|
A Thought on Sunday
From the desk of Fr. Ignatius, c.p.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
With Figs for Friends
In the garden of our monastery of Saints John and Paul in Rome there are fig trees and I always looked at them fondly and tried some of the figs.
In our garden at Irene in South Africa, there was a fig tree whose figs never seemed to develop very well but I watched them in hope. And when in Avoca, I was told there was a fig tree in a garden centre in Arklow and couldn’t believe it - but there was!
Why do fig trees attract me so much, I wonder? I think I know!
As children, we were always being dosed on Cod Liver Oil, Castor Oil, things called Senna Pods and other dreadful concoctions that I can’t remember. Most of them tasted awful and seemed designed to keep us running for a lifetime!
No wonder we haven’t needed them ever since! But there was one we always liked and it was called Syrup of Figs. Did you ever hear of it? I’ve looked on figs as friends ever since!
It seems Jesus loved fig trees too and loved using them as lessons. Maybe he had Syrup of Figs as a child?
In his story today, the fig tree was planted in the good soil of a vineyard. And after three years it should have been bearing fruit and wasn’t. With Jesus’ stories we must think about them, pray about them, talk about them, and work out the meaning for ourselves.
But one thing this story seems to say very clearly is that we are expected to be fruitful, especially if we were planted in the good soil of peace and freedom, gifted with faith and hope and opportunities for growth. Much has been given us and much will be expected! There are those ever ready to take but who give nothing back; ever ready to sponge on the system! Also true at the moment that so many long to work and are embarrassed having to sign on! And you definitely see people anxious “to give something back” as they put it.
In the story of the fig tree, we also see God’s readiness to give us another chance to put things right - the chance and opportunity to begin again. You can decide for yourself what the ‘digging around’ and the application of a little manure might mean in life!
Talking about manure, my nephew, Sean, took his two children for a walk up in the mountains recently; Mammy stayed at home to get the tea ready. To his disgust and the children’s great amusement, he went sliding on a great big clap of cow dung and was covered in the stuff!
Little Dara, aged three, lay down on the grass and couldn’t stop laughing. When he recovered, he looked very serious and said, “Mammy will be very cross!” “Why?” asked Dad, “is it because I’m in such a mess?” “No, no,” said little Dara, “because she missed the great laugh we had!”
Isn’t it lovely that little Dara didn’t want Mammy to miss out? Wanting to give something back at such a tender age!
|
