Today’s Gospel on the parable of the fig tree, as many times as I’ve heard it, seemed to touch me quite powerfully. Perfect for this season of Lent! The vineyard owner, checking out his property’s potential yield and finding nothing, naturally has a chat with his gardener. The fig tree is three years old with no fruit to show for it. The reaction of the owner seems only sensible: “Cut it down; it’s wasting good soil.” That is, unless we apply this parable to ourselves. If that fig tree represents our lives and the vineyard owner is God, haven’t we had some prolonged periods of time when we haven’t “produced”, i.e. lived by Gospel values?...