Gospel: Mark
11:11-26
Jesus
entered Jerusalem and went into the temple area. He looked around at everything
and, since it was already late, went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
The next
day as they were leaving Bethany he was hungry. Seeing from a distance a fig
tree in leaf, he went over to see if he could find anything on it. When he
reached it he found nothing but leaves; it was not the time for figs. And he
said to it in reply, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again!” And his
disciples heard it.
They came
to Jerusalem, and on entering the temple area he began to drive out those
selling and buying there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and
the seats of those who were selling doves. He did not permit anyone to carry
anything through the temple area. Then he taught them saying, “Is it not
written: My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples? But you
have made it a den of thieves.”
The chief
priests and the scribes came to hear of it and were seeking a way to put him to
death,
yet they
feared him because the whole crowd was astonished at his teaching. When evening
came, they went out of the city.
Early in
the morning, as they were walking along, they saw the fig tree withered to its
roots. Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you
cursed has withered.” Jesus said to them in reply, “Have faith in God. Amen, I
say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the
sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will
happen, it shall be done for him. Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in
prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours. When you stand
to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance, so that your
heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions.”
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Reflection:
Why did
Jesus cursed the powerless and innocent fig tree? Because it was not bearing
fruit. What is our responsibility as
followers of Jesus? We should not become barren followers. We should instead
become fruit bearing followers of Jesus.
This
means that we have to share our faith thus we don’t become a fig tree that does
not bear fruit. Have you already shared your faith in Jesus? If yes you are
already a fruitful follower of the Lord.
The
cursing of the fig tree was a symbolic show of Jesus’ power that was unfortunately
not properly discerned by His followers. It was a silent message for them that
they have to be productive followers and not followers in name only.
To become
a productive or fruit bearing follower of Jesus is to be engaged in the
ministry of evangelization of Jesus. Have you tried to evangelize anyone? Say
for example a member of your immediate family, friend or a neighbor?
Are you a
productive follower of Jesus or a follower in name only? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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