Whenever we go to a foreign place, we would certainly like to visit its famous or tourist-attraction spots.
Those places of interest have a history and a story to tell, and they may also express the character and the meaning of the people there.
In the gospel, when Jesus entered Jerusalem, the first place that He went to was the Temple.
He looked all round Him, and since it was late, He went out to Bethany.
We may wonder what Jesus looked at, and what He was thinking of.
The next day, Jesus went again to the Temple, and what He did is called the cleansing of the Temple.
And then He taught the people, quoting from Scripture: My house will be called a house of prayer for all people. But you have turned it into a robbers’ den.
With that, then the incident and the meaning of the leafy but fruitless fig tree can be understood.
The religious authorities have turned the Temple into a place of business activity and religious rituals, but lacked the "fruit" of true righteousness, justice, and devotion to God.
The gospel passage is also a sharp reminder that as we come to the House of God, we also have come to the house of prayer.
And true prayer bears the fruit of forgiveness for others, just as God will also forgive us when we pray for mercy.
As Jesus said, everything that we ask and pray for will be given to us.
Let us pray and ask God for forgiveness, and may our prayer also bear fruit of forgiveness, compassion and understanding for others.