THE  EMPTY  FIG  TREE

  

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 8^th Friday in Ordinary Time is, “The Empty Fig Tree.”

We all know the story of the Fig Tree in the gospels.

It’s not producing.

In Matthew and Mark Jesus curses the fig tree, because he wanted some figs and there aren’t any.  The tree dies. The next day Jesus’ disciples see the withered, the cursed fig tree, and remember Jesus reaction to it.

In Luke, the story changes. Did some preacher find the Matthew and Mark version of the story too tough?  Luke gives the tree a second chance. Luke gives the fig tree another year to prove itself. Matthew and Mark don’t.

Which one is Jesus? Do we have a second chance when we are not producing or are we fired?

THE EXPERIENCE

We’ve all had the experience of opening the refrigerator door and there is nothing inside. It’s empty. Uuuuuh!

Remember the old telephone booths - before cell phones. Someone goes to a phone and it’s broken. It has no dial tone. Or the wires have been cut.

Empty. Broken. Useless. Disappointed.

MESSAGE

Today’s gospel  has the message of Mark. It’s tough stuff. It’s filled with tough love.

No figs - no use letting it take up the ground - no use letting it just taking up space - just being an empty suit.  How’s that for a mixed metaphor.

The message might be the same as Jeremiah’s - in his oracle  in Chapters 7 and 8. He finds the temple empty - he finds people treating others unfairly - he finds people exploiting the stranger - the orphans and the widows. He finds false worship.

In Jeremiah 8: 13, we read, “Those who do not find the Lord, ‘There shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade.’” 

Here in Mark 11 - we find the same scene. Jesus enters the temple of Jerusalem and doesn’t like what he sees. The next day he spots the empty fig tree and curses it. Then he goes to the temple and cleans house - overturning tables and yelling at those who were selling doves.

He proclaims what was written, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. But you have made it a den of thieves.”

At this the chief priests and the scribes wanted to come up with a way to kill Jesus.

CONCLUSION

The messages in today’s gospel - as well as today’s first reading from 1^st Peter 4: 7-13 - which I hardly mentioned - are obvious - especially the image and he issue of being an empty or shallow soul.

In that first reading we heard, “Whoever preaches, let it be with the words of God.” Some priests - some preachers - apply the image of being an empty fig tree or  temple or empty vestments -  without the presence of God - to themselves. I know I do. I wonder, I ask myself, if my sermons are hot air, popcorn, lacking substance, not having any fruit or nourishment.

When I heard the statement in today’s first reading, “As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” I heard the gospel text, “Give an accounting of your stewardship” - your figtreeness - your templeness.

Some Christian churches don’t allow any fund raisers at its doors.

Hopefully all Christians will apply these words in Mark, Matthew, Luke and Jeremiah about the fig tree and the temple to themselves as human. beings. Hopefully, we all go inwards and look at ourselves as a tree or as the temple of God - and ask if I’m empty or full.

What’s going on within?  Is there any fruit on my tree?

Can God say of us - what Elizabeth said of Mary, “Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.”