“Bear Fruit” by Phil Russell

"Here I am."

“Bear Fruit” by Phil Russell

Third Sunday of Lent

Piety

“Here I am.” Exodus 3

“Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure, should take care not to fall.” 1 Corinthians 10:12

“Repent, says the Lord; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17

“Jesus said: I tell you if you do not repent, you will all perish, as they did.” Luke 13

Study

The images in the First and Third Readings today are very similar. A living plant: the first a Burning Bush, the second a Fruitless Fig Tree.

Bear Fruit...

Almost twenty years ago, I planted several fig trees. While it took several years for them to mature; the full sun needed for them to produce fruit, was not enough. As the “Gardner” in my small “orchard,” I lovingly transplanted them to a “full-sun” position elsewhere in my “Little Acre.”

Action

Again, I waited for growth and development and fruitfulness — finally, several good years of a small number of Figs. Again, the seasons passed by without produce. One late Autumn afternoon, I walked along the edge of my several Fig Trees. As I walked and took stalk; I pondered, just digging them up and using them for compost. But I remembered this Parable of the Fig tree. Jesus said dig deep and fertilize the plant. Right there and then, I took my gardening to Prayer. I prayed “Lord, you said! I believe your word is true. I pray that you are the Lord of the Harvest, you cause everything to produce in its due Season.”

Cultivate the ground around it...

I prayed for “fruit” and “harvest.” The Winter gave way to Spring, as Summer came, my Fig Trees were filled with fruit. It was an abundant harvest that late Summer. We ate from the abundance, as did the animals, birds and even the wasps! The next winter there were several sub-zero freezes, I had to prune back my “beloved” Fig Trees severely. Once again, I am waiting for both growth and development. You see, this exercise, in my garden on that afternoon, it was “as if” I had entered into a very “up close and personal” encounter with “I AM” .... and why not?

Why would my God not want me to draw close and enter into “Holy Ground?”

Unfasten my sandals and draw near...

The Summer of that “bumper-crop,” I laughed with Joy; for I knew that I was loved, and heard, and cared for.

You see, for me, it was not about, just the fruit; but about “relationship” with Jesus and my own desire to “unfasten my own sandals and draw near.”

Lent, is that wonderful time to take stock and look at the “garden” of our hearts, and to “turn around”

...to Repent and to “take care not to fall” ...

... Lent is that time of Spring gardening: cleaning up old debris, fertilizing, tilling and mulching...so as to “produce” ...for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, Beloved! 

Let your own response be, “Here I am.”