Looking for fruit

 Third Sunday of Lent Year C - 20th March 2022

Gospel Luke 13:1–9

Some people arrived and told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with that of their sacrifices. At this he said to them, ‘Do you suppose these Galileans who suffered like that were greater sinners than any other Galileans? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen on whom the tower at Siloam fell and killed them? Do you suppose that they were more guilty than all the other people living in Jerusalem? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did.’

He told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none. He said to the man who looked after the vineyard, “Look here, for three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be taking up the ground?” “Sir,” the man replied, “leave it one more year, and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.”’

Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

I begin my prayer by relaxing my body and mind. I breathe in deeply, reminding myself that I am in God’s presence. I ask the Spirit to help me.

I read the text slowly, a couple of times. Perhaps I place myself at Jesus’s feet as I hear him say these words to me. I hear him speak of tragic disasters, contrived and accidental. How do I respond to his comments?

Hoes does this warning make me feel ... frightened ... encouraged ...or ...? I reflect on why and how this is.

As I ponder the parable of the fig tree, I may think of personal times of failure or feelings of uselessness. In what ways does the parable give me confidence?

How do I consider the different responses of the owner and the man looking after the vineyard? I turn to the Lord. I speak to him from my heart, allowing him to love me and care for me.

Perhaps there is some sense in which this feels like a ‘final year’ for me? Whatever my response, I offer it to the Lord, trusting him to grant me all the graces I need to serve him and bear fruit.

I end my prayer with a ‘Glory be ...’

Click here to read or listen to a one-minute homily on this Sunday's readings!