Readings: Ecclesiasticus 44;1,9-13; Psalm 149; Mark 11:11-26
There have been times that I have seen a product advertised on the internet and I was thrilled and I ordered it immediately, sometimes I even paid an extra money for express delivery but when this product arrived, I was very disappointed. What I thought, wasn’t what I got. There were times I watched the trailer of a movie and I was very intrigued, only to be disappointed after watching the entire movie.
I am sure someone reading this message understands how it feels when our high hopes in a product, person, system, organisation or vision are disappointed.
Two times in today’s Gospel, Jesus was really disappointed and upset. Firstly, He was upset because of the false advertisement of a fig tree. Secondly, He was upset because of the ungodly transactions going on in the temple of God.
Let’s look at the events more closely beginning with the fig tree. A fig tree doesn’t bring out leaves except it has fruit. This particular fig tree professes to have fruit but it doesn’t, it only appears to be what it is not.
This event is a warning not just for Israel but for all of us, God is disappointed when we only have the appearance of fruits but we are only full of leaves.
What are the fruits God expects of us? Galatians 5:22 tells us of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, it is not enough for us to give the impression that we are children of God, we must have the attributes of God in us which are the evidence that the Spirit of God is alive and active in us.
Among other fruits, let me enumerate five important fruits that God expects to see in all of us. He wants to see a lively faith and unwavering faithfulness, He wants to see a love that is genuine and selfless, He wants us to bear the fruit of forgiveness and true humility.
Sadly, sometimes instead of producing fruits of the Spirit, God finds in us, fruits of the flesh- pride, jealousy, anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, lust, faithlessness etc
This must be so disappointing to God. The same way that Jesus is disappointed with what goes on around the temple. Instead of finding it as a place of spiritual fruitfulness, He meets a place of economic exploitation.
As we reflect on these events, let us open ourselves to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to purify us of all that is in us that disappoints God and produce in us the fruits that will glorify Him.
Sermon preached by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Baraka-Gukena Okami on May 28, 2021