Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Mark 11, 11-26

Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple area.
He looked around at everything and, since it was already late,
went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

The next day as they were leaving Bethany he was hungry.
Seeing from a distance a fig tree in leaf,
he went over to see if he could find anything on it.
When he reached it he found nothing but leaves;
it was not the time for figs.
And he said to it in reply, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again!”
And his disciples heard it.

They came to Jerusalem,
and on entering the temple area
he began to drive out those selling and buying there.
He overturned the tables of the money changers
and the seats of those who were selling doves.
He did not permit anyone to carry anything through the temple area.
Then he taught them saying, “Is it not written:

My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples?
But you have made it a den of thieves.”

The chief priests and the scribes came to hear of it
and were seeking a way to put him to death,
yet they feared him
because the whole crowd was astonished at his teaching.
When evening came, they went out of the city.

Early in the morning, as they were walking along,
they saw the fig tree withered to its roots.
Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look!
The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”
Jesus said to them in reply, “Have faith in God.
Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain,
‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’
and does not doubt in his heart
but believes that what he says will happen,
it shall be done for him.
Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer,
believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours.
When you stand to pray,
forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance,
so that your heavenly Father may in turn
forgive you your transgressions.”

The Power of Prayer

1. The fig tree. Going through a time of need means accepting that you have limits, that you can’t handle everything on your own, and, above all, you must recognize that someone else can help you. However, it’s possible that someone who enters your life won’t actually help you grow. Sometimes, a relationship needs to “wither away”—and I’m not just talking about romance. There are relationships that simply need to end because they don’t bear fruit; they don’t add anything to your life and end up being a waste of time rather than a step forward. Don’t run after someone who isn’t even willing to walk with you.

2. Casting out. There are people around you who don’t value what is sacred—like your life—and they will use you; this also happens with holy things. Some people can also try to turn your life into a business transaction. Don’t let yourself be used; you are a sacred person and your life matters. On that same note, as Christians, we have to look after and cherish our sacred spaces. We can’t let a holy place, like a church, turn into just another social club. God’s house is God’s house, and we should help ensure it’s respected.

3. Prayer. Today, ask Jesus to help you look at your life and live it knowing that God is always by your side. Prayer is what will help you with a key element of living: forgiveness. To truly forgive, you have to pray first, because forgiveness is a spiritual process, not just a rational one. Find the courage to talk to God about the people who have hurt you. Try to look at your life through the lens of what those people taught you because any relationship you walk away from as a better person is a fruitful one, even if they’ve deceived you. Ultimately, being a better person depends on you and your ability to learn from everything that happens to you.

Never forget that something good is on the way.

God bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.