All Leaves...No Fruit

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Read: Mark 12:38-40

Reflection: As I read this passage this morning, my mind went back to Mark 11 and a fruitless fig tree. If you remember, Jesus cursed a fig tree because it was all leaves and no fruit. Then, Jesus comes to the temple and sees that there is lots of religious activity, but no real fruit when it comes to worship. Now, we are presented with a religious leader who loves to walk around with long flowing robes that highlight their importance and position; a leader who important seats and positions of power; a leader who will go so far as to use widows to advance themselves and offer lengthy public prayers as a way of appearing religious. In other words, here is a leader who is all leaves, but no real fruit. Gone is any sense of humility that drives him to offer himself for the welfare of others. Gone is any sense of a calling to protect and provide for widows. Gone is an sense of honesty and authenticity in a life of prayer. All leaves...no fruit. I hope and pray that never describes my life. Let us ensure that we seek to be humble, authentic, willing and prayerful people who seek to follow our Lord faithfully along the way of discipleship.