Critics of the Bible puzzle over cursed fig trees and bristle at violence in the Old Testament, all the while ambivalent to modern atrocities carried out in the name of civil society. One need look no further than the forgotten children of Syria, the devastation in Yemen, or the violence committed against migrant children in this country to understand why biblical metaphor employs the currency of violence. We are shocked by biblical violence because we are blind to the violence already in our hearts. The lesson of the fig tree is a warning to those who dwell in cities built by violence: there is an expiration date on God’s patience with the cruelty of human hands. Richard and Fr. Marc discuss Matthew 21:18-22. Episode 349 Matthew 21:18-22; Music: Unnatural Situation by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4567-unnatural-situation License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/