By FR. RICHARD D. BRETON, Jr.
In today’s column we will look at another of the parables of Jesus. This week we focus our attention on the Parable of the Budding Fig Tree. Matthew’s Gospel presents us with this parable: “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Matt. 24:32-35).
The Parable of the Budding Fig Tree is meant to remind us that just as there are signs in nature as to when the seasons will change (as in the budding of the trees), so there are signs before Christ’s Second Coming and final judgment. Jesus described what some of those signs would be: “The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken (Matt. 24:29) He urges us to be aware and be ready.
As with any story, this parable also presents us with a moral lesson to ponder. (The parable uses the word “budding,” a word that denote new life.) As Christians, we believe in the Second Coming of Jesus. When He comes, there will be an end to the world as we know it and there will be a final judgment of all people on Earth. It’s up to each of us to have our hearts aligned with Christ when that time comes.
It sounds ominous — and it is! There really will be an end of the world as we know it, and it will happen at some point. Jesus wants us to recognize the signs, so we can be prepared for it. Even if we don’t live until the end of the world, we will face the same judgment when we die. God has His arms open wide for all of us and there’s nothing He would like more than for everyone to turn to Him. Unfortunately, that won’t be the case, and it’s at the final judgment when those who are welcomed to God’s heavenly home will be sorted from those who aren’t.
In fact, Jesus explains this for us in St. Matthew’s Gospel when he tells us The Parable of the Sheep and Goats (Matt. 25:31-46). In this parable, Jesus uses the example of a shepherd who separates his sheep from his goats in order to help his followers understand what judgement will be like. Jesus explains that people will be separated into two groups: Those who have lived good lives and believed in God will be put on one side and have a place in Heaven and those who have rejected the belief in God and sinned in their lives will be placed on the other side and will go to Hell. The choice is completely ours.
With this in mind, how can we ensure that our lives of faith represent the “budding fig tree” and prepare us for our final judgement? Well, the Lord left us an Advocate we call the Holy Spirit to assist us in living out our lives. Having received the graces of the Holy Spirit in Baptism and Confirmation, we have been given the gear necessary to assist us in the endeavors of life. One such gear is called the fruits of the Holy Spirit. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Jesus reminds us that we will be known by our fruits. So, what are the good fruits to which we should aspire? St. Paul speaks of the “fruits of the Spirit” in the Letter to the Galatians 5:22-23. I want to take a moment to see how each of the fruits of the Holy Spirit can assist us in making sure we are “budding” like the fig tree and ready for the Second Coming.
The first fruit, and most important one, is that of love. Love is the foundation on which all the others rest. Living this fruit in our lives requires an understanding of the agape love that we receive from God. In other words, the love received from God is totally unconditional. It is with this kind of love in mind that we are able to then strive, as best possible, to love God and others in this same way.
The second fruit is joy. Having perfect love makes us joyful. In fact, the kind of joy we are encouraged to have, is the same joy experienced by Elizabeth at the Visitation. I love how John the Baptist “leapt for joy” in the presence of the Messiah, who was manifest in the womb of the Blessed Mother. This is the kind of joy we are all called to experience every time we celebrate the sacraments. But this joy goes beyond just the sacraments, we are called to share this joy with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
The third fruit is peace. In thinking of the fruit of peace, we must understand it within the context of its biblical meaning which includes life without conflict, as well as wholeness and harmony with God and others. Peace results from allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts and minds. When we have peace, we are free from fear and worry about finances, our safety, our salvation, and our eternal life. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is seen in the peace that comes even when our circumstances are far from tranquil. Jesus encouraged His followers in John 16:33:
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
The fourth fruit is forbearance. Forbearance is not a word we commonly use. The Greek word in Galatians 5:22-23 is often translated using other words such as patience, endurance, constancy, steadfastness, perseverance, longsuffering, and slowness in avenging wrongs. The Holy Spirit empowers believers to withstand challenging situations with perseverance and endurance. The Greek root of this word relates to two words that mean long and passion. Through the Holy Spirit, we are able to wait longer before indulging our passions — we become “long-tempered” rather than “short-tempered.”
The fifth fruit is kindness. The fruit of kindness conveys the meaning of moral goodness, integrity, usefulness, and benignity. In some versions of the Bible, this word is translated as “gentleness,” which links it to the meaning of a gentleman or a gentlewoman who behaved properly, with moral integrity and kindness. In St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, we are reminded that God’s mercy and grace should lead us to repentance, not judgment. The Holy Spirit enables us to have moral integrity with kindness and not get trapped in self-righteous judgment.
The sixth fruit is generosity. The fruit of generosity calls us to live our lives with uprightness of heart and life, goodness, and kindness. Generosity is seen in our actions. This word relates to not only being good but also doing good things. In St. Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians, he highlights the meaning of generosity: “We pray for God’s power to help you do all the good things you hope to do, and your faith makes you want to do.”
Through the Holy Spirit’s work in Christians’ lives, they are upright of heart and do good things.
The seventh fruit of the Spirit is faithfulness. Faithfulness is a character trait that combines dependability and trust based on our confidence in God and His eternal faithfulness. In the New Testament, faith is the belief in God and the conviction that Jesus is the Messiah through whom we obtain eternal salvation.
Walk By The Spirit
The eighth fruit is gentleness. Gentleness can also be translated as “meekness” because being meek seemed weak. Modern translations of the Bible use gentleness to mean mildness of disposition. Meekness does not identify the weak but more precisely the strong who have been placed in a position of weakness where they persevere without giving up. The use of the word when applied to animals makes this clear, for it means “tame” when applied to wild animals. In other words, for us gentleness means our ability to control the destructive instincts that prevent us from living in harmony with others.
The ninth, and last fruit, is self-control. Self-control is the ability to control one’s body and its sensual appetites and desires — physically and mentally — through the power of the Holy Spirit. Self-control relates to both chastity and sobriety, particularly moderation in eating and drinking. Self-control is the opposite of the works of the flesh that indulge sensual desires.
As Galatians 5:16 says, “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.”
So you see, in order to live the parable of the budding fig tree in our lives, we need the fruits of the Holy Spirit to assist us in doing this. Allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us in the way of our faith helps us to be “budding fig trees” as we await the Second Coming.
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