wildflower taken 5/27/05 2p

may25

May 27, 2005

Move Mountains Mk 11:11-26

Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple area. He looked around at everything and, since it was already late, went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

The next day as they were leaving Bethany he was hungry. Seeing from a distance a fig tree in leaf, he went over to see if he could find anything on it. When he reached it he found nothing but leaves; it was not the time for figs. And he said to it in reply, "May no one ever eat of your fruit again!"
And his disciples heard it.

They came to Jerusalem, and on entering the temple area he began to drive out those selling and buying there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. He did not permit anyone to carry anything through the temple area. Then he taught them saying, "Is it not written:

My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples? But you have made it a den of thieves."

The chief priests and the scribes came to hear of it and were seeking a way to put him to death, yet they feared him because the whole crowd was astonished at his teaching. When evening came, they went out of the city.

Early in the morning, as they were walking along, they saw the fig tree withered to its roots. Peter remembered and said to him, "Rabbi, look!
The fig tree that you cursed has withered.".Jesus said to them in reply, "Have faith in God. Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain,
‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart
but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him.
Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours. When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance, so that your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions."
There are many aspects of this reading to reflect on. The thought that stands out on first reading is that with steadfast faith, I can move mountains. What a wondrous power to be in union with God.

If I have true faith and love in God, I will bear fruit. I will not be a thoughtless peddler in the House of God using faith as only a namesake way of gaining material goods. My heart must be loving and merciful as God's is and no grudges or ill will should remain for anyone.

It is a puzzle to me for the moment, why the reading makes a point of saying the fig tree was not bearing fruit and it was not its time yet. I remember a homily about this several years ago and the tree has to be a certain age before it bears fruit. Our fig trees at the monastery are right now all leaf and have tiny green fruit that is not ripened yet.

I will pray that I walk with God today in what I do and keep mercy and love in my heart to all I encounter.