May 27, 2016
Friday
8th Week in
Ordinary Time
First Reading: 1P 4:7-13
Gospel: Mark 11:11-26
Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the Temple. And after he had looked all around, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.The next day, when they were leaving Bethany, he felt hungry. In the distance he noticed a fig tree covered with leaves, so he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. Then Jesus said to the fig tree, “May no one ever eat your fruit!” And his disciples heard these words.When they reached Jerusalem, Jesus went to the Temple and began to drive away all the people he saw buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the stools of those who sold pigeons. And he would not let anyone carry anything through the Temple area.Jesus then taught the people, “Does not God say in the Scriptures: My house will be called a House of Prayer for all the nations? But you have turned it into a den of thieves.”The chief priests and the teachers of the Law heard of this, and they tried to find a way to destroy him. They were afraid of him because all the people were captivated in his teaching.When evening came, Jesus left the city.Early next morning, as they walked along the road, the disciples saw the fig tree withered to its roots. Peter then said to him,
“Master, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered.”And Jesus replied, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, if you say to this mountain: ‘Get up and throw yourself into the sea,’ and have no doubt in your heart but believe that what you say will happen, it will be done for you. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it shall be done for you. And when you stand to pray, forgive whatever you may hold against anyone, so that your heavenly Father may also forgive your sins.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
The juxtaposition of the cleansing of the Temple with the story of the barren fig tree is instructive of how Jesus saw Temple worship in those days. Like the fig tree that produced much leaves without bearing any fruit, Temple worship had to be cleansed because it was becoming more of a show (so much leaves to show) than a tool to deepen relationship with God.
In the same way that leaves are necessary to a tree for photosynthesis, rituals are necessary to direct our worship towards a fruitful moment with God. But rituals become undesirable when they leave a person empty instead of drawing a person closer to God after every act of communal worship. – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com.
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