We have two power
packed readings at mass today. In the first reading from the Book of Sirach we see how God encourages
all to be “godly people” – so that they
and their descendants may be blessed and all they have need of. Those who
do God’s will are the ones who are blessed to the hundredth generation.
The gospel passage from St. Mark seems to be a compilation of several
pointed lessons. Jesus first curses a fig tree which has green leaves but no
fruit (because it was not yet time for fruit) – what was going on there? At the
time, Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem to be killed by his own people – maybe he
was just having a bad day, and was reflecting in that tree the barrenness of the
fruit that should have been there if the tree was more properly cultivated and
fertilized with prayer, sacrifice and almsgiving. Later in the passage he
connects faith (which can move mountains
from their very spot to be cast into the sea – through accompanying prayer)
with asking for what we need – asking for what God wants for us – asking for
what the Holy Spirit will surely give us – it will be done immediately. It is
not what we want that God gives us – but what he already knows what is best for
us that counts.
Now the caveat he puts on this faith/prayer deal is that we must be in
the “state of grace” – the “state of being reconciled with our brothers and
sisters” – we must “forgive anyone against whom we have a grievance, so that
our heavenly Father may in turn forgive our own transgressions.”
Yes, these are power packed readings – giving us much to think about
today – may we pause often during the day and do just that. Any day that does
not include in it pausing to reflect on what was contemplated in the Liturgy of
the Word at mass that day is pretty much a wasted day – a day that runs out of
steam, and quality and effectiveness to do really good works.
Let us not waste our energies – God
has chosen us from the world to go and bear fig fruit that will last – may we
not let him down. Amen.
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