The time is Now to Repent
Ex 3:1-8a,13-15; 1 Cor 10:1-6,10-12; Lk 13:1-9
(Lent 3/C)
“Come no nearer! Remove
the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground”
Today’s Luke's Gospel reading describes his teaching
and healing during Jesus' journey to Jerusalem. Luke presents us with the
parable of the barren fig tree. There is no parallel parable in the gospels of
Mark or Matthew's Gospels. Luke reports about the crowd’s complaining to Jesus about
killing 18 people by Pilate. We read about two disasters in the Gospel. Dr
William Barkley gives a narration about them. However, we do not have definite information,
and we can only speculate. This was a natural disaster when a tower in
Jerusalem unexpectedly collapsed. The Jews often associated such natural calamities
and disasters because of sin. Scripture warns that sin can result in calamity! “Though
the righteous fall seven times, and rise again; the wicked are overthrown by
calamity” (Prov 24:16).
Jesus takes up this opportunity to warn the people to
take care of their sinfulness. He interpreted that those who were killed at a
tower in Jerusalem were no more or less sinful than the ones who complained. He
said that even a natural disaster should not be interpreted as punishment for
sin. 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 the righteous and the
unrighteous alike. Jesus gives a clear warning to take responsibility for our
actions and moral choices and put sin to death today before it can destroy our hearts,
minds, souls, and bodies as well.
Jesus' parable of the barren and 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 their unfaithfulness to God - as a
languishing fig tree (Joel 1:7,12; Hab 3:17; Jer 8:13). Jeremiah likened good
and evil rulers and members of Israel with figs that were either good or rotten
(Jer 24:2-8). Jesus’ parable depicts the warning, patience, and mercy of God. God,
in his mercy, gives us time to get right with him and that time is now. Jesus warns us that we must always be
ready. 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 grace and time to turn
away from sin.
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. Just as gold is tested
through fire, God tests and purifies his people and fills them with the fire of
his love and holiness.
“Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us”
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