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<v SPEAKER_00>There's a line in this first reading today that almost sounds like it could have been written this morning for our world.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The end of all things is at hand.

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<v SPEAKER_00>St.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Peter's not trying to scare people.

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<v SPEAKER_00>He's trying to wake them up.

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<v SPEAKER_00>He's reminding Christians that life is short, eternity is real, and therefore we cannot afford to live distracted, superficial, or spiritually asleep.

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<v SPEAKER_00>What is fascinating is what Peter does not say.

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<v SPEAKER_00>He does not say panic.

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<v SPEAKER_00>He does not say isolate yourselves.

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<v SPEAKER_00>He does not say spend your life angry at the world.

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<v SPEAKER_00>No, instead he says, pray seriously, love intensely, serve generously, be hospitable, use your gifts, stay faithful in suffering.

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<v SPEAKER_00>In other words, if the world feels unstable, the answer is not fear.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The answer is holiness, faithfulness.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Then the gospel gives us this strange moment where Jesus curses the fig tree.

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<v SPEAKER_00>At first glance it almost feels harsh.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Why would Jesus be angry at a tree for not having figs?

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<v SPEAKER_00>Of course, the fig tree is symbolic.

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<v SPEAKER_00>It had leaves, it looked alive, it looked fruitful from a distance.

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<v SPEAKER_00>But when Jesus came close there was nothing there.

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<v SPEAKER_00>That's the warning.

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<v SPEAKER_00>God is not interested in appearances alone.

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<v SPEAKER_00>He's not impressed by leaves.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And honestly, that may be one of the greatest spiritual dangers of our time.

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<v SPEAKER_00>We can project an image of faith without actually being rooted in prayer.

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<v SPEAKER_00>We can look beautiful on the outside, very holy, very pious.

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<v SPEAKER_00>We can know Catholic language without having the conversation.

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<v SPEAKER_00>We can appear religious while our hearts slowly drift from God.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The temple in Jerusalem had become the same thing.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Outwardly religious, inwardly corrupt.

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<v SPEAKER_00>People were buying, selling, exploiting, distracting.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And Jesus enters with holy zeal because the temple had forgotten its purpose.

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<v SPEAKER_00>He says, The house shall be called the house of prayer.

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<v SPEAKER_00>My house shall be called a house of prayer.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Then the gospel turns directly to us.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Because Saint Paul says elsewhere that now we are the temple of the Holy Spirit.

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<v SPEAKER_00>So the question becomes what is happening inside the temple of my soul?

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<v SPEAKER_00>What tables need to be overturned?

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<v SPEAKER_00>What noise needs to be driven out?

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<v SPEAKER_00>What compromise have I allowed to remain?

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<v SPEAKER_00>What bitterness have I kept alive for many years?

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<v SPEAKER_00>Because notice how Jesus ends the gospel.

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<v SPEAKER_00>He speaks about prayer, about faith and forgiveness altogether.

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<v SPEAKER_00>They are all connected.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Whatever you ask it for in prayer, believe.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And then immediately he says, When you stand to pray, forgive.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Why?

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<v SPEAKER_00>Because resentment hardens the heart, and a hardened heart cannot bear fruit.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Some people wonder why their spiritual life feels dry.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Sometimes it's not because God is absent.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Sometimes it's because the soul has become crowded with anger, ego, pride, jealousy, impurity, constant distractions, or even old wounds.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The Lord today is trying to cleanse our temple again, not to destroy us, not to shame us, but to heal us, to make us fruitful.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Maybe that's the invitation today.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Stop worrying so much about appearances.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Stop living only at the service level.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Let Christ come close enough to inspect the tree.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Because the beautiful things about the gospel is this the Lord never asks us to produce fruit alone.

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<v unknown>St.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Peter says, Whoever serves, let it be with the strength God supplies.

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<v SPEAKER_00>God never asks you to fake holiness.

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<v SPEAKER_00>He asks you to remain connected to Him.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And when you pray seriously, when you love intensely, when you forgive freely, and stay faithful through suffering, eventually the soul begins to bear fruit.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Not fake leaves, real holiness, real peace, real charity, real strength.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And that's what's astonishing the world.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Not Christians who merely look religious from the dist from a distance, but Christians who live actually revealing the presence of Christ to the world.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Amen.