REFLECTIONS TODAY
Today’s Gospel has several scenes: the cursing of a fig tree by Jesus, the cleansing of the temple, and on the withering of the fig tree. Within the scene of the withered fig tree, Jesus explains the importance of praying with faith. Any prayer will be granted if one prays with faith. To this, he adds another prerequisite: forgiving any person against whom we have a grievance. Why? It is because we may stand in prayer and yet our hearts remain unforgiving. When we pray this way, we might right away become selfish. We may be mindful of our own needs, including the need to be forgiven, but unmindful of others’ needs in this regard. Prayer is basically our way of communicating with God, but at the same time it checks on our relationship with other people and even with all that surrounds us.
How do we pray? Have we, or have we not yet, forgiven those people who hurt us? Is our prayer life helping us to restore our broken relationships?
GOSPEL • MARK 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...
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.
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