Mk 11:11-26
11[Jesus] entered Jerusalem and went into the temple area. He looked around at everything and, since it was already late, went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
12The next day as they were leaving Bethany he was hungry. 13Seeing from a distance a fig tree in leaf, he went over to see if he could find anything on it. When he reached it he found nothing but leaves; it was not the time for figs. 14And he said to it in reply, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again!” And his disciples heard it...
20Early in the morning, as they were walking along, they saw the fig tree withered to its roots. 21Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” 22Jesus said to them in reply, “Have faith in God. 23Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him. 24Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours. 25When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance, so that your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions.”
The fig tree that you cursed has withered. Does Jesus have a dark side? He is overheard cursing a helpless tree.
I was sitting with our retired priests over lunch one time, and their kindheartedness amazed me. We were talking about priests and bishops and their shortcomings. I was pinpointing their faults and uncovering their dark sides. But the old priests with me kept on mentioning instead the priests’ good qualities and honest intentions. I was cursing while they were blessing. I was on the dark side while they were seeing the bright side.
Jesus’ answer to his disciples when they confront him about the cursed tree is on prayer. Part of praying is to believe in the bright side of things and people, and then forgive their dark side.
So does Jesus have a dark side? He is a man like us in all things except sin. And since he knows what it is to be a man, he understands us, both in our bright side and in our dark aspect.