Preacher: Michael Keegan, St. Thomas Aquinas College – Class of 2026
A reading from today’s Gospel as written by Luke:
Jesus told this parable: “A man had a fig tree that was planted in his vineyard. He came looking for fruit on it and found none. He told the vineyard worker, ‘Listen, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it even waste the soil?’
The man said in reply: ‘Sir, leave it this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.
Perhaps it will produce fruit next year, but if not, you can cut it down.’
The Gospel of the Lord…
Think about this: today is the third Sunday in Lent. There are three more Sundays before we move into Holy Week, that culminates with the celebration of Easter! So – this is mid-term – mid-Lent.
Now let’s think about this parable – one of my favorites. The owner of the fig tree wanted to chop it down. The vineyard worker says no – give it more time. And the owner agreed.
As we all know Lent is a time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Today’s gospel talks about the importance of repentance, many times challenging. It’s hard to offer forgiveness, acknowledge our shortcomings, achieve a balance in life. We need to remember we are all human and we need to be patient with ourselves and each other.
As I said I love this parable of the fig tree. It shows how unrelenting our God is. He is not willing to give up! The parable He told says: “One more year! Give it some more time! I can make this tree healthy!”
You can tell the laborer really cares for the tree, after all he has spent two prior years tending to it needs. And now, he is willing to roll up his sleeves and dig out the dried up soil, fertilize it and asks for one more year! For me, God is the laborer and we are his creations. He does not give up on us! He ‘rolls up his sleeves’ and let us know He is always there for us.
This is the 3rd Sunday of Lent – mid-Lent. Jesus reminds us to think, act, and pray.
I’d like to share with you two ‘outreach services’ I am involved in, that definitely connects to the Dominican Charism of SERVICE.
I am part of St. Thomas Aquinas College’s Mission and Ministry program. Recently we re-established what is known as the STACares Closet. This initiative is geared toward providing students with limited resources access to everyday essential necessities. With donations from faculty, staff, and alum, students come to the closet for snacks, microwaveable meals, toothpaste, laundry detergent, among other items.
When a student comes to the closet I am given the opportunity to serve that person from the moment I greet them to the moment I hand over to them the box of rice or the detergent they need. As the Lord washed the feet of the disciples, now my fellow students and I can take on the role of the servant too—- through STACares we can reflect Jesus to every student who comes in. “I was hungry and you fed me” says the Lord; staff and students are empowered today more than ever (myself included) to carry out this mission.
Another outreach I am involved in is tutoring students who need extra help with their course work. This experience helps me not only connect with my peers but gives me the opportunity to make a difference in their lives in a very practical way—- whether by revealing a concept formerly hidden from the students understanding, or by telling them the types of questions to expect on the test and what a correct response would look like, or by simply reassuring the student that they are ready to take on the weekly quizzes, mid-term, and especially final exams.
STACares and Tutoring shares my time and talents. It places me in the right place at the right time to give to others, which is a remarkable thing.
In conclusion, today’s responsorial psalm shares the words: ‘The Lord is kind & merciful’. To me this is Good News. It says there is still time to return to what I promised to do on Ash Wednesday, just three weeks ago, and to refocus myself. It’s never too late. It’s being the laborer who asks for more time.
Together let us journey through the next three weeks wisely. You pray for me as I will for you!
