The Fig Tree: Lent Week 3

Scripture

Lent invites us to examine our lives and to prepare our hearts for the blossoming of Easter. In Luke 13:6-9, Jesus offers us a parable of a fig tree, a story that resonates deeply with our Lenten journey:

Jesus told this parable: A man owned a fig tree planted in his vineyard. He came looking for fruit on it and found none. He said to his gardener, ‘Look, I’ve come looking for fruit on this fig tree for the past three years, and I’ve never found any. Cut it down! Why should it continue depleting the soil’s nutrients?’ The gardener responded, ‘Lord, give it one more year, and I will dig around it and give it fertilizer. Maybe it will produce fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.’”

Reflection

“Cut it down!” The owner's frustration seems to echo the harsh judgments we sometimes place upon ourselves and others.

But then, the gardener intervenes. "Lord, give it one more year, and I will dig around it and give it fertilizer. Maybe it will produce fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down." 

This act of grace, this plea for patience, reveals a profound truth: transformation takes time.

The gardener understands the delicate balance between rest and growth. The fig tree needs more than just sunshine; it needs nurturing, time to replenish, and a chance to deepen its roots. This mirrors our own lives. We cannot endlessly strive without moments of quiet reflection, without allowing ourselves to be nourished by prayer, scripture, and community. Likewise, we cannot simply remain dormant; we are called to bear fruit, to contribute to the Kingdom.

The parable highlights the often-overlooked "in-between" seasons. The time of digging, fertilizing, and waiting is not a period of inactivity, but a phase of profound transformation. It is in these moments of uncertainty, when we feel neither fully fruitful nor entirely barren, that deep change can occur.

As we journey through Lent, we are left with questions. Why was the fig tree in the vineyard? What was its purpose? These questions, like the questions we ask of our own lives, may not have easy answers. But we can learn from the gardener's approach.

Questions to ask yourself:

• Where am I struggling to extend patience, either to myself or others, and how can I cultivate more of it? 

• How can I actively nurture hope and trust in God's process, even when I see no immediate results? 

• What am I allowing to deplete my energy, and how can I better discern and prioritize what truly nourishes my soul? 

• What "in-between" season am I currently navigating, and how can I embrace the challenges and remain open to God's transformative work? 

Prayer

Heavenly Gardener, Source of all renewal,

We thank you for the gentle reminder of your patience and grace.

We acknowledge the times we have felt barren, judged, and defined by our past.

Lord, help us to see ourselves as you see us:

new every morning, full of potential, and worthy of your loving care.

Give us the courage to release the burdens of our past and to embrace the promise of resurrection.

Just as the gardener tended to the fig tree, tend to the soil of our hearts.

Help us to extend to ourselves the same compassion you offer, to lay down the judgments we carry, and to embrace the lovingkindness that flows from your heart.

May we recognize the dawn of renewal in our lives, and trust that each day brings a chance for transformation. May we walk in the light of your grace, knowing that we are new, we are loved, and we are yours.

In your name we pray, Amen.