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“The Accursed Fig Tree”
by James Tissot, 1886-94 |
Readings for Friday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: 1 Peter 4:7-13
Beloved:
The end of all things is at hand.
Therefore be serious and sober-minded
so that you will be able to pray.
Above all, let your love for one another be intense,
because love covers a multitude of sins.
Be hospitable to one another without complaining.
As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another
as good stewards of God’s varied grace.
Whoever preaches, let it be with the words of God;
whoever serves, let it be with the strength that God supplies,
so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ,
to whom belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Beloved, do not be surprised that a trial by fire is occurring among you,
as if something strange were happening to you.
But rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ,
so that when his glory is revealed
you may also rejoice exultantly.
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Commentary on 1 Pt 4:7-13
“The inner life of the eschatological community” (the Christian community’s focus on the end times) “is outlined as the end (the parousia of Christ) and the judgment draws near in terms of seriousness, sobriety, prayer, and love expressed through hospitality and the use of one's gifts for the glory of God and of Christ” [4] The doxology in v.11 may have been the ending of an address or possibly even the conclusion of a baptismal celebration.
The concluding verses recapitulate the baptismal exhortation, and encourage the Christian community to share in the tribulations of Christ, sharing also in the salvation that flows through him. See also Romans 8:17.
CCC: 1 Pt 4:6 634; 1 Pt 4:7 670, 1806; 1 Pt 4:8 1434
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 96:10, 11-12, 13
R. (13b) The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He has made the world firm, not to be moved;
he governs the peoples with equity.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Before the LORD, for he comes;
for he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
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Commentary on Ps 96:10, 11-12, 13
Psalm 96 is a hymn of praise to the one true God. The psalmist invites all people to come to faith and believe in God who created all things, and is above all things. He exhorts the people to praise the Lord for his wondrous works of creation. The reason for this exhortation is that God will come to rule the earth with his justice. In this passage we see the forerunner of the understanding of the New Jerusalem – the Heavenly Kingdom.
“What does this justice and fidelity mean? On the day of Judgment, he will gather his chosen ones to himself and send the rest away, he will place some to his right hand and others to his left. It is only right and fair that those who show no mercy before the coming of the judge should not then hope for mercy from him. Whereas those who struggle to be merciful towards others will be judged with mercy.” (St Augustine, Enarrationes in Psalmos, 95, 15) [5]
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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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Commentary on Mk 11:11-26
This Gospel passage has three intertwined elements. First we hear Jesus uncharacteristically “curse” the fig tree for its lack of fruit. The common thought about this incident is that it is a metaphor for the Jewish lack of faith, and acceptance of scriptures fulfilled in Christ.
The second element is the story of Jesus and the money changers. The Lord drives out the merchants who had set up their tables in the outermost courtyard of the Temple called the Court of Gentiles. The sacrifices for sale could only be purchased with money from Tyre; all other currency had to be exchanged at these tables.
Finally we come to the last part of the Gospel as Jesus instructs the disciples about prayer. The selection concludes, much like the Lord’s Prayer, with the request for forgiveness. [Note: verse 26 is omitted because it is not found in the best source documents: "But if you do not forgive, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your transgressions."]
CCC: Mk 11:24 2610; Mk 11:25 2841
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Reflection:
The story of Jesus cursing the fig tree provides us with some shock value. It is so out of character that the Lord of love would do anything like cursing a tree (or for that matter disrupting the money changers in the temple). In this case we can almost miss the real point being made by these short vignettes.
In the case of the fig tree, Jesus is demonstrating the power of faith. Note, when the disciples see the results of the curse he laid upon the tree, and call it to his attention, he makes the profound response “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.”
It is that incredible faith, the faith of Bartimaeus the blind man whose sight was restored, that the Lord asks us to have. It is so difficult for us to accept that the use of this gift can have such an amazing effect on our lives. But there it is: we are promised that, if we do not let doubt enter in, our faith in Christ will allow almost anything to be possible.
Today as we recall the shock value of the cursed fig tree, let us pray in our hearts for the faith the Lord asks us to have. We have been assured, if we can approach that level of trust in God, all things are possible.
Pax
[1] The picture is “The Accursed Fig Tree” by James Tissot, 1886-94.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible except for the Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] NAB Footnote on 1 Peter 4:7-11
[5] The Navarre Bible, Psalms (Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003), 324.
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