Today’s parable has been called the parable of the second chance because it teaches that God offers people a second chance, as the apostles Peter and Paul could testify. The gardener tells the owner of the vineyard that it is necessary to give the fig tree another chance to produce fruit. This parable follows two stories highlighting the need for repentance and starting lives anew in order to move forward with God. Jesus calls for repentance and assures His listeners that it is never too late to turn around their lives to bear fruit in God’s eyes. When Jesus asks people to repent, He is not simply asking them to do something religious; rather He is asking them to dare to see differently, to look at God, the world and themselves through a different lens.
Consider someone whom we really don’t like, perhaps someone who has wronged us or someone who is socially unacceptable. What can we do to give them a second chance?
And what about ourselves? The death and resurrection of Christ assures us that God never gives up on us, even if we give up on ourselves. Perhaps we need to give ourselves a second chance and allow around us, particularly those who love us, to help us start anew. All kinds of assistance can be given, but it is up to us to be responsive to the care is given.