By Rev. Canon David B. Tabo-oy
v1At that time some people were there who told Jesus about the Galileans whom Pilate had killed while they were offering sacrifices to God. v2Jesus answered them, “Because those Galileans were killed in that way, do you think it proves that they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? v3No indeed! And I tell you that if you do not turn from your sins, you will all die as they did. v4What about those eighteen people in Siloam who were killed when the tower fell on them? Do you suppose this proves that they were worse than all the other people living in Jerusalem? v5No indeed! And I tell you that if you do not turn from your sins, you will all die as they did.”
v6Then Jesus told them this parable: “There was once a man who had a fig tree growing in his vineyard. He went looking for figs on it but found none. v7So he said to his gardener, ‘Look, for three years I have been coming here looking for figs on this fig tree, and I haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it go on using up the soil?’ v8But the gardener answered, ‘Leave it alone, sir, just one more year; I will dig around it and put in some fertilizer. v9Then if the tree bears figs next year, so much the better; if not, then you can have it cut down.’”
– Luke 13:1-9
We are now in the middle of our Lenten journey this Sunday being the third in the season. As already introduced in previous article Lent is the time in the Christian liturgical year wherein our mortality and morality are spot-lighted. Saint Paul reminds us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” in Romans 3:23. Hence, this is the appropriate time to put more effort to “Examine your lives and conduct by the rule of God’s commandments, that you may perceive wherein you have offended in what you have done or left undone, whether in thought, word, or deed. And acknowledge your sins before Almighty God, with full purpose of amendment of life, being ready to make restitution for all injuries and wrongs done by you to others; and also being ready to forgive those who have offended you, in order that you yourselves may be forgiven” (The Exhortation, BCP).
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As we struggle to respond to the call of amending our lives in line with the heavenly we are incessantly challenged with the things of the worldly. Much of these relate to our mortality and morality. Of our human-ness we are in a limbo as we wrestle with the why’s of life particularly on miserable and inexplicable human experiences. Our responses to these scruples would decide the fiber of our morals, our standards by which we should be judged here and now! The gospel narrative tells us of tragic deaths caused by human blunder: Pilate killing the non-conformists and those who perished due to the tower that collapsed. And the moral question of the mortals: Why would such tragedy be allowed by God?
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For sure some of us must have asked the same question and entertained doubts to the God we believe and adore. The very expression ‘untimely death’ when a good person dies expresses such doubt to God, the Almighty and giver of life. The abundant reactions of such sentiment in Facebook of the passing