“For three years now, I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So, cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?' He said to him in reply, 'Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not, you can cut it down.”-LK 13:7-9
Friends, God is good, all the time.
A vital component of the message contained in today's readings is godly performance. Performance means the execution of an action. In almost every field of life, including Christian discipleship, performance management is critical for aligning daily goals and activities with the overall mission and purpose.
Jesus uses the parable of the unfruitful fig tree to teach us about godly performance. We need to be fruitful Christians, and mature Christian discipleship involves ongoing godly-performance management of our lives and stewardship of time, talent, and treasure. Farmers expect to see fruits on the tree they cultivate to enjoy its fruits. God is expecting us to become more like him in holiness, love, and perfection. Jesus wants us to be resourceful like the gardener to give attention to our lives by using the grace of God we have received in Jesus to support godly Christians lives.
Here are some ways we may engage in godly performance: 1.Align Christian activities with God's purpose. Understand how your Christian actions support God's purpose for your lives here on earth and future life in heaven. 2.Develop specific godly performance outcomes. Think about what deeds and thoughts are appropriate for a Christian to produce. What effect should your words, actions, and attitudes have on the church and Christianity generally? How should you interact with other Christians, non-Christians, families, and friends to make you useful to them. 3.Create concrete, performance-based expectations. As a Christian, you should have expectations that include actions, behaviors, and results that you should perform daily to honor God and remain faithful to him and yourself. 4.Define action-development plans. Continuously define appropriate Christian behavior and duties. The Bible and the Church offer us the tools to build plan, and decide on our daily conducts, knowing and accepting we should do without viewing them as an imposition 5.Meet regularly. Daily prayers, weekly or daily Mass attendance, and group/committee meetings and gatherings can be moments to reinforce your purpose and engage actively year-round to make progress towards perfection. Prayer Blessing:Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To you do I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.