Saturday October 26, 2024

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“Sir, leave [the fig tree] for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future.” (Luke 13:8-9)

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Good News Reflection for:

Saturday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time
October 26, 2024

Today’s Readings:

Ephesians 4:7-16
Psalm 122:1-5
Luke 13:1-9
bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102624.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
bible.usccb.org/podcasts/audio/daily-mass-reading-podcast-october-26-2024

Hope or wishful thinking: What’s the difference?

In this Saturday’s Gospel reading, Jesus calls out, “If you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!” Stop for a moment to think about your loved ones who need to hear this message. Perhaps you and your friends have been praying for their conversion for years and nothing has happened.

It’s easy to feel discouraged. If you didn’t worry about their souls, you’d be disrespecting Jesus’ call to repent. But Jesus gives us a parable that provides hope. The fruitless fig tree can still be transformed so that it produces a bountiful harvest. How? By fertilizing it and giving it more time. How does God fertilize your unbelieving loved ones? Well, think of what makes good fertilizer. As the saying goes, holy crap! In other words: hardships that God allows so that they will have more opportunities to need him and turn to him for help.

Jesus’ parable is a lesson in hope for the conversion of our loved ones. What’s the difference between hope and wishful thinking? Here’s a snippet from Book One of my series on The Father’s Heart (ToTheFathersHeart.com):

Hope is the fruit of trusting in God’s love. To say, “I hope he will help me” is to say, “Of course he will help me, but I can’t see the proof of it yet.”

Hope involves waiting. Hope is telling you that God has already answered your prayers — especially the ones that will till the soil for loved ones who need to repent. He began to act the moment you turned to him for help. He even planned what to do about it before you knew you had a problem!

Hope is what enables us to have peace while we wait to see the results. Hope enables us to have patience while we wait on God’s perfect timing, remembering that he cares about us and everyone else who’s involved.

Wishful thinking, on the other hand, is hoping without faith. Hope requires faith. Our hope for answered prayers is based on who God is and what his ultimate plans are and our desire to be in those plans. We cannot see the future, but we trust the One who does see the future. As Saint Paul said in Romans 8:24, “Hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?”

To increase your hope, spend time reflecting on all the reasons why you can trust God. Meditating on this will give you the healing and peace that will strengthen you for the journey of waiting.

What have you longed for in prayer? Even if that prayer is never answered in your lifetime, what’s your reason for continuing to hope? In the answer to that lies a healthy, happy relationship with Abba-Father. It’s where you’re sitting on his lap and feeling loved and protected.

© 2024 by Terry A. Modica

P.S. Here are prayers for parents whose adult children have left the faith: gnm.org/prayers/prayers-for-parents.

Access more in our new Calendar of Reflections.

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