Fig Trees And Root Knot Nematodes

Reflections on Romans 8:1-11 / Psalm 24:1B-2, 3-4AB, 5-6 /  Luke 13:1-9

by Frank D.B. Savadera, SJ

The Gospel today talks about a fig tree … so let’s talk about figs.  Recently, I’ve tasted a FIG … the fruit itself.  The fruit is almost the size but a bit smaller than your regular santol or chico … green in color but a bit reddish inside. The taste is almost a cross between and among a guava, a watermelon and a kiwi fruit.  Oh it was SWEET … at least those I’ve tasted.  What is so amazing about FIGS, as I observed it was they GREW ABUNDANTLY.  We were picking from the trees … and we were allowed to pick from trees ... precisely because there were just so plenty enough for everyone.  Free for all … pick a fig! 

    

My observation about figs is confirmed by professional gardeners in the net.  They say: “These fruit trees are among the easiest of the fruit trees that can be grown. They grow happily in both the ground or containers, making them perfect for all kinds of gardeners.”  Adding to this, the report says: “Fig tree maintenance is not a lot of work. Fig trees like full sunlight and adequate room for growth. You can plant your growing fig trees about 15 to 20 feet apart. If you are going to train your trees to be bushes instead, plant them 10 feet apart. Either way, there is little fig tree care you will have to administer.”

Huh!  Fig trees are easy to grow and maintain?  What’s with the Gospel?  There’s a fig tree standing there in the orchard and not bearing fruit.  What’s the problem? 

Again, we turn to professional agriculturists who suggest that non-fruit bearing fig trees may mean SERIOUS INFESTATION.  There is such a thing as a ROOT KNOT NEMATODE, apparently a parasitic, microscopic WORM that invades the soil and the roots of the plants in the soil.  A root knot nematode infestation, the report says … is probably one of the least talked about but very damaging of fig tree pests.  The pernicious effect of these pests almost always render the tree completely FRUITLESS.

Jesus was of course, talking about the fig tree in the context of those asking and pressing him to make a judgement about those who perished violently in recent upheavals of their time.  Those who suffer misfortune, Jews believe, deserve their fate because of their own sinfulness.  In the same way as we say:  Ayan nasagasaan kasi tatanga tanga!  Kasalanan nya!  A lot of misfortune happens to a lot of people, isn’t it?  In the case of the Gospel, some Galileans were killed by the troops of Pilate, their blood mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.  Some were also just unfortunate to be under the tower of Siloam when the tower fell.  Do we say: Kasalanan nila dahil tatanga tanga sila?  Jesus says this is FRUITLESS!  This is SERIOUS INFESTATION!  You will need to repent and turn away from your OVER-RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENTS of others … and this is FRUITLESSNESS and you will be cut-down and perish!  

Saint Paul’s letter to the Romans today also says:  “Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.”   This statement struck a very sensitive chord in my heart as I pondered:  Do I really wish to belong to God?  Do my actions, my words and my thoughts correspond to an almost trite and automatic assertion … that … YES … I wish to belong to Him.  How easy to say … and even easy to claim that we wish to belong to God … to serve Him … to minister to His Church … to perform wondrous deeds for the Lord and the Kingdom.  Ang Ganda … di ba?  But do we really belong to Him?  How is it like to belong to God?  Friends, I think we are asked to guard against SERIOUS INFESTATIONS of our ROOTS.    

There is also what we call PASSIVE NARCISSISM and AGGRESSIVE NARCICISSM …  both quite debilitating!  We can tend to isolate ourselves and/ or cause people so much pain by controlling and manipulating them.  This is FRUITLESSNESS that we cannot afford to live with … else we see ourselves slowly slowly dying. 

I think this is why our Psalm today can be quite   helpful a prayer and meditation for us:  Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.  We wish to focus on the face of Jesus … he who dares not pass over-righteous judgments on others … and instead wishes and desires the fig tree to grow and bear fruit more abundantly. 

A fig tree is easiest to grow and maintain.  What a joy to ponder on how it can bear fruit most abundantly … more than enough for others to share.  FREE FOR ALL … PICK A FIG.