The fig tree in today's Gospel could remind yu of the fig tree in the legend of the first. Buddah..

Saturday, 10/22/16

Our Lord's story about the fig tree could put one in mind of the fig tree in the legend of Siddartha who became the first Buddha. He was a prince who lived among people who, like the mindless people in today's Gospel, thought only of living well today. Siddhartha believed that if he could receive the gift of enlightenment he could use it to live a purposeful life.

Siddhartha went from one school to another, from one wise man to another, but none cold give him the enlightenment he sought. After years of that, he sat down underneath a fig tree, saying, "Though skin and bones dry up, I will sit here until enlightenment comes to me."

Eventually it came to him that he was nothing of himself, and as a nothing, he had no reason to desire anything, even enlightenment. With that he imagined he had achieved enlightenment, and he stood up.

We have a better way to become enlightened. It would come to us if we could come to realize how much God loves us, and we resolved to love him back, that wold have us truly enlightened.