Reflection
In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches through His actions and His words that how we live is the ultimate expression of our faith.
Beginning with the fig tree, Jesus shows us that our life must bear fruit for the kingdom of God. Without bearing fruit, our faith withers and dies and we become useless in the kingdom of God. Old Testament prophets used the fig tree to signify the desolation and troubles of Israel due to their unfaithfulness to God (see Joel 1:7,12; Habakkuk 3:17; and Jeremiah 8:13).
Jesus quotes the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah in casting out the money changers from the temple area. They had turned God’s house of prayer, meant for rich and poor alike, into a place of thievery. When we abandon our faith in God and pursue our own desires instead of His Will for our lives, we too will be banished from the eternal House of God.
Lastly, after Peter sees the withered fig tree, appreciating the power of the Lord, Jesus instructs the disciples to pray with an expectant faith, fully trusting the power of the God to do what they ask of Him. In the past, this “moving mountains” faith has troubled me. Will God really grant me whatever I want if I just believe that He will do it. Can I believe my way into a new job, a new car, or a winning lottery ticket? In short, “No.”
What we will receive if we pray with an expectant faith, and a clean soul that has been forgiven its transgressions, is everything that we ask for that is aligned with God’s Will for our life. If we pray to be healed of a deadly disease, God can deliver a miraculous healing, if it is His Will. I’m reminded of the scene in The Chosen when “Little James,” portrayed with a disability, asks why Jesus didn’t heal him (Little James). Jesus assures him that, in time, he will be healed. But Little James was called to be a source of healing for others, even with his own disability. This is a powerful message for us. We can pray to be healed. But more importantly, we can pray that we fully accept God’s Will in all circumstances, with an expectant faith that He will grant us everything we need to do His Will.
Our faith and trust in the Lord can help us overcome all circumstances that come our way in this life and help us be fruitful for the purpose of His kingdom. Remember, the trials of this life are nothing compared to the joy we will experience in eternity with God in heaven.
Today’s Question for Prayer and Reflection
What part of your life can you better align with God’s Will today?
Source used for today’s reflection: https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=jun2