MESSAGE OF MONTH

HAPPY NEW YEAR

BARREN FIG TREE!!

As we welcome the New Year, we embrace it with dreams, desires, resolutions, and the determination to start afresh. It's a time to mend broken relationships, cherish the memories of those we've lost, heal wounded hearts, rekindle the habit of daily prayer that may have faded due to our laziness, and foster cooperation with everyone, free from ego or grudges. For all these challenges, ‘love is the glue that holds everything together’. 

 We have not truly lost anything that cannot be regained. In the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree (St. Luke 13:6-9), Jesus tells of a fig tree in a vineyard that had remained barren for three years. It was ordered to be cut down, but the caretaker pleaded for one more year, hoping it would bear fruit. If it did, it would be spared; if not, it would be cut down and removed. 

In Psalms 1, we see the image of a tree planted by the riverside, bearing fruit in its season despite challenges like thorns. 

What do we learn? 

This resilience teaches us a profound lesson: unlike the tree, some individuals fail to bear fruit, even after reaching the peak of their lives. The barren tree symbolizes such a person—someone who is of no use to others, consumed by selfish desires, and focused solely on self-glorification. They may live for themselves, but their actions leave no positive impact—not even as simple as gifting a pencil to a poor child. They become like lifeless statues, self-serving and unfruitful. 

For a tree, its fruit is its symbol of purpose. Similarly, a person who bears no fruit becomes a debtor to themselves, lost in taking life too seriously. 

We should strive to embody the positive attitude of nature. As stated in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." When we embrace these three qualities—joy, prayer, and gratitude—we invite blessings and happiness into our lives. This inner joy naturally radiates outward. 

Joy can arise from both sin and goodness; however, the joy from sin is fleeting, while the joy from goodness endures and sustains us. 

• Jesus emphasized the importance of prayer to His disciples, 
• And the act of giving thanks. He taught the value of gratitude, reminding us through the story of the ten lepers: though He healed all ten, only one returned to give thanks, prompting Jesus to ask, "Where are the other nine?" Like them, we too often forget to express our gratitude. 

Let this New Year be a time to renew our strength, motivate ourselves, and cultivate a heart of thankfulness to our Almighty Father for His endless care and blessings. Beyond our personal wishes, may we embrace this spirit of gratitude and growth. 

May God bless us all in the year ahead. 

  Rev.Fr. Sam Oommen Panackamattam