Homily: March 13, 2026, Friday of the third Week in Lent (Trees)

 “I am like a verdant cypress tree - because of me you bear fruit.”

These words from today’s first reading from the prophet Hosea caught my attention, especially because of the image of trees.

From a very young age, I enjoyed exploring nature - plants, trees, and animals. I learned a lot about nature not from books, but from my father and grandfather. They knew the forest very well and built their home in the forest. They taught me how to recognize different trees from their smell, structure, strength, and usefulness.

In those days, none of the trees mentioned in the Bible grew in our part of India, so they triggered my curiosity. I remember wondering about the story of Adam and Eve hiding themselves with fig leaves. I asked my grandfather, “What kind of leaves are fig leaves?”

My grandfather had no idea. He simply said, “Maybe something big like teak tree leaves!”

And there were no gyms in our village, so if you want to build some muscles, you must find other ways. My mother saw the opportunity. Every day, she would send me off to cut firewood for kitchen and spices drying ovens So for many years I would happily do the hard labor, because I could build some nice biceps.

And through woodcutting, I got to know different trees more intimately - the smell of their wood, their different texture, how hard or soft they were, how thick they grew etc. I was fascinated!

Every tree has its purpose. Some produce delicious fruits, some are useful in different ways - for wood, medicine, shade, shelter and many other uses. We need trees. I cannot imagine this world without trees.

In today’s reading, God uses the image of a “verdant cypress tree” to describe our relationship with Him. He is faithfully evergreen, strong and steady for us, providing us with life, so that we can bear fruit. But only if we stay connected with Him. We need Him.

God is reminding His people of a very important truth: life and fruitfulness come from Him.

When we stay connected with God through prayer, through reading His Word, through the sacraments – we receive nourishment, we receive life, and we will bear fruit.

In God’s huge forest, every tree has its place, its purpose. Just like trees, we are all different. God made each of us for a specific purpose, and so we produce different fruits and are useful in different ways.

Through our fruitfulness, we give glory to God.

Amen.