Be Fruitful

Scripture/Bible:  And he entered Jerusalem, and went into the temple; and when he had looked round at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard it. …. 20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. 21 And Peter remembered and said to him, "Master, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered." 22 And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against any one; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses." Mark 11:11-14, 20-25

Reflection:  When Jesus died on the cross, he cried out aloud expressing his thirst. Many interpretations have been given to this thirst.

What then shall we say of his hunger and more so when it doesn’t spare a fig tree which doesn’t produce its fruit, more so when it is not its season.

The one hunger that God has for his chosen ones is that one bears much fruit, (Jn. 15: 8) and in all seasons.

May be it was unimaginable at one time to think of seasonal fruits being produced in all seasons. But with modern innovations in the field of biotechnology all things are possible.

Similarly, there is no reason why the disciples shouldn’t bear fruit in all seasons to satisfy the master’s hunger, which ultimately has our good in mind.

He provides the right soil of faith through prayer and word so that we bear fruit in all seasons; even if it is not the season to bear fruit. That’s the great miracle soil Christ has produced in himself and shares it with us. He is that eternal oil in us through the presence of his Holy Spirit, whose flame shouldn’t die unless we are foolish virgins.(Mt. 25:1-13)

Prayer: Lord, may I be like a tree planted by streams of water, that yields its fruit in all seasons, and its leaf does not wither. In all that I do, I prosper. Ps 1:3

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