mercy. The tree has not produced fruit, yet God does not immediately abandon it. He gives it another opportunity. In the same way, there are moments when we may feel that our lives are not bearing enough fruit; our faith may be weak, our prayer may be dry, or we may keep falling into the same mistakes. Yet God patiently says, “Give it another chance.”
But the Gospel also gives us a challenge. God’s patience is not an invitation to remain unchanged. The extra time is given so that the tree may finally bear fruit. St. Paul reminds us that Christ has given different gifts to each member of the Church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. These gifts are given “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the Body of Christ.” Therefore, whatever gift we have our intelligence, creativity, compassion, leadership, communication, or simply our ability to encourage someone, is not meant only for ourselves. God’s gifts become meaningful when they become gifts to others.
The Psalm expresses the joy of journeying together toward God: “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” We do not grow alone. We need God and we need one another. So today, let us ask ourselves: What fruit is my life producing? Am I becoming more loving, patient, forgiving and generous? And am I using the gifts God has given me for the good of others? This is the wonderful message of today: God has not given up on us. The Gardener is still working on us. May we allow His grace to cultivate our hearts so that our lives may truly bear fruit.
Response: Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
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