Bearing the Right Fruits
March 23, 2025 at 9:58 a.m.
Third Sunday in Lent
In this Sunday’s gospel, the apostle Luke talks to us about the parable of the fig trees.
I love Jesus’ parables because they are very powerful stories that can have many interpretations from different points of view. Just think that because Jesus preached to various cultures, he had to tell them in a way that we could all understand and learn from.
Many of them are difficult to understand at times, but do not give up. If you pay close attention or review them several times, you will understand the teaching that Jesus is trying to transmit to you. That’s what happened to me when I heard the parable of the fig tree.
One interpretation could be about judgment. All Catholics know that our earthly life will come to an end at some point, and when that happens, we will be judged by God for all the good or bad things we did. We can interpret this as the moment in which we will meet Jesus face to face and be judged for our actions here on earth. It is an invitation for us to think about the fruits that we are currently bearing. Is what we are doing at this moment the most appropriate? Are we a tree that is bearing the right fruits?
A further interpretation is repentance. It may be that at this moment in our life we are not bearing the right fruits. With this parable God invites us to repent of the actions that we are committing, those that do not help us to be a better person or to be in communion with Christ. It can be a reminder that we should make changes in our lives to put Christ first, be more helpful, and be more patient and caring to those around us.
When the Holy Spirit helped me understand that the parable of the fig tree speaks of judgment and repentance, I reread it a third time and found one of the most beautiful interpretations of all: forgiveness. Our God is known for being a God of mercy. We know that no matter what we do, if we truly repent, He will forgive us.
When rereading the part where the servant asks his owner to leave the plant for one more year, I interpreted this as God telling us that we have many opportunities in this life to change and truly repent. It is a way of telling us that by being at His side, we will bear incredible fruits, that He, being our gardener, will mold the soil on which we are currently standing and help us bear the fruits that we are destined to bear.
During this time of Lent, I invite you to reflect on the fruits that you are bearing at this moment in your life. Are they good fruits or do you need to start making real change?
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Third Sunday in Lent
In this Sunday’s gospel, the apostle Luke talks to us about the parable of the fig trees.
I love Jesus’ parables because they are very powerful stories that can have many interpretations from different points of view. Just think that because Jesus preached to various cultures, he had to tell them in a way that we could all understand and learn from.
Many of them are difficult to understand at times, but do not give up. If you pay close attention or review them several times, you will understand the teaching that Jesus is trying to transmit to you. That’s what happened to me when I heard the parable of the fig tree.
One interpretation could be about judgment. All Catholics know that our earthly life will come to an end at some point, and when that happens, we will be judged by God for all the good or bad things we did. We can interpret this as the moment in which we will meet Jesus face to face and be judged for our actions here on earth. It is an invitation for us to think about the fruits that we are currently bearing. Is what we are doing at this moment the most appropriate? Are we a tree that is bearing the right fruits?
A further interpretation is repentance. It may be that at this moment in our life we are not bearing the right fruits. With this parable God invites us to repent of the actions that we are committing, those that do not help us to be a better person or to be in communion with Christ. It can be a reminder that we should make changes in our lives to put Christ first, be more helpful, and be more patient and caring to those around us.
When the Holy Spirit helped me understand that the parable of the fig tree speaks of judgment and repentance, I reread it a third time and found one of the most beautiful interpretations of all: forgiveness. Our God is known for being a God of mercy. We know that no matter what we do, if we truly repent, He will forgive us.
When rereading the part where the servant asks his owner to leave the plant for one more year, I interpreted this as God telling us that we have many opportunities in this life to change and truly repent. It is a way of telling us that by being at His side, we will bear incredible fruits, that He, being our gardener, will mold the soil on which we are currently standing and help us bear the fruits that we are destined to bear.
During this time of Lent, I invite you to reflect on the fruits that you are bearing at this moment in your life. Are they good fruits or do you need to start making real change?