St. Mark liked to create certain gospel scenes like a sandwich with the “meat” serving to explain the signficance of the “bread,” the before and after of the story. For example, Mark wants us to notice Jesus driving out the money changers from the temple. In Mark’s telliog, it was the final straw provoking the hostility of the chief priests and scribes toward Jesus. But the story is sandwiched between the encounter of Jesus with the fig tree. From the cursing of the tree at the beginning to the destruction of the tree at the end, Seen in combination with the cleansing of the temple St. Mark is making the point that being faithful to God is not simply running through the motions of worship and sacrifice. Fidelity shows itself in being productive, fruitful. We as people of faith must live out that faith by producing compassion, forgiveness, generosity, mercy.
MAY292026
By Church Staff
