Luke, the Evangelist, has made us, readers, wonder how the story of this parable might end. It seems this parable contains an unfinished and open-ended story. We do not know precisely whether or not the owner of this fig tree listens to the suggestion of his gardener and allows him to cultivate for one more year. Even if he gives the gardener one more year to cultivate, readers may wonder whether the fig tree will bear fruit. The evangelist leaves this open-ended parable to us the plot or storyline to reflect. What is the message for us? The answer is on us, readers, how we would like to finish this unfinished story. Here are two elements:

1. Patient.

God is always patient. Impatience is an option that God never takes. He is patient with the good and the bad. He is patient over grave sins and the petty ones. He is patient with the adventurous as He is patient with the complacent. God is patient even with those who are impatient with Him.
His patience for us is perfect in love. When we sin, He is always ready to forgive us. He turns our greatest blunders into our greatest lessons in life. He respects our freedom even when we use the very same freedom against Him. He provides us with space of freedom even when it means away from Him. He supplies us with time and gives us countless chances to make up and do better. Patiently, He believes in us. Patiently, He hopes in us. Patiently, He loves us.

Going back to our ‘unfinished gospel parable'. The owner of this fig tree is God. We are the gardener. Again, Luke probably deliberately left the story unfinished because he wants us to continue the story knowing that God has been patient. It has been 3 years since he came searching for ‘our fruits’, yet have found nothing. God is always patient towards us sinners and ‘fruitless’ gardeners. 

God gives us many chances before the last one. He does this, even though we are unfaithful to Him. This He does because He never wishes the death of a sinner. His ultimate joy, rather, is to welcome back in His fatherly embrace every prodigal child (cf. our Gospel for next Sunday). 
God is always patient with us. Let us also mirror Him, and be patient towards others and ourselves. Quite often, we are impatient because we cannot tolerate the imperfection of others even though we are imperfect.

A Lenten song entitled “HOSEA” in its lyrics says “Long have I waited for your coming home to Me and living deeply our new life.” This is God’s song to us. Note that He never forces us, coerces us, never pulls us toward Him against our will. No, He waits for us. And He waits no matter how long it takes. He is patient. He is perfect. He is perfectly patient with us. He always gives us another chance to return. He gives us other chances to cultivate our life, and our faith to bear fruits.

2. Cultivate to bear fruits. 

“For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and still, I find none…” (V. 7) God in His patience wants us to bear fruit. 'Three years' describes us that God has been patiently waiting for us to be fruitful. Since the parables remain open-ended, as we, gardeners plead to Him during this Lenten season for another year, let us commit to cultivating our lives, and do our best in gardening our responsibilities as tenants. Remember the fig tree does not belong to us. Our lives, possessions, talents, vocations, families, jobs, services, and even our faith are our fig trees and vineyard. Let us cultivate to our very best so that God will find fruits. We are to bear fruits. God wants us to bear fruits. He is searching and waiting patiently for our fruits. He invites and calls us to bear fruits. Let us cultivate and offer Him ‘the fruit of our works’. He is waiting; waiting for our fruits, patiently in love.