The Fig Tree and End Times!

Friday, November 29, 2024

Rv 20:1-4, 11-21:2; Lk 21:29-33

In today’s Gospel, Jesus makes use of the fig tree as a metaphor to illustrate the certainty and nearness of the Kingdom of God. 

The social upheaval as a sign of the end times also announces the return of Jesus in glory. 

Reading this text, we are prompted to ask ourselves: How should our knowledge of the sureness of Jesus’ return through the parable of the fig tree and signs of the end times shape our response to our vocation? 

In the light of our realization, we are invited to think of our response in three specific ways. 

At first, the words of Jesus demand our watchfulness. The ambiguity about the exact time of Jesus’ return but the sureness of the signs of the end times together demand that we conduct our lives in permanent watchfulness. 

Secondly, these signs also remind us that we must lead a purposeful life. In other words, life is a constant pursuit of the purpose of our lives in order to fulfill it. This sense of purpose will help us stay true to our vocation. 

Thirdly, the permanence of Jesus’ words should motivate us to cling to the Lord as our eternal security and source of life. Our life in this world is but a preparation for the next. Such hope should animate our daily actions. 

In sum, the text alerts us to what is to come and work on our response accordingly. 

Let us pray that our preparation to welcome Jesus be marked by faithfulness and sincerity. 

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar