Gospel

Luke 13:1-9

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

Jesus makes clear that there is a work that we have to do.

He's not saying that we can judge the world and how God is working in the world, and why some things happen, and some people have different kind of the lives that we do. But he wants us to get back to something so basic. You are on this planet to grow and to evolve and to change. To be transformed by his grace.

And he says, if you don't do that, you will be destroyed by pride, greed, power over people. He doesn't want that to happen, but in telling people unless they change, they will be destroyed. He adds this wonderful disposition that he will never give up on us and he will continue to dig around us. Soil, fertilize us, water us, and pray and continue to work for our transformation.

He is a loving God. When he warns us that we might be destroyed, he is there to do everything he can to make sure that doesn't happen.

Closing Prayer

Father, as we examine ourselves as we looked at our life and our choices, it's so important for us to see where we're off, where we're not functioning as God wants us to. Make us aware of our sinfulness. At the same time, bless us with his patience. His love, his continual forgiveness, and his nurturing Holy Spirit. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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