Lent 2010 - Third Sunday

Luke 13:1-9: (The Inclusive Bible)
"On the same occasion, there were people present who told Jesus about some Galileans whose
blood Pilate had mixed with their own sacrifices.
Jesus replied, "Do you think these Galileans were the greatest sinners in Galilee just
because they suffered this? Not at all! I tell you, you'll all come to the same end unless
you change your ways. Or take those eighteen who were killed by a falling tower in Siloam.
Do you think they were more guilty than anyone else who has lived in Jerusalem? Certainly
not! I tell you, you'll all come to the same end unless you change your ways.
Jesus told this parable: "There was a fig tree growing in a vineyard. The owner came out
looking for fruit on it, but didn't find any. The owner said to the vine dresser, "Look
here! For three years now I've come out in search of fruit on this fig tree and have found
none. Cut it down. Why should it clutter up the ground?""
"In reply, the vine dresser said, "Please, leave it one more year while I hoe around it and
fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine; if not, then let it be cut down.""

THOUGHTS:
This story is similar to the one in Mark 11:12-14. In that story, Jesus curses a fig tree
for being fruitless. Mark notes that it was not fig season - however, fig growers know that
when leaves first appear on the tree, (during the time of year we know as Lent,) there are
almond-sized mini-figs, called the breba crop, that were often left for the poor to pick off
and eat. The tree had leaves, but no mini-figs - and if there are no mini-figs, there will
be no real figs that year. Also, since the mini-figs and leaves tend to grow together, the
appearance of leaves without figs were a form of false advertising. Essentially, the tree
wasn't "walking it's talk."

Back in Luke 13, we read in v2-5 a speech that would not be out of place on a TV preacher's
lips after some disaster - saying, perhaps, it is a curse for allowing things like feminism
to take root. Yet it wasn't prostitutes and tax collectors Jesus was speaking to, but the
religious. Many preachers who talk about God cursing Others have also been subjects of news
articles detailing their multi-million-dollar spending habits. Is greed less sinful just
because it's popular? We are ALL sinners, from preachers and priests to pimps and embezzlers
- who among us has the arrogance to throw stones?

Let's combine these ideas: Jesus wants to see fruit. He doesn't want classy sounding
theological words, which are just so many leaves. He doesn't want us to waste time pointing
fingers and bickering about other people bringing disaster in their wake because God has
somehow cursed them more than us. (Weren't we all cursed by Adam's fall?) Jesus cares about
generosity, gratitude, humility, patience, how much hope we spread, how much faith and trust
we have in God, and - most importantly - how much we love. He doesn't even care if we aren't
there yet - He doesn't expect perfect figs, even little, tiny, mini-fig tries will please
Him. What matters is whether or not we're letting God take our heart of stone and turn it
into a heart of flesh (Ez 36:26). What matters is if we're there to look into the eyes of
those who believe life is hopeless and that even God can't heal and forgive their past - and
then not only tell, but show them that God loves them.

PRAYER:
Jesus, forgive us for thinking of others as worse sinners than ourselves.
Soften our hearts to Your voice, so that we may produce True Fruit this Lenten season.
Amen.

--
Thoughts by Victoria Meixell, student at George Mason University and community member of Lutheran Campus Ministry