Breaking the Word

29^th Week in Ord. Time, Saturday – 23^rd October 2021 — Gospel: Lk 13,1-9

Mediating Gardener

In the gospel, the Lucan community associates disasters, calamities, sicknesses and death with sin. In order to correct their psyche, Luke emphasizes the urgency of repentance and the need for conversion of heart. The image of the barren fig tree portrays the people of Israel who have not generated any spiritual produce for a long time. In contrast to their non-productivity, the parable becomes a sign of God’s unconditional love and forgiveness. It also expresses God’s patience with his people despite a history of unfruitfulness. The owner’s displeasure expresses God’s evaluation of his people. But the gardener pleaded for the tree, asking the owner to give one more year to carefully nurture the tree so that it will bear fruit. The simple gardener plays a mediating role between the owner and the fig tree and provides the manure and extra care for the tree to start bearing its fruit. Jesus is that mediator, who gives another chance to repent and bear much fruit. He is the one who gives extraordinary care for the fruitless trees.

29^th Week in Ord. Time, Friday– 22^nd October 2021 — Gospel: Lk 12,54-59

Signs of Present Time

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus contrasts his contemporaries’ knowledge and understanding of the nature with their inability to understand the importance of his presence among them. With all their knowledge, they are still unable ‘to interpret the present time.’ The present time is the time to recognize what God is doing in their midst. Jesus has provided much evidence of God’s saving activity. But they have not responded well and have not perceived that Jesus is establishing the reign of God. Jesus admonishes them for their worldly concerns. In the present time, Jesus is calling everyone to actively participate in establishing God’s kingdom on earth.  We are to realize that the kingdom is growing among us. Jesus invites us to be wise in discerning the signs of this kingdom. He is calling everyone to action; it is nothing but our commitment to the kingdom of justice. As followers of Christ we must be committed to action but have to cope with our frequent failure to live our faith. Failures are common in our commitment to God’s kingdom, but nevertheless we believe that God will do something good through us.