Growing into a Better Christian (Saturday, Week 29, Year 2)

I consider farming as one of those professions or occupations that require a great deal of patience. Farmers already know the approximate number of years required for seeds to germinate, grow into trees and bear fruits. But when trees fail to produce fruits as expected, worry sets in; and the farmer has no option than to bring them down. 

In the gospel reading (cf. Luke 123:1-9), you can imagine the frustration the owner of the vineyard had having waited for three years for his fig tree to bring forth fruits, but to no avail. Out of frustration and anger, he requested that it should be cut down. By the intervention of the vinedresser, it was not cut down. One more year was given the fig tree to bear fruit. If not, it will be brought down.

There is a statement I normally come across in a brochure or hear people use on the occasion of one’s priestly ordination or anniversary: “…as you work in God’s Vineyard”. What is this vine? And where is the vineyard? And who is the owner of the vineyard? In the OT, Israel, the Jewish people, were regarded as God’s vine and the prophets were regarded as vinedressers; and the assembly of the Jewish people regarded as the vineyard. On most occasions, God threatened to destroy this vineyard because the vines were unproductive. They received the word of God, which was to serve as nourishment for growth, but they failed to show any sign of growth or productivity. In the New Testament, the Christian people, just like the Israelite of old, are part of God’s vineyard. We have been continually fed with God’s word, the Eucharist and grace. Is there any visible growth? Are we bearing the desired fruits? 

All the gifts we received from God, all the graces we receive from His word, the sacraments and in prayer are all meant to help us grow and bear fruit. St Paul says that they are all meant to help us grow into mature manhood in Christ who is the head, and in whom the whole body is joined and knit together (cf. Eph. 4:7-16). We might have heard of a very threatening statement of Christ in the gospel reading (cf. Luke 13:1-9) telling the people that if they don’t repent, they will perish. This statement is not meant to knock us off. It is not condemnatory; it is rather cautionary. It is meant to wake us up to work harder so that we do not face that unfortunate fate in eternity. We have a whole lifetime to keep on trimming ourselves and being open to the word of God and His grace which continue to manure our souls for a better outcome.