Lk 13:1-9
Dear Friends, We begin Lent each year with a clear message, “Repent and believe in the gospel!” After having measured Jesus’ temptations and his Transfiguration in light of our life experience and struggle, we now journey three weeks in Luke’s Gospel on the theme of repentance.
Today’s gospel selection has a story of two tragedies and a parable of the fig tree.. The two disasters, one the product of human cruelty and the other an accident, are explained by Jesus as a call to repent. Jesus is clear. Any interpretation of these events as punishment from God for the victims is totally off the mark. All people are liable to death. It may come from injustice or the foibles of both nature and human mistakes or even human malice. In fact, it seems that the good are more prone to this fate of unearned suffering. Nevertheless, death is inevitable for all.
We have before us in today’s gospel a clear choice. We need to realize that death and God’s judgement are always close. Whether at worship in a church or standing next to a wall or whatever the circumstances, we know neither the day nor the hour. Our choice is to accept openly the reality of death or to live in a state of denial.
Today’s gospel passage raises the question? Am I with Jesus or against Him? We are confronted with the reality that we do not control the timeline. The moment of death is totally beyond our direction. Jesus is referencing the two tragedies to emphasize the harsh limits of our mortality. In the parable of the fig tree, we also have a message of God’s mercy. We are called to make that decision for Jesus without delay. This is our Lenten task.
Jesus is using these two events, along with the fig tree parable, to invite people to take stock of their lives. The issue is this: are we ready to meet God? It is an unambiguous call to repentance, a time to examine the state of our life in the light of God’s call.
As always, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus is most helpful in understanding the message of today’s gospel. His life is a clear message that bad things happen to good people. Jesus’ life is a clear manifestation that we can live in communion with God no matter what happens. Jesus shows us that life goes on and love prevails over all in the end.
Likewise, it helps to see Jesus as the gardener in the parable. He both is a person of compassion and the promise of the God of “the second chance.”
The Lenten season is a time for us to take stock of our life. The Lenten message invites us into the mystery of our merciful God. It is a time to accept our sinful condition and plunge into the sea of God’s cleansing mercy that awaits us. We are called to produce the fruit of a good life. Through Jesus, God is offering us the ultimate overture of love. This offer of love is wrapped in a mercy that washes away our sins if we only open our heart to receive the gracious call to life, forgiveness and love. The best place to start is to recognize both our sinfulness and God’s mercy.
Today’s gospel is quite clear. Now is the time to act. We have no guarantee for tomorrow! The fig tree is a sign to us that we may well be in our final year to bear fruit. The limits of the human condition are very real!
Today’s gospel selection has a story of two tragedies and a parable of the fig tree.. The two disasters, one the product of human cruelty and the other an accident, are explained by Jesus as a call to repent. Jesus is clear. Any interpretation of these events as punishment from God for the victims is totally off the mark. All people are liable to death. It may come from injustice or the foibles of both nature and human mistakes or even human malice. In fact, it seems that the good are more prone to this fate of unearned suffering. Nevertheless, death is inevitable for all.
We have before us in today’s gospel a clear choice. We need to realize that death and God’s judgement are always close. Whether at worship in a church or standing next to a wall or whatever the circumstances, we know neither the day nor the hour. Our choice is to accept openly the reality of death or to live in a state of denial.
Today’s gospel passage raises the question? Am I with Jesus or against Him? We are confronted with the reality that we do not control the timeline. The moment of death is totally beyond our direction. Jesus is referencing the two tragedies to emphasize the harsh limits of our mortality. In the parable of the fig tree, we also have a message of God’s mercy. We are called to make that decision for Jesus without delay. This is our Lenten task.
Jesus is using these two events, along with the fig tree parable, to invite people to take stock of their lives. The issue is this: are we ready to meet God? It is an unambiguous call to repentance, a time to examine the state of our life in the light of God’s call.
As always, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus is most helpful in understanding the message of today’s gospel. His life is a clear message that bad things happen to good people. Jesus’ life is a clear manifestation that we can live in communion with God no matter what happens. Jesus shows us that life goes on and love prevails over all in the end.
Likewise, it helps to see Jesus as the gardener in the parable. He both is a person of compassion and the promise of the God of “the second chance.”
The Lenten season is a time for us to take stock of our life. The Lenten message invites us into the mystery of our merciful God. It is a time to accept our sinful condition and plunge into the sea of God’s cleansing mercy that awaits us. We are called to produce the fruit of a good life. Through Jesus, God is offering us the ultimate overture of love. This offer of love is wrapped in a mercy that washes away our sins if we only open our heart to receive the gracious call to life, forgiveness and love. The best place to start is to recognize both our sinfulness and God’s mercy.
Today’s gospel is quite clear. Now is the time to act. We have no guarantee for tomorrow! The fig tree is a sign to us that we may well be in our final year to bear fruit. The limits of the human condition are very real!
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