The Gospel for MONDAY, May 16, 2005
Luke 13:1-9
At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.” Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’ ” -- The New Jerusalem Bible. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1995, c1985
Equality
This story is reminiscent of the one in which Jesus tells his Nazarene neighbors that they won't be any better off for having been an "FOJ" (friend of Jesus) [Luke 4:20ff].
A Reflection
What this story should communicate in the clearest of terms is God's limitless grace for us, as shown by His mercies, time over time, for His chosen Israel -- and by inference, for the new Israel: us. When Jesus spoke these words, His message could have been taken as if Jesus Himself were the Gardner, our advocate for continuing mercy from the Father. That was probably His intent.
Jesus was far more pragmatic than we were told in Sunday School. My teacher, Mrs. Heater, did her best with her flannel board and the cutouts of the caucasian Jesus-as-shepherd, herding the pure white lambs, holding one in His arms. Sadly, far too many adults retain that image until their last breaths.
But the Jesus that the gospels speak about, that Jesus, had a pretty right-between-the-eyes message: repent. It's the message He gave us, consistently, throughout his ministry when He walked on our little planet, and it's the one He continues to give us, today, through the working of the Holy Spirit in us.
He shared that message with John the Baptizer, and immediately left John to go and visit with the Spirit in the desert. He left it in our hearts and on our hearts when He left us with the Spirit.
Repent: best taken in the words of our Episcopal Church's Hymnal,1982, number 536. "Turn back, O man, forswear thy foolish ways..." is how it begins. Turn back to God, to His commands.
Turn back, O man, forswear thy foolish ways.
old now is earth, and none may count her days.
yet thou, her child, whose head is crowned with flame,
still wilt not hear thine inner God proclaim,
"Turn back, O man, forswear thy foolish ways."
Earth might be fair and all men glad and wise.
age after age their tragic empires rise,
built while they dream, and in that dreaming weep:
would man but wake from out his haunted sleep,
earth might be fair and all men glad and wise.
Earth shall be fair, and all her people one:
nor till that hour shall God's whole will be done.
Now, even now, once more from earth to sky,
peals forth in joy man's old undaunted cry:
"Earth shall be fair and all her folk be one!"
The metaphorical warning given to us in the landowner's words is softened, but with a caveat, by the gardener's intercession. Perhaps many of us feel as if we are "manured" and "dug around" in our everyday lives!
There may be nicer words to use; but the truth is, we need to be able to "be manured" and come out of the experience better for us and for those whom we are instructed to love -- as He loves us.
Let us all heed the call to bear fruit, next year (maybe sooner?).
A Collect
Father, your gracious loves spares us from day to day; join our hearts together in that same love, that we all may act as you would have us. Amen
10:10:31 PM 
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