A Call to Fruitful Faith and Honest Reflection
As Holy Week continues, we arrive at Holy Tuesday—a day rich with meaning, conviction, and quiet power.
While Holy Monday brought us the story of Jesus cleansing the temple and cursing the barren fig tree, Holy Tuesday revisits that same tree, now withered, and expands the lesson even further. It also includes one of Jesus’s most confronting parables—the one that stirred the hearts (and anger) of the religious elite.
Let’s walk through what happened—and what it means for us today.
🌿 The Fig Tree: A Symbol of Hollow Faith
On His way back to Jerusalem from Bethany, Jesus and His disciples once again saw the fig tree He had cursed the day before.
It had completely withered.
To the disciples, this was shocking. But to Jesus, it was a perfect moment to teach.
“Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt… even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.”
— Matthew 21:21
This wasn’t just about the miraculous. It was about authentic faith—a faith that doesn’t just look good on the outside, but produces fruit from the inside out.
The fig tree was full of leaves—suggesting it should have had fruit. But it didn’t.
It appeared fruitful but was barren.
Jesus used this as a striking image of spiritual emptiness: a warning against going through the motions without true, living faith behind it.
🍇 The Vineyard Parable: A Bold Confrontation
Later that day, Jesus told a parable to the crowds and the religious leaders.
A landowner rents out his vineyard and sends servants to collect his share. But each servant is beaten or killed by the tenants. Finally, he sends his son—thinking surely they will respect him. But they don’t. They kill the son, too.
Jesus then asked, “What do you think the owner will do?”
The answer was obvious: judgment would follow. The religious leaders realized Jesus was speaking directly to them—calling out their rejection of God’s messengers and, ultimately, His Son.
Their response?
“They looked for a way to arrest Him…” (Mark 12:12)
This was a turning point. The tension grew thicker. The shadow of the cross was drawing closer.
🔍 What Does Holy Tuesday Invite Us to Do?
Holy Tuesday is a moment to pause and reflect. To sit with the difficult teachings of Jesus and examine our own hearts. It asks:
-
Am I living a life of true faith, or am I just putting on leaves?
-
When conviction comes, do I respond with humility—or defensiveness?
-
Am I willing to let my faith bear fruit—even when it’s uncomfortable?
It’s easy to admire Jesus as a gentle teacher or healer. But on this day, He stood firm and unwavering, challenging the religious system and the hearts of the people. Holy Tuesday shows us a Jesus who isn’t afraid to confront hypocrisy—and who calls us to a deeper, more honest relationship with God.
🌄 Faith That Moves Mountains
Jesus didn’t just curse the fig tree to prove a point—He wanted to show His disciples the power of faith rooted in truth.
“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” — Matthew 21:22
This isn’t a promise of instant gratification. It’s a reminder that faith—real faith—can move mountains. But only when we’re willing to surrender doubt, pride, and fear.
🙏 A Holy Invitation
Holy Tuesday reminds us that we cannot separate belief from behavior. Our faith is called to produce fruit—love, kindness, humility, courage, mercy, truth. Not perfectly, but sincerely.
As we move closer to the cross and ultimately to the resurrection, let’s open our hearts to the messages Jesus taught during His final days. Some may be hard to hear. But they’re exactly what we need to grow.
Today, may we choose faith that bears fruit.
Faith that forgives.
Faith that doesn’t just believe—but lives.
Let us keep walking toward Easter with hearts wide open.
