Unless You Repent You Will Perish
Introduction: May
you realize the gift of faith that GOD has given you and may you respond to
that faith by living a life that produces good fruit!
Today’s
readings focus on growing in our knowledge and relationship with the GOD Who Is
merciful, kind, and loving. In the readings, we are reminded of the water that
GOD provides, which symbolizes the life-giving relationship of faith, which enables faithful believers to draw into an ever-deeper relationship with
GOD. Our GOD wants to be in a relationship with us. GOD
desires that we accept the gift of faith offered to us and realize the great love that the Lord Jesus has for us.
The kindness,
mercy, compassion, and forgiveness of God a central theme in our readings
today. The Hebrew word for this essence of GOD is [c]hesed. It is somewhat
equivalent to the Greek word agape. In the First Reading, GOD reveals the
divine essence (by revealing the divine name) to Moses in response to the
suffering being inflicted upon GOD’s Chosen People in Egypt. The response for
the psalm repeats the phrase: “The Lord is kind and merciful.” In our Second
Reading from his First Letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul reminds them (and
us) that they must learn a lesson from their ancestors in faith who experienced
GOD’s merciful action in the Exodus, but who sinned against a loving and
compassionate GOD. The Gospel presents two reminders of GOD’s mercy: first,
Jesus tells His disciples that evils that happen to people are not the result
of GOD wanting to punish sinners, and secondly, Jesus relates the parable of
the fig-tree gardener who begs for another chance to do all that he can to
enable a barren fig tree to bear Good fruit.
First Reading; Exodus
3:1-8,13-15: 'I AM has sent me to you'
Commentary: In our Lenten progress through the
story of God’s people we come to the crucial moment of the revelation of God’s
name to Moses. This is a decisive moment, because to give your name is a sign
of trust and friendship. Someone who has your name has power over you in all
kinds of ways, so you give it only to those you trust. The Hebrews, descendants
of Abraham, are at a low point, a mere oppressed rabble of immigrants, lacking
land or security, marked out for extermination by a powerful bureaucratic
state. It is as though God had waited for this moment to raise them up, to
create them as a coherent group with a leader who could stand up for them in
God’s name. God does not yet give the meaning of the name; perhaps ‘I am who I
am’ even means ‘You mind your own business’. It is something to do with Being,
and the Greek translation of the Bible understands it as ‘Pure Being’, ‘the One
who Is’. In the Hebrew Bible the meaning of the name is given later on Sinai,
after Israel’s worship of the Golden Bull, when God passes before Moses crying
out the name, ‘The LORD, the LORD, a God of mercy and forgiveness’. This is the
meaning which will echo down the Bible in passage after passage.
Responsorial Psalm:
103:1-4,6-8,11: The Lord is compassion and love.
The
Responsorial reminds us of the essential nature of GOD, that of being merciful,
kind, and compassionate. The psalm gives us a way to respond to such a GOD.
Because our GOD is so concerned and proactive in relating to those who call
upon the name of the LORD, the people must bless (“speak well”) GOD’s holy name
(YHWH – LORD) with all their being (mind, body, heart, and soul). By the
people’s recalling (remembering – zikaron) GOD’s merciful action and
compassionate presence with them, GOD is present again and continues the
divine, loving actions in their presence. GOD is known for the majestic deeds
of Goodness and the reluctant ways GOD displays the divine anger. GOD is more
willing to forgive and give more chances to the sinful and disobedient than GOD
is willing to exact punishment. Thus, the LORD wants to allow the errant/sinful
individuals yet another opportunity to turn again to GOD (ad Deum).
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians
10:1-6,10-12: The life of the people under Moses in the desert was written down
to be a lesson for us
Commentary: As in the previous two Sundays, the
second reading moves the first reading into a higher gear. God revealed his
name to Moses in the desert, led the Israelites across the sea, and cared for
them in the desert with manna for food and water from the rock to drink. Now
Paul explains to us that the real meaning of the rock is Christ who nourishes
us. How ‘the rock that followed them’? Paul uses the current rabbinic
explanation of the two accounts of Moses striking the rock for water: it is not
two accounts of the same incident, but they are separate incidents. The same
rock accompanied the Israelites on their journey through the desert. However,
Paul is writing to chide the Corinthians on their undisciplined behaviour,
especially at the Eucharist. Despite the wonders that accompanied the
Israelites, the desert wanderings were a time of infidelity and rebellion which
even the God of mercy and forgiveness was compelled to correct. Let the
Corinthians learn their lesson! Even though their Christian life was marked by
plentiful gifts of the Spirit, they must repent of their wild behaviour.
Gospel: Luke 13:1-9: 'Leave the
fig tree one more year'
Commentary: The events mentioned in the earlier
part of the reading, Pilate’s slaughter of worshippers and the collapse of a
tower at Siloam (where the gigantic stones of the ancient wall of Jerusalem can
still be seen), are not mentioned elsewhere in history. To make the latter case
worse, the Galileans could well have been staying in Jerusalem to celebrate a
festival. They serve as useful examples of unexpected death and so of the need
to be prepared. People can be sagacious about little things in life and blind
to more important aspects. Luke has been repeatedly conveying this message with
less specific and more general exhortations in this section of the Gospel.
