Why Did Jesus Curse the Fig Tree and Cleanse the Temple of the Money Changers

[@RGTomoenage11]

Glory to the Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit.

[@el-sig2249]

As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end, amen!

[@RGTomoenage11]

el-sig Amen!

[@saintd_ii]

Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins.

[@RGTomoenage11]

David Monterroso Lord hear our prayers....

[@takmaps]

Praise be the Triune God

[@DEVOn.A.Skertic]

That was AWESOME, and the Fig Tree plot twist, did not see that coming ! My little mind , BLOWN!

[@dariuszprokop2204]

Yet another example of how knowledge of tradition is necessary to understand the Scriptures.

[@tubinho79]

Exactly!!

[@emeta7032]

yet another example of how knowledge of tradition of man has separated man from the knowledge of God and his Word.

[@emeta7032]

Read your Bible

[@dariuszprokop2204]

Emet A, I hope you mean well, but it seems to me you are mistaking a tradition of men (e.g. Mat 15:2-6) with the knowledge of how our ancestors lived day-to-day lives (i.e. history).

[@dariuszprokop2204]

Emet A, to be clear - I do not read MY bible, I read THE Bible.

[@ladyowl9187]

I'm so blessed to have found this channel, you have no idea...

[@Boxed4Y]

St. Dymphna - I do

[@ordinarypeople4967]

Finally I found the answer. Thank God 🙏♥️ and May God bless you always Dr Pitre 😇

[@CatholicProductions]

Glad to help Fernandes.

[@euphratesjehan]

Me 2 🤗

[@pastoralmissionaucklandcat6017]

me too excellent exposition of the fig tree... never saw that coming

[@illumoportetcresceremeaute887]

Dr Pitre's expositions are a grace to me. I always wondered about the strange fig tree verse. Praised be Jesus Christ forever.

[@euphratesjehan]

Same here

[@nikolakrcic1021]

Oh wow, I'm sobbing over here, after hearing the end.

[@euphratesjehan]

Me too😢😇🤗

[@bweatherman3345]

I agree

[@bareit98]

Thank you Doctor! Far too often I see atheists make fun of this Gospel. I thought it was showing the humanity of Jesus, but your interpretation is much more sound. Keep up the good work!

[@roseleaming3240]

Wow! Another amazing teaching! That was so insightful! Thank you!

[@CatholicProductions]

Glad to hear it was helpful Rose. We appreciate the comment.

[@jamesm5462]

Amazing catholic teaching. Dr Pitre is a blessing. May God keep blessing him n his family.

[@spanishtranslator1668]

Goosebumps listening to you, Dr. Pitre.

[@CatholicProductions]

Thought it was just me ;-). Thanks for your comment Vida.

[@mikephelps8622]

I got goosebumps too...

[@commscompany1502]

@@CatholicProductions 😂

[@charliefrostcharlie]

Thank you Dr. Pitre

[@nikolakrcic1021]

Yea i must comment again.! This literally had me crying like a baby when fully understood at the end. It just sank in and seeing how thats exactly something our lord would do & for that specific reason as well. 😀😀. It simply melted my heart!

[@euphratesjehan]

💓

[@navy7633]

Wow. Thank you Dr. Pitre. Outstanding commentary.

[@michaelverde4844]

Understanding biblical Typology of Adam and Eve in the New Covenant, in Salvation history is important to grasp. At 13:33...wow! "May no one ever [eat of the tree of death again]."

[@generalnwankwo8689]

What can one say, but Praise be to you Lord Jesus Christ...... Thank you Lord Jesus for this beautiful teachings of your servant Dr. Pitre , May God bring your ministry to Evening times in Jesus name. Amen.

[@brblum]

Dr. Pitre, once again, you rock!

[@CatholicProductions]

We appreciate your kind words brblum. Thanks for letting us know.

[@milagrosamistoso9086]

Me too,so blessed to find this channel, thanks to all scholars, may God bless you more with God's wisdom

[@lamoussakologo2252]

God bless and you Dr Pitre. My mind is BLOWN🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿

[@Melissa-us4zk]

Dr. Pitre is awesome. These videos are so helpful.

