There were some present at that time who told him
about the Galileans
whose blood Pilate had mixed
with their sacrifices.
And he answered them:
‘Do you think that these Galileans
were worse sinners than all Galileans,
because they suffered?’
No! I tell you, that unless you repent
you will perish, as well.’
or
those eighteen
upon whom fell the tower in Siloam
and they died –
do you think that they were more guilty
than all the others living in Jerusalem?
No! I tell you, unless you repent
you all will perish, as well.
Then he told them this parable,
‘A certain man had a fig tree
planted in his vineyard.
And he came to look for fruit on it,
and found nothing.
He said to the vineyard worker
‘Look, for three years,
I have come looking for fruit
on this fig tree
and found nothing.
Do chop it down,
Why should it deplete the soil?’
But he answered:
‘Lord, leave it for this year too,
until I dig around it and put manure (on it).
And if it bears fruit in the coming year (-well and good)
but if not, you chop it down.’
Thank you, dear Jesus,
for all you have given me,
for all you have taken away from me,
for all you have left me.
Thomas More (c.1478-1535)