The need for
conversion, and above all the persevering patience of God, are lessons that
have been stressed throughout Luke’s Gospel from the preaching of John the
Baptist onwards. Especially stressed is the joyful welcome offered to the
repentant sinner by God (in the story of the Prodigal Son, the lost sheep and
lost coin) and by Jesus (the welcome to Zacchaeus and to the ‘Good Thief’).
After this it is neat that Luke omits the story of the cursing of the barren fig tree (Mark 11.12; Mt 21.28); for him ,the fig-tree is a symbol of hope, not
of disaster.
Reflection: What
causes suffering or affliction and what does God want to teach us through it?
The people of Israel suffered greatly under the oppressive rule of Egypt for
more than 400 years. Did they suffer unjustly or was God angry with them? God
was faithful to his people Israel even amid their affliction and ill
treatment by their Egyptian taskmaster. God in his mercy did not forget them
nor forsake them. Throughout their long history of exile and suffering God made
them strong and they grew in number. God listened to their plea for mercy and
freedom. And God raised up a savior for them, called Moses, whom he taught and
tested in the wilderness until he was ready to hear and obey God's call.
The fire of God's purifying love and deliverance: When
Moses came near the mountain of God at Horeb (which is also named Sinai), God
made his presence and will known to Moses through an extraordinary sign - a
bush inflamed with a fierce fire that did not harm or destroy the bush. This
burning bush was a sign of God's presence and power to save his people from
destruction. The fire of God's presence always demonstrates his purifying love
and mercy that burns away sin and refashions us in his holiness and righteousness
(moral goodness). Just as gold is tested through fire, God tests and purifies
his people and fills them with the fire of his love and holiness.
When Jesus
preached the coming of God's kingdom of peace and righteousness to his people,
he called them to repent and believe in the gospel - the good news of pardon,
peace, and new life in the Holy Spirit. His numerous signs and miracles
demonstrated the power of God's kingdom breaking into the lives of all who
turned to Jesus with faith and obedience. Many recognized that Jesus was the
Messiah whom God had promised would come and do even greater signs and wonders
than Moses had done.
Jesus addresses the issue of suffering and sin: Jesus
on a number of occasions warned the people to turn away from sin before it was
too late to repent and receive God's mercy and pardon. Luke recounts two
current disasters that Jesus addressed with the people. The first incident
occurred in the temple at Jerusalem. Pilate, who was the Roman governor of
Jerusalem at the time, ordered his troops to slaughter a group of Galileans who
had come up to Jerusalem to offer sacrifice in the Temple. We do not know what
these Galileans did to incite Pilate's wrath, nor why Pilate chose to attack
them in the holiest of places for the Jews, in their temple at Jerusalem. For
the Jews, this was political barbarity and sacrilege at its worst!
The second
incident that Jesus addressed was a natural disaster, a tower in Jerusalem
that unexpectedly collapsed, killing 18 people. The Jews often associated such
calamities and disasters as a consequence of sin. Scripture does warn that sin
can result in calamity! Though the righteous fall seven times, and rise again;
the wicked are overthrown by calamity (Proverbs 24:16).
The time for repentance and forgiveness is right now! The
real danger and calamity which Jesus points out is that an unexpected disaster
or a sudden death does not give us time to repent of our sins and to prepare
ourselves to meet the Judge of heaven and earth. The Book of Job reminds us
that misfortune and calamity can befall both the righteous and the unrighteous
alike. Jesus gives a clear warning - take responsibility for your actions and
moral choices and put sin to death today before it can destroy your heart,
mind, soul, and body as well. Unrepentant sin is like a cancer that corrupts
us from within. If it is not eliminated through repentance - asking God for
forgiveness and for his healing grace - it leads to a spiritual death which is
far worse than physical destruction.
The sign of the barren fig tree: Jesus' parable of
the barren fig tree illustrates his warning about the consequences of allowing
sin and corruption to take root in our hearts and minds. Fig trees were a
common and important source of food for the people of Palestine. A fig tree
normally matures within three years, producing plentiful fruit. If it failed,
it was cut down to make room for more healthy trees. A decaying fig tree and
its bad fruit came to symbolize for the Jews the consequence of spiritual corruption
caused by evil deeds and unrepentant sin.
The unfruitful
fig tree symbolizes the outcome of Israel's indifference and lack of response
to God's word of repentance and restoration. The prophets depicted the
desolation and calamity of Israel's fall and ruin - due to her unfaithfulness
to God - as a languishing fig tree (see Joel 1:7,12; Habbakuk 3:17; and
Jeremiah 8:13). Jeremiah likened good and evil rulers and members of Israel
with figs that were either good for eating or rotten and wasteful (Jeremiah
24:2-8). Jesus' parable depicts the patience of God, but it also contains a
warning that we should not presume upon God's patience and mercy. God's
judgment will come in due course - very soon or later.
Why God judges: Why does God judge his people? He
judges to purify and cleanse us of all sin that we might grow in his holiness
and righteousness. And He disciplines us for our own good, to inspire a godly
fear and reverence for him and his word. God is patient, but for those who
persistently and stubbornly rebel against him and refuse to repent and change
their course, there is the consequence that they will lose both their soul and
body to hell. Are God's judgments unjust or unloving? When God's judgments are
revealed in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness (Isaiah
26:9). To pronounce God's judgment on sin is much less harsh than what will
happen if those who sin are not warned to repent and turn back to God.
Don't tolerate sin: God, in his mercy, gives us
time to get right with him, but that time is now. We must not assume that there
is no hurry. A sudden and unexpected death leaves one no time to prepare to
settle one's accounts when he or she must stand before the Lord on the day of
judgment. Jesus warns us that we must be ready at all times. Tolerating sinful
habits and excusing unrepentant sin and wrongdoing will result in bad fruit,
painful discipline, and spiritual disease that leads to death and destruction.
The Lord in his mercy gives us both grace (his gracious help and healing) and
time to turn away from sin, but that time is right now. If we delay, even for a
day, we may discover that grace has passed us by and our time is up. Do you
hunger for the Lord's righteousness (moral goodness) and holiness?
Lord Jesus,
increase my hunger for you that I may grow in righteousness and holiness. May I
not squander the grace of the present moment to say "yes" to you and
to your will and plan for my life.
Cut-off date: “Look here! For three years now I
have come in search of fruit on this fig tree and found none. Cut it down.”
—Luke 13:7
Maybe you are
like the fig tree. You haven’t been producing any fruit for the Lord in the
last few years. But you’re not too concerned about it and you haven’t had any
big problems for a while. When you read headlines about people murdered or
tragic accidents (Lk 13:1, 4), you thank God nothing like that happens to you.
You may be
lulling yourself into complacency. This could be the last year of your
mediocre, self-centered existence. It may be you are about to get cut down and
thrown into the fire (Jn 15:6). You may have wasted your last extension (see Lk
13:8), and the Lord must finally let you reap the wages of doing your own thing
(Rm 6:23).
The Lord
doesn’t want you to be cut down. He even died on the cross to prevent your
destruction. You must accept His saving death not just mentally and verbally,
but practically. You must live no longer for yourself but for Him Who, for your
sake, died and was raised up (2 Cor 5:15).
The Bible and
today’s readings in particular “have been written as a warning to us, upon whom
the end of the ages has come. For all these reasons, let anyone who thinks he
is standing upright watch out lest he fall!” (1 Cor 10:11-12)
Prayer: Father, may I want to bear fruit for
You more than I want earthly treasures (see Mt 6:19-21). “As the heavens are
high above the earth, so surpassing is His kindness toward those who fear Him.”
—Ps 103:11. Praise Jesus, Suffering Servant and redeeming “Lamb of God Who
takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn 1:29)
The personal action for today: How do I personally relate to this GOD Who Is, and
Who desires to have a relationship with me? Do I take time to reflect and
remember how this GOD has done, continues to do, and will do, good deeds for
all creatures, including me? Do I bless GOD’s holy name by using GOD’s name
only in a prayerful and loving way? How have I experienced the compassionate and
merciful presence of GOD in my life? How can I help others to be more open to
GOD’s loving presence in their lives?
*Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo: Together with Rose of
Lima, Turibius is the first known saint of the New World, serving the Lord in Peru,
South America, for 26 years. Born in Spain and educated in the law, he became so
brilliant a scholar that he was made professor of law at the University of Salamanca
and eventually became chief judge of the Inquisition at Granada. He succeeded too
well. But he was not sharp enough a lawyer to prevent a surprising sequence of events.
When the archdiocese
of Lima in Peru required a new leader, Turibius was chosen to fill the post: He
was the one person with the strength of character and holiness of spirit to heal
the scandals that had infected that area.
He cited all the
canons that forbade giving laymen ecclesiastical dignities, but he was overruled.
Turibius was ordained priest and bishop and sent to Peru, where he found colonialism
at its worst. The Spanish conquerors were guilty of every sort of oppression of
the native population. Abuses among the clergy were flagrant, and he devoted his
energies and suffering to this area first.
He began the long
and arduous visitation of an immense archdiocese, studying the language, staying
two or three days in each place, often with neither bed nor food. Turibius confessed
every morning to his chaplain and celebrated Mass with intense fervor. Among those
to whom he gave the Sacrament of Confirmation was the future Saint Rose of Lima,
and possibly the future Saint Martin de Porres. After 1590, he had the help of another
great missionary, Francis Solanus, now also a saint.
Though very poor
his people were sensitive, dreading to accept public charity from others. Turibius
solved the problem by helping them anonymously.
The Lord indeed
writes straight with crooked lines. Against his will, and from the unlikely springboard
of an Inquisition tribunal, this man became the Christlike shepherd of a poor and
oppressed people. God gave him the gift of loving others as they needed it.
http://www.agapebiblestudy.com/documents/Is%20Hesed%20the%20same%20as%20Agape.htm