Some people told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. He 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.’”
REFLECTION
‘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.’”
Our Father loves us. His Son freed us from sin and death. We are to live according to the Spirit who is life.
Our sinful flesh refuses to live in the Spirit, choosing death, despair and hostility. The profound mystery that the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us, assures and strengthens us to choose life and peace.
We tend to think that those who choose to walk with the Lord will have a happy easy life, but Jesus challenges this way of thinking. He challenges us regarding the need to repent and not allow ourselves to suffer perishment.
St Luke, the physician, echoes the theme of repentance and turning toward God. Our destiny is in our hands and in following Christ many graces will be obtained for our journey home.
God is quite patient with us, allowing us time to change, grow and bear fruit. His patience is not endless, so we must heed the urgency of being prepared when we are suddenly called.
" I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord, but rather in his conversion that he may live".