[@germanposadas7344]

Awesome teachings ,muchas gracias Dr Pitre ,God bless you and your family

[@lalliengangte2403]

Very interesting viewpoint. But I just have one question,in Matthew 21:18, the Bible says that Jesus was hungry and therefore looked to the fig free for fruit. If the fig tree was symbolic of death,then why would he look to eat it's fruits in the first place

[@SaintCharbelMiracleworker]

Jews still eat figs today even though it is symbolic of death.Just as christians over millennia have eaten apples even though many mistakenly believed it to be the forbidden fruit that Eve ate. Jesus was hungry so he looked to the fig-tree for food for the body and ended up using it as an opportunity for a lesson in prophetic theology as food for the soul.

[@jodeneny2252]

The interpretation Ive heard is Jesus was speaking to Israel the fig tree was Israel they bore no fruit they rejected Him. Jesus was hungry for the Jews to accept Him as Saviour. He knew there would be no fruit he grew up there it wasn't the right time. Jesus then cursed the tree snd it died and after the crucifixion so did Israel.

[@kinghadesx6086]

Beautiful. Thing kind of things always fascinates me. As someone who wants to preach, this is very precious.

[@Bjt5081]

Wow! I never heard of this explanation Dr. Pitre. As always, I love your teachings, watch them every week. God Bless! from one of your Catholic brothers in Michigan

[@chintagada1]

Excellent. Thank you Dr

[@loreerudd3630]

God bless you, Dr Pitre, & your wife & family. The gift of this understanding & unravelling of the meaning of the fig tree & the curse of it & of what was really upsetting Jesus in the temple is priceless. How He loves you, to pour these gifts through you to the world! May you & yours know powerful miracles of healing, joy, protection & abundant provision.

[@cuauhtemocmorisco3493]

All Glory and Worship be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit for this wisdom so that many will understand how great the glory of Jesus Christ is.

[@anthonycalipjo8669]

Let's all continuously pray for our Catholic church and for all our elders, especially Dr. Brant who continuously strengthening the faith especially for the weak like me... glory be to God and to our Lord JC and to the HS, one God forever and ever. Amen

[@nikolakrcic1021]

Unbelievable, absolutely beautiful. Thats exactly what our lord would say out of the love he has for us all. "May NO ONE EVER eat of you again" Yes im in tears.

[@MikereMio]

Very amazing. May God bless you Dr. Pitre

[@pmex6175]

wow!! Thanks a lot, Dr. Pitre! You are a blessing. I take so much from your reflections, stuff I've never heard of at the Greg in Rome. God bless you

[@jayv9006]

Thanks!

[@edgarvictoria1983]

Well explained. Thank God and thank you Dr. Pitre.

[@Sean-lv6fx]

Excellent as always from Dr Pitre, a side to this story that I hadn't considered before.

[@el-sig2249]

Wow! This is beautiful and powerful stuff. Thanks Dr. Pitre!

[@CatholicProductions]

Thanks el-sig. Appreciate the feedback.

[@randycouch2769]

@@CatholicProductions . Must be embarrassing to be catholic

[@rosiegirl4751]

@@randycouch2769 Sorry to disappoint you. Your not going to find any shame on this channel. Keep listening, you may learn something.

[@humphreyobanor866]

Wow. Mind blown

[@Jwarrior123]

Thank you for your videos. These are points I score when I am in discussion with friends. They all think wow i'm so great, but actually you're so great.

[@matthewalexander6792]

Wow, love it! God bless

[@TheJewishCatholic]

This is PHENOMENAL!!!!! Amazing explanation!

[@paulhandsome1691]

Praise Be to Jesus Christ Amen

[@kimberlyespinoza7970]

Incredible!! You're an awesome teacher!!

[@iolitamallari1393]

Awesome! I would have never learned this explanation if not for you, Dr. Pitre. Thank you very much.

[@petracallistus2091]

I am a lay student of theology (4th year) and one of my professors recommended your book, jewish root of eucharist last year. I have bought two more of your books since then. I often listen to your videos on my way to college. I drive about 2 hours each way. Your videos give me a lot of laughter and smile as well as teachings and insight. Thank you.

[@AyeshaMohammed-nf3hm]

Wow! Dr Pitre. Although I'm not worthy, I say to you: May God bless you in your ministry" for now, I understand this acy of Jesus, and it makes sense. Keep ministreing "ad maiorem Dei gloriam."

[@kerenstar13]

Thank you Dr. Brant Pitre, for sharing your insights and wisdom 🙏🌻

[@bettyjmj2690]

Thank you Doc Pitre 🙏

[@bernadettevischjager4896]

Thank you for the explanation .

[@777Justin]

Interesting. I've read that the fig tree is also a type of the old covenant because the Hebrews read the scriptures under a fig tree, so that became a symbol for the Old Testament. When Jesus tells Nathan that he was looking for Him, and that He saw him under the fig tree means Nathan was searching for the Messiah under the fig tree, meaning the Scriptures, and that the Messiah saw Nathan from the Scriptures. Something like that.

[@culturecoroner]

Justin H. S. Oh wow!!

[@paulmiller3469]

That is interesting, thanks for posting. As an aside, I think what you meant to say is under the fig tree can mean or represent the Old Covenant as opposed to being a 'type' of Old Covenant. Typology is more specific - Adam is a type of Christ, Christ is antitype of Adam (which I think fell out of favor because of the awkwardness of saying Christ is anti anything).

[@777Justin]

Paul Miller Sorry. Yes, I misspoke. Fig tree means Old Testament.

[@tophatt5706]

Interesting, I always took it as him showing his power like he was psychic lol.

[@jamesmeyer4596]

Great explanation, thanks Dr. Brant

[@dcostaflaven]

awesome.. God bless your ministry

[@suryasurya-ce3hf]

Great understanding of scriptures

[@shaunaugustine8761]

Thank you god and mother mary for Dr. Brant Pitre.

[@terriekraybill9724]

This was an exceptionally good video, even with the very high standards already set by the channel. Thanks so much for the impressive insight- I'll be sharing this information.

[@iliesculiliana5846]

we are grateful to you for the genuine explanations. thank you

[@shantellestromain1858]

Wow . I always learn so much. Thanks

[@donnacurran3388]

Wonderful, great teaching dr Pitre we love you thank you so very much Donna

[@Jerônimo_de_Estridão]

Amazing!

[@nicolaasvanroosendael697]

Excellent talk. Love this man's work.

[@CatholicProductions]

Thanks Nicolaas.

[@bernadettevischjager4896]

Just love listening to your talks. God bless you abundantly

[@CatholicProductions]

Thank you Bernadette.

[@tjlaviolette]

Thank you Dr. Pitre for sharing your wisdom..Everytime I watch one of your videos I am wowed at the eye opening wisdom you share..God Bless you Sir and may He allow you to continue to share your knowledge

[@RaulMaravilla-k7j]

Good understanding 🙏

[@kevingoh1688]

Thank you dear sir! Bless you dear brother!

[@sanjoy_deori]

I hope more Christians watch this video, as always you are brilliant Dr Pitre

[@susanr3933]

Amazing!!! You know when you hear the truth oh, the actual real truth it penetrates your heart and you recognize it without a doubt!!

[@barnabyrt1012]

Praise the Lord!

[@TimSchroeder]

Much thanks & appreciation for this explanation. Peace and Blessings...

[@hepmukhim997]

I'm new to this chanel and day by day I'm in love with it❤

[@aci.]

I've read a lot of interpretations on the Fig tree story but none is comparable to this one by Dr. Pitre. Thank you!

[@beverlyroberts8047]

Thank you, I have learned so much from you, Dr. Pitre.

[@paulmiller3469]

Wow, amazing. Can't tell you how many times I glossed over that.

[@cloutcloud2728]

Now I know. Amazing!!! Thanks Dr. Pitre.

[@wazzuu08]

Enlightened. Thank you...

[@polodown4729]

Praise God

[@mekhailewis]

I am VERY picky about who I watch, I only watch Abel Damian who shares revelation knowledge, but this was sooo good thank you! I love how you studied the Hebrew culture etc.

[@stormythelowcountrykitty7147]

Finally, an explanation that makes some sense!😊

[@Satheesh-Catholic]

After many frustrating videos in the middle, I find in this video Dr. Brandt in all his glory again.. How tremendous an expositor of the Holy Scripture is he!!! I never believed anyone could ever decode this Fig tree incident. But Dr. Brandt proved me wrong and I am extremely happy about it 😉…. Thank God for Dr. Brandt…

[@shahidyaqoob7570]

WoW! God Bless you more dr. pitre

[@englishlearningcenter1470]

Thank you!!!!!

[@CatholicProductions]

Thank you.

[@englishlearningcenter1470]

@@CatholicProductions I had struggled with the meaning of the fig tree for ages!!! God bless you all!! Greetings from Honduras

[@danamalar]

*Dr, Pitre, your explanation about eunuchs and the celibate priesthood is wonderful,* *however, re. Fig tree, Jesus in fact went in search for fruits and only when he found none he cursed it .* *_In most of the fruit tree species, there is unseasonal fruiting trees in some odd trees, it is a possibility and horticulturists know this fact._* *Hence Jesus and the fellow Apostels were aware about gathering fruits from such trees,* _what happened as per another interpretation was that, the tree had a false appearance as it had fruits , but a deceptive appearance in reality, the arrangement of leaves were like bearing fruits but when Jesus looked under the leaves , nothing was there. Hence the deceptive tree with no fruits , was cursed._ 🙏🙏

[@el-sig2249]

Yes, this is the way I understand the cursing of the fig tree. I think a double meaning might also be ascribed to it without contradiction.

[@tophatt5706]

I was wondering the same thing. The part about it not being in season is an addition or assumption. It has to do with hypocrisy. Appearing holy, but having no fruit to prove holiness. It also might show his humanity by having physical hunger.

[@anthonyholley2796]

GOOD AND EXCELLENT TEACHING!!

[@euphratesjehan]

I love Dr P. All my Christian life I always wanted to know why Jesus cursed the fig tree. I definitely get the correspondence between Genesis and The Gospel which brought me to tears and humble praise to God. However, so that I'm clear, especially when I teach about this, I anticipate questions I may be asked. For example, I understand it wasn't the season for the fruit to grow, and Dr. P did an excellent job of explaining that part; but whether the fruit was in season or not, why would Jesus, the new Adam, even reach to eat of it, like the first Adam did? Plus, the fact Jesus is God, he had to know it wasn't the right season any how, right?. Maybe this was addressed and I missed it. I will listen to it again and do some additional research. I also learned about the Book of Adam and Eve and that was cool. I love the Catholic church, they truly have so much insight into Jewish tradition, Biblical and extra Biblical sources; plus they have the bomb scholars, teachers, educators, and priests, who are knowledgeable about so many things; whether it's art, painting, archeology, astronomy, astrology, medicine, engineering, biology, sociology, physics, masonry, psychiatry, psychology, comparative religion, linguistics, or eschatology, etc. Catholics have so much to contribute to the world. I'm proud to be a part of Christ's Church. Please pray for the Holy Father, victims of sexual abuse and the hands of Catholic priests, nuns, laity, and across all organizations (boy scouts, cults, church denominations, schools, and even sexual harassment of employees in the work place, etc). Pray for the thousands of aborted children, their mothers, fathers, doctors, nurses, aids, our legislators, pro life & pro choice organizations, and the president & his administration; and all elected & appointed government officials at the county, local, state and federal levels; including all personnel, and the entire United States of America, as well as other nations. Pray for our elderly, seniors, disabled, poor, unemployed, underemployed, immigrants, border patrol agents, victims of domestic and family violence, terrorism, hate groups and those who advocate disunity. Pray for marriages as defined by The Most High, those confused about their gender and sexuality, children in foster care and orphanages, the sick, afflicted, homebound & shut in, and those in nursing homes/facilities, hospitals, hospice, rehab for physical & occupational therapy, rehab for various addictions, and those living in lack, victims of crime & human trafficking, drug trafficking, prostitution, the exploited, the bullied, maligned, the mentally ill and mentally unstable, our law enforcement agencies & agents/officers, & all military personnel. Pray for the lonely, depressed, and suicidal. Pray for the hungry and those who have no nutrious food or clean running water. In my city, there are parishes whereby one priest is assigned to two parishes. One priest from my old parish recently resigned and is no longer a priest. Instead, he is pursuing his marketing business. Dear Jesus help those discerning vocations, and give us more holy men and women of God who will faithfully serve you and your Church. LORD help all Christians to live holy and committed to Jesus Christ. Let us love one another and our neighbors; go out of our way to make visitors to our churches feel welcome. Personally, I've only experienced one Catholic church in my area that was very friendly, which is how I came to be Catholic. Other parishes are cold and as much as I hate to say it are rude, and prejudice. I even checked out a book from one a parish and when I read it, it had all kinds of disconcerting things about black people, referring to them as colored and negro. And told a story that if a wealthy white man is standing in a long confessional line and a negro is in front of him, the negro must allow the white man go before him, even if the white man is at the back of the line. I was shocked. I looked at the text and discovered it was donated to the parish from a Catholic. It was a text about the Catholic faith, catechism, etc. for 8th grade Catholic students. It was written in the 1950s, and edited in 2003. Wow! It explained so much about what the church was teaching these kids, more likely white kids, in a school and church located in a predominantly white and which jewish neighborhood. Also, this happens to me often: if I get to church early and get seated, once mass starts, I'm the only one sitting on the entire row, no one will sit on the same row with me. And whether someone is sitting on the same row or not, during the sign of peace, I will see everyone shaking hands, and when I go to do so, they turn their heads away, ignore me, or reluctantly half wave their hand. Recently that happened at a church I visited and the pastor saw it and came to me to shake my hand, which was nice. This happened so much at so many parishes, at different mass times, I eventually stopped going to church; and embraced another religion. Those who know what discrimination and hatred looks like, it makes it so much more sinister when it happens within the body of Christ. In 2016, I was reconciled and returned to the Catholic church. I learned it's not so much the organization but the people, and if everyone or enough people like that are there, they will create a culture that's discriminatory, mean, rude, and hateful. Now I just focus on being the change I would like to see in my little patch of the world. That's all I can do because if I let these people discourage and frustrate me, I'm giving them power over to folk who don't even care about me, and why would I or should I do that? I just realized that I've never prayed for these people or those churches. That's something I can do, should do, but don't really wanna do, but if I'm gonna be a true disciple of Christ, I have to and more than likely I need to, so I don't become cold like them. Plus, I developed an attitude of forget them as a way to cope with going to church and dealing with the ugliness; and I don't want to fall away again, and risk I ending up in a worse state and lose my soul. God forbid. Overall, I truly want to be like Christ and love even those who are difficult to love, especially if they don't love me...Jesus said it's easy to love those who love us and like us and treat us right. Boy isn't that so true! So I'm gonna give it my best and do my best. Lord help me be and do what you've called me to be and called me to do. I humbly pray. Amen

[@wollonborough]

There is a very reasonable explanation why Jesus cursed the fig tree even though it wasn’t the season for figs. Even before the season, fig trees produce little knobs which are eaten by a passerby. As the late renowned NT scholar F.F. Bruce noted: "The other miracle is the cursing of the barren fig tree (Mk. xi 12 ff.), a stumbling block to many. They feel that it is unlike Jesus, and so someone must have misunderstood what actually happened, or turned a spoken parable into an acted miracle, or something like that. Some, on the other hand, welcome the story because it shows that Jesus was human enough to get unreasonably annoyed on occasion. It appears, however, that a closer acquaintance with fig trees would have prevented such misunderstandings. ‘The time of the fig is not yet,’ says Mark, for it was just before Passover, about six weeks before the fully-formed fig appears. The fact that Mark adds these words shows that he knew what he was talking about. When the fig leaves appear about the end of March, they are accompanied by a crop of small knobs, called taqsh by the Arabs, a sort of fore-runner of the real figs. These taqsh are eaten by peasants and others when hungry. They drop off before the real fig is formed. But if the leaves appear unaccompanied by taqsh, there will be no figs that year. So it was evident to our Lord, when He turned aside to see if there were any of these taqsh on the fig-tree to assuage His hunger for the time being, that the absence of the taqsh meant that there would be no figs when the time of figs came. For all its fair foliage, it was a fruitless and a hopeless tree." (Bruce, Are The New Testament Documents Reliable? [Intervarsity Press; Downers Grove, Ill, fifth revised edition 1992], pp. 73-74; bold emphasis ours) Another noted Evangelical scholar Craig S. Keener makes the following observation: "At Passover season in late March or early April, fig trees are often in leaf on the eastern side of the Mount of Olives. At this time of year, such fig trees contained only green early figs (Arabs call them taqsh), which ripen around June but often drop off before that time, leaving only green leaves on the tree. A leafy tree lacking such early figs, however, would bear no figs at all that year," (Keener, A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew [Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, July 1999], p. 504) Thus, what was thought to be an example against the veracity of the NT ends up actually becoming a rather persuasive argument for its historical reliability! This exemplifies the minute accuracy of the Synoptic Gospels, both in time and place, i.e. this took place during the month of Passover, figs located on the eastern side of the Mount of Olives etc. It also provides evidence for an early dating of Matthew and Mark - or, at the very least, shows that they were dependent on very old and early material - well before the fall of Jerusalem. After all, the knowledge of these details would most likely have been lost or unknown to authors writing after the destruction of Jerusalem.

