Sunday Reflections
Do not miss your appointed time
- Some people told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. Jesus said to them in reply, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?
By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!
Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?
By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!”
And he told them this parable: “There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’
He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’”(Lk13:1-9). Taken from today’s Sunday gospel for the 3rd Sunday year C of Lent.
- The readings for this Sunday show that there is an appointed time for everything. Such times are vital for success or failure. The appointed time is a time of fruitful encounter. In the first reading, the appointed time came for Moses when he saw a burning bush and did not pass by. He approached it and there God was waiting for him.
At that appointed time he received the mission that defined his entire life. He changed his trajectory and embraced a new one that lead him to greatness. Keying into the appointed time is becoming useful instrument in the hands of God. This involves purification and abandonment. Moses knew both through exile and the divine encounter.
- In today’s gospel Jesus invites people to purification and divine encounter but the people were more focused on others rather than on themselves. As Jesus began his preaching the distracted people reminded him of their righteousness by telling him about those that God punished for their sins through Pilate who mingled their blood with their sacrifices. In a way they were saying: “we are good.
The wicked are already punished so we do not need your preaching for repentance.” Jesus used the opportunity to teach them that everyone is in urgent need of conversion and that those who died in an inglorious ways were not more sinners than all who are still living.
- To illustrate the above point Jesus told them parable of the unfruitful fig. In the parable the owner of the garden observed that his fig tree has reached maturity and was supposed to be productive and yet for three it has borne no fruit.
His verdict to his gardener was clear: “cut it down, why would it be exhausting the soil?” The gardener pleaded for a year of grace, an appointed time during which he will give a special care to the plant. If the fig responds to treatment it will live otherwise it will be killed.
- The parable is about tree but its significance is on our spiritual life. Through our baptism we are all empowered to bear good spiritual fruit of righteousness but many people live as if righteous living is not their responsibility. The owner of the garden in the gospel is God while the gardener is Jesus. Jesus is pleading for every sinner and promising God that he will do a special work on each for a period after which the destruction will be authorized. The Lenten period is that time of special care, a time of conversion, a time that Jesus opens the door of grace to souls willing to receive it. Through prayers like rosary, stations of cross, Lenten fast and alms giving, souls are brought back to life. This appointed time should be used as it is offered. It is like an extra time in a knock out phase of a football tournament. Any error could result in the elimination of the team from the tournament.
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Pretending that you do not need conversion is a sign that you have not truly encountered Jesus. Remember the case of the woman caught in adultery. Those who wanted to stone her believed themselves to be righteous until Jesus encountered them and called them to conversion saying: “if you know that you have no sin, be the first to cast the stone on her.”
Without any argument each of the men recognized that he needs conversion and each dropped his stone and left. Today again Jesus says to you: “As you listen to my call for repentance today, recognize that you are a sinner, harden not your heart but come back to me. The appointed time is today and not tomorrow for the tomorrow you are hoping for in delaying your conversation may never be yours but today is at your disposal. ©Vita, 20/03/22
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