Ephesians 4:7-16,
Psalm 122:1-2.3-4ab.4cd-5,
Luke 13: 1-9 Full Readings
Saint Anthony Mary ClaretThe Second Chance.
In today's Gospel Jesus gives a parable of a man who had a fig tree and had come for fruits for three years but he couldn't get any fruit. At this moment he had come to cut it but his servant told him to leave it for another year while he gives it fertiliser and tills it and if it doesn't give fruit, it will be cut. The man gives the tree a second chance.
Jesus as a good teacher as usual uses images to bring home his message. A man who had a fig tree can be considered as God and the fig tree is us, His people. The servant who pleaded on behalf of the tree, is the Holy Spirit who intercedes for us and completes our prayers. This also can be our saints who all intercede for us. Brethren, God always gives us the second chance to repent and come back to him when we have strayed away from Him. When this chance is given, let us grab it, use it wisely and repent so that God will welcome us back.
Before Jesus gave this parable, he had warned everyone that if we don't repent our condemnation will even be more than that of those Galileans who were slaughtered by Pilate or those who were killed by the tower of Siloam when it fell down. Such a warning emphasises the seriousness of Jesus' message for repentance which John had started. Repentance and believing in the Gospel is a pathway to heaven.
St Paul in the first reading tells us that all of us have been given different gifts and vocations, for instance, teachers, prophets, doctors, politicians, religious, family heads, and others. These all make up one body, whereby Jesus is the head. Therefore, everyone must carry out his or her duty and vocation dutifully and make up a body of Christ. At last we should be able to tell God that, see God you gave me this and these are the fruits which I have fruited. If we fail as human beings, he gives us a second chance to repent and we must take this chance, otherwise, we are cut off from God.
God has created us with a specific destiny and mission in mind. Over the years, if our lives do not correspond to that destiny, if we do not develop in the way he intended, or if we do not bring the expected fruit, then our creator will rightly be as disappointed as the person in the parable. God created us, he has given us all we need to thrive, and he greatly cares about what will become of us.
However, sometimes we may tend to misuse this second chance, and we can take advantage of it by keeping on sinning with the hope that God will forgive us. This should not be as such with us. Remember in the Gospel the tree is given one year, after it will be cut. Let us not wait to reach the time when God says he is tired to forgive us and put us to judgement.
Which Fruits Is God Seeking in Us?: At first, we could think that God looks for fruits from our lives for his own benefit. In reality, however, there is nothing God needs that he does not already have. Jesus has taught us time and again what God seeks from us. The ultimate fruit of human life is to have known, loved, and served our Lord, and to have overcome the corruption of sin so as to live eternally with him in heaven. God created us for heaven and he wants us there with him.
Reflect today on the second chances that have been given to you in your life. Have you taken good use of them or you are taking advantage of them to sin the more? Are you bearing the right fruits which God expects you to bear? Pray for the Spirit to always guide us in using well the second chances in our lives.
Let us Pray
My God, you have created me in your image and hence know that I will become the best version of myself when my life yields fruits: fruits of joy, fruits of charity, fruits of holiness. Despite my frequent inadequacies, you do not overwrite my free will but patiently work with me, helping me to convert and to grow. Help me to always use my second chances wisely. Amen.
Be blessed
No comments:
Post a Comment