Today's gospel gives us a good picture of what happens when we lack docibilitas: our fruitfulness is limited. In a way the figtree is deaf to its duties, resistant to bringing forth fruit, and solidly uncooperative. The figtree is us! Or at least ourselves minus docibilitas.
A lack of docibilitas - teachability - belongs to the worst version of ourselves. And we ought to admit that when we are in our comfort zones, that is precisely when impediments to fruitfulness can multiply. No wonder we need the manure!
We all love the idea of bearing fruit, but perhaps we underestimate its cost. The loving regard we want to cast upon the Lord must somewhere include an admission of our poverty before him. We are the anawim, the servants of the Lord. We are loved, but as He knows us to be - in all its unflattering light! - not as we want to imagine ourselves to be.
But to have docibilitas is not to be inclined to self-hatred. Rather it involves a thirst for truth about God and about ourselves.
And then, with that knowledge, we can prepare to bear fruit. Let the manuring begin!
Once again our beautiful Lord is my understanding manuring me well showing me that occasionally I am open to docibilitas. When i was attempting lectio with the Gospel of the tax collectors and publican it took all of 15 secs for the Lord to show me my inner publican in the matter of a lady at my church. The shame was instantaneous but so was the joy in my understanding that He loves me enough to show me my failings but also cares enough that I earn and grow and bear fruit from recognising them.
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DeleteI can't delete it!
That is definitely my hope. I just wish I was nt so knuckleheaded that it always seems to take a sledgehammer to crack my tiny nut of understanding
ReplyDeleteI was listening to Psalm 18 today and the commentary was beautiful from Fr Schmitz: "You don't need to perform to be preferred. He saved you because he delighted in you, He loved you. The Lord just loves you. When we allow the Lord to delight in us something radically changes"
ReplyDeleteThis lovely 😍
DeleteThat's lovely 😍
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