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Illustration: Jan Luyken etching of the Barren Fig Tree
ANGELUS REFLECTION
3rd Sunday of Lent, 23 March 2025
(Text prepared. by Pope Francis)
(Luke 13:1-9)
Some people arrived and told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with that of their sacrifices. At this he said to them, ‘Do you suppose these Galileans who suffered like that were greater sinners than any other Galileans? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen on whom the tower at Siloam fell and killed them? Do you suppose that they were more guilty than all the other people living in Jerusalem? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did.’
He told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none. He said to the man who looked after the vineyard, “Look here, for three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be taking up the ground?” “Sir,” the man replied: “leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.”’
Dear brothers and sisters,
The parable of today’s Gospel tells us about God’s patience, which urges us to make our life a time of conversion.
Jesus uses the image of a barren fig tree that has not borne the expected fruit, but which the ‘man who looked after the vineyard’, does not want to cut down. He wants to fertilize it again, “so that it may bear fruit in the future”.
This patient farmer is the Lord, who carefully cultivates the soil of our lives and confidently awaits our return to him.
During this long period of my hospitalization, I have had the opportunity to experience the patience of the Lord, which I see also reflected in the tireless care of the doctors and health care workers, as well as in the care and hope of the relatives of the sick.
This trusting patience, anchored in God’s unfailing love, is indeed necessary in our lives, especially when faced with the most difficult and painful situations.
I am saddened by the resumption of the heavy Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip, causing many deaths and injuries.
I call for an immediate cease fire and for the courage to resume dialogue, so that all hostages can be freed and a definitive cease-fire can be reached.
The humanitarian situation in the Strip is once again very serious and requires the urgent commitment of the parties to the conflict and the international community.
On the other hand, I am pleased that Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed on the final text of the peace agreement.
I hope that it will be signed as soon as possible, thus contributing to the establishment of lasting peace in the South Caucasus.
You are continuing to pray for me with great patience and perseverance: thank you! I pray for you too.
Let us pray for an end to wars and for peace, especially in the tormented Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
May the Virgin Mary keep you and continue to accompany us on our journey to Easter.
