Gospel

‘Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.’
Luke 13:1–9

There were some present at that very time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, ‘Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.’
  And he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vine dresser, “Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?” And he answered him, “Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig round it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.” ’

The Gospel of the Lord

Fruits of Conversion.

In this Gospel, the Lord invites us, as husband and wife, to be the gardener in the parable. At those moments when our spouse seems more like a hindrance than a help, He invites us to look at them through His eyes of mercy, just as the gardener looks at the fig tree that bears no fruit. The Lord invites us to love truly, as He does, especially when things seem to be going wrong, when it seems that our spouse is doing more harm than good to the family, and the world tells us that it is not worth trying any more, that we should give up, that they will never change, that all they do is hurt us and our family. He urges us to be patient and hopeful, to always give another chance, to give ourselves completely and do everything in our power so that the fruits the Father expects from our spouse may begin to grow. We must dig around them and nourish them with love, self-giving and sacrifice, without losing heart, always forgiving and repaying evil with good, so that the Lord may transform their heart and they may finally bear the fruit they are called to bear. Because it is when they deserve it the least that they need me the most. And our mission is to love as He loves and to lead our spouse to Heaven. Married couples, are we willing to love to the point of laying down our lives for our spouse, as the Lord laid down His life, and continues to do so, for each one of us?

Applied to Married Life

Rose: You know, Richard, as I was praying with today’s Gospel, the parable of the fig tree that bears no fruit made me think about us. How often we spend much of the day together, and yet each of us just goes about our own business.
Richard: That’s true! There are so many days when we come home tired, and then we have to make dinner, tidy up, look after the children… and sometimes we don’t even ask each other how our day has been.
Rose: And I’ve realised that, at those moments, if you then answer me rudely, I respond even worse. In the end, instead of helping each other, we end up throwing all sorts of things back at one another. It’s difficult for our love to bear fruit like that!
Richard: You’re absolutely right, Rose. But look at Jesus: He doesn’t give up on the fig tree, and He doesn’t give up on us either. He always gives us another chance to change. He never tires of trying. We need to follow His example. I can start by helping more around the house and listening to you without looking at my mobile phone. What do you think?
Rose: And I can stop constantly reminding you of everything you do wrong and start appreciating the good things you do. We don’t need to wait until everything is perfect before we love each other better.
Richard: Exactly. Let’s nurture our relationship every day, even through the little things. And let’s nourish our love with small gestures, forgiving one another and seeking God’s Will together.
Rose: And praying together every day, so that Jesus may teach us to love as He does, to love each other as He loves us. Then our marriage will truly bear fruit.
Both: Lord, transform our hearts and make our marriage fruitful. Teach us to love truly. Amen.

Mother,
teach us to persevere in prayer, so that we may learn to love as God loves us and thus bear abundant fruits of Love. Blessed and glorious are You, Mother! Praised be the Lord for ever!