Gospel in Art: He came seeking fruit on the tree and found none

Almond Blossom, by Vincent van Gogh, 1890 © Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 24 October 2026
Luke 13:1-9

There were some present at that very time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, 'Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.'

And he told this parable: 'A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vine dresser, "Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?" And he answered him, "Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig round it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down." '

Reflection on the painting

Two people can look at the same thing and see something quite different. In today's parable, the owner looks at a fig tree and sees three years of disappointment. There is still no fruit, and he has had enough: why let it keep taking up valuable ground? That is what most of us would do: simply cut down the tree, move on and plant a new smaller tree. The gardener however sees the same bare branches, but he is not ready to give up. He asks for another year, offering to loosen the soil and add manure. Perhaps, with a little more care, the tree will yet surprise and recover?

What strikes me is that the gardener's hope comes with a willingness to do some work. He will get his hands dirty to give this tree a better chance. There is something here of the way God cares for us. He knows the parts of our lives that have become unfruitful, the opportunities we have wasted and the things we keep putting off. Yet he also sees possibilities we may have stopped seeing in ourselves. His patience gives us room to change... but we have to be willing to put in some work... The gardener has already done his bit: be patient and give us more time; now we have to do our bit.

It also invites us to think about how quickly we write one another off. We can become so familiar with someone's shortcomings that we stop expecting anything good from them. The gardener encourages us to look again. Before deciding that nothing will grow, perhaps we should ask what a little care might make possible.

Vincent van Gogh's Almond Blossom, painted in 1890, gives us a lovely image of that hope the gardener gives us. Almond trees flower early, announcing the approach of spring while much of the landscape still looks bare. Van Gogh painted this work in Saint-Rémy as a gift for his brother Theo and sister-in-law Jo, following the birth of their son, whom they named Vincent Willem after him. These delicate flowers therefore celebrated a very particular new beginning: the arrival of a child. Knowing how difficult this period of Van Gogh's own life was makes the tenderness of that gift all the more moving. He could still make something full of hope for someone he loved, whilst suffering at this stage of severe mental illness.

Look at how closely he brings us to the branches. There is no ground beneath them, no horizon and hardly any sense of the tree as a whole. We seem to be looking straight up into blossom against a brilliant blue sky. The strong outlines, unusual viewpoint and branches cut off by the edges of the canvas reveal his admiration for Japanese prints. This was also a painting with a lasting family connection: the baby for whom it was made grew up to help establish the Van Gogh Museum, where the painting is on display today.

LINKS

Christian Art: www.christian.art
Today's Reading: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/luke-13-1-9-2026/