In today's Gospel we learn about how we are sometimes like the barren fig tree that produces no fruit. Despite being barren, God is patient and merciful with us and will never abandon us.
Come Holy Spirit, fill our hearts and our minds. Fill us with your peace, love, and understanding. Help us to hear God's message today and recognize His voice in our daily activities. Amen
Some people told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. Jesus said to them in reply, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did! Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!” And he told them this parable: “There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener,‘ For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’ He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’”
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5gqWOv_-4o (Attributed to Catholic Kids Media)
Show a spring flower in bloom, such as a tulip or a daffodil. Ask what this flower looked like in the fall (if a flower bulb is readily available, show it). Ask if anyone planted flower bulbs in the fall. If someone has planted some, ask that person: What were you thinking about when you put the bulbs into the ground? Have you seen any blossoms from the bulbs that you planted?
Say: Planting bulbs in the ground in the fall so that flowers will bloom in the spring shows a number of character traits or qualities. What might some of these qualities be? (hope, patience, trust, and so on)
In today's Gospel, we hear a parable that also calls us to think about these qualities. Let's listen carefully to this parable so that we can consider these qualities that God shows towards us.
Ask: What did the orchard owner propose to do with the fig tree? (to uproot it and throw it away) Why? (it was not bearing fruit) What did the gardener propose? (that it be left to see if it may yet bear fruit) What qualities does the gardener exhibit? (patience, hopefulness care, and attention) What does this parable teach us about how God acts towards us? (Accept all reasonable answers.)
Say: God is patient with us, even when we turn away from him and sin. God is always hopeful that we will ask for his forgiveness. God doesn't give up on us. Instead, God continually reaches out to us, helping us to become the people that he intends for us to be. During Lent, we remember that God helps us—reaching out to us with love, patience, and hopefulness that we will return to him in love.
Father in heaven, for the sake of bringing others closer to you, we give you today, all that we think and do and say, and we join it with all that was done by Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen
