Great Monday is dedicated to the creation of the world, heaven, and earth. On this day, we remember the event when the unfruitful fig tree withered with Jesus' words (Matt. 18-22) On the way back from Bethany to Jerusalem, Jesus feels hungry. And seeing a fig tree on the road, he approaches it and finds nothing but a leaf on it, he says: "From now on, let there be no fruit from you forever." At the same time, the fig tree dries up. When Jesus cursed the leafy but barren fig tree, he was referring to the Pharisees who were adorned with outward piety but lacked the spiritual fruit of that piety, good works, and mercy. The fruit allegorically symbolizes human good deeds and virtues, without which a person will be punished by the example of this fig tree. As said by Apostle James: "Faith without works is dead" (James 2:20).
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