The Saturday after the Eighth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on August 1, 2026 by under
Scripture: St. Matthew 21:18-22 (NKJV)
21:18 Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away.
20 And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither away so soon?”
21 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. 22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
Devotion
The fig tree had leaves. From a distance, it looked alive, productive, and healthy. But when Christ came near, there was no fruit. Then He cursed it. That image belongs naturally to this week’s lessons, where our Lord warns about trees and fruit. Leaves can deceive. Appearances can deceive. False teachers often look fruitful until Christ examines what is actually there.
And the warning is not only for others. It is for us, as well. The flesh loves religious leaves—titles, knowledge, reputation, outward discipline. Yet Christ is not satisfied by appearances. He seeks fruit born of faith. That fruit cannot be manufactured by our efforts. It comes from being rooted in Him. When Jesus speaks of faith and prayer, “If ye have faith, and doubt not…”, we should not assume faith here means some sort of spiritual self-confidence. Faith is clinging to Christ because you have no strength of your own. And that faith prays boldly. Not because we control outcomes; not because prayer becomes a technique; but because our Father hears those who come to Him through His Son.
Let the barren fig tree warn you. And let Christ’s promise strengthen you. Abide in Him. Hear His Word. Bear fruit in your vocation. Pray without fear. For the tree planted by living water does not wither.
Collect: Grant to us, Lord, we beseech Thee, the Spirit to think and do always such things as are right; that we, who cannot do anything that is good without Thee, may by Thee be enabled to live according to Thy will; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