[@euphratesjehan]

@@wollonborough AWESOME🎊🎉🎈🌞 I AM SO THANKFUL AND GLAD FOR YOUR ADDITIONAL INSIGHT AND ANSWERING ALL MY QUESTIONS ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT I EVER COULD HAVE EXPECTED I LOVE IT💗 THIS TOPIC IS SO INTERESTING AND IT MAKES ME SEE SCRIPTURE IN A WHOLE NEW LIGHT AND A TOTALLY DEEPER AND PROFOUND WAY IT PROVES EVEN MORE THIS IS INDEED THE WORD OF GOD THANK YOU VERY MUCH MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY💯FOLD📿

[@johnfrancis4809]

Thank you for the excellent explanations. AMDG

[@aloysdsilva9176]

I always wondered on this...... oomygee but y does god curse fig tree and if the fig tree is actually cursed... am I not allowed to eat figs which are actually good but above that if Christ has already cursed this tree and how are we able to get it now...... but now you have cleared my doubt on it.......I'm so glad that I could find this, all praise to Lord Jesus Christ, let you be more blessed by his grace.

[@cicerotobias]

This is mind-blowingly awesome.

[@grendal102]

That was an amazing explanation.

[@hornatham1487]

Wow simply joy to listen and amaze by this wonderful analogical take on the “fig tree”that Jesus curse.

[@andrewschank1962]

Can we get the Bishops at the Amazon Synod to watch this please?

[@one4jesus898]

I must say I do like the reference of the fig tree to the garden of eden.. Very interesting I will study on this

[@poppyde7314]

Brilliant!

[@zakomomomo4407]

Great!

[@victorchuks3591]

This is profound!!!!

[@QuTeBug]

Dr Petri, it’s so great to hear your teaching with such great humor...you make me laugh!

[@abidhabib3290]

Fantastic explanation.

[@MegaFrancois09]

amazing!

[@commscompany1502]

#Mic Drop ending there. Thanks for the good interpretation

[@filsamson7792]

Dr. Brant Pitre just want to say I learned alot from you. Can you please make video or lecture us about Matt. 24 end times and abomination that causes desolation spoken of in the Book of Daniel. I saw a lot of protestants give video on that but I only saw 2 Catholic post on that passage. Aquinas Semunary and Sermon of A Catholic priest but no one is else. Thanks more power. In Jesus through Mary

[@CatholicProductions]

Fil, you can either check out Dr. Pitre's dissertation, which will cover the Olivet Discourse from Matthew 24 ( www.amazon.com/Jesus-Tribulation-End-Exile-Restoration/dp/0801031621 ) or his Bible Study, Jesus and the End Times ( catholicproductions.com/products/jesus-and-the-end-times-a-catholic-view-of-the-last-days ) Thanks for commenting.

[@cck53sg]

I learnt a lot today.

[@elvedadoe3027]

Wowww❤️🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@jamesford8104]

I am blown away

[@danamalar]

Another explanation of cursing the tree with no fruit is about people who refuse children by living in cohabition with no responsibility of giving birth to children, who resort to abortion or tubuctomy and willfully remain barron , a deceptive fruit tree, all these may incur the curse of God.

[@danamalar]

@@Dannyboy0202 It is based on the saying of St. Fulton Sheen - *The root principle of birth-control is unsound. It is a glorification of the means and a contempt of the end; it says that the pleasure which is a means to the procreation of children is good, but the children themselves are no good. In other words, to be logical, the philosophy of birth-control would commit us to a world in which trees were always blooming but never giving fruit, a world full of sign-posts that were leading nowhere. In this cosmos every tree would be a barren fig-tree and for that reason would have upon it the curse of God." --Archbishop Fulton Sheen*