Read this week’s readings here.

This is the footnote of the NABRE Bible chapter 13, that describes the details of the comparisons Jesus makes in this chapter. “The slaughter of the Galileans by Pilate is unknown outside Luke; but from what is known about Pilate from the Jewish historian Josephus, such a slaughter would be in keeping with the character of Pilate. Josephus reports that Pilate had disrupted a religious gathering of the Samaritans on Mount Gerizim with a slaughter of the participants (Antiquities 18:86–87), and that on another occasion Pilate had killed many Jews who had opposed him when he appropriated money from the temple treasury to build an aqueduct in Jerusalem (Jewish War 2:175–77; Antiquities 18:60–62).”
  

Repentance is For Everyone

Repentance for sins is the important step toward conversion and holiness.  While God is patient with us, it is our own repentance of heart that He desires.  Jesus is saying here that while He has a lot of patience, the time will soon come where it ends.  We are not to compare the gravity of our sins – we only need to turn from them.  Make sure to check our bulletin, Website, or the signs in both church sites for the locations and times of reconciliation this Lent.

  

Figs were one of the seven species of produce of the land God would give Israel. (Deut 8:8)  They were not only historically and spiritually significant to the Jews, they were also a large source of both sustenance and profit for the people in Jesus’s time, as figs continue to be today.  Figs gave ther fruit twice per season.  The first harvest was eaten fresh, and the second was dried and preserved to last all winter.  Because of how essential they were, the fig became a symbol of prosperity and security to the people, making the parable easy to understand.

  

Jesus is comparing the growth of our souls to the growth of the fig tree.  As the workers cultivate the trees with selective, targeted pruning and fertilizing, we too must cultivate our souls.  Take time to read scripture every day.  We offer Adoration Monday through Friday at our 106th street site.  Lent is a tremendous opportunity for spiritual growth, with opportunities for stations, reconciliation, and our three day Parish Mission on April 7 through the ninth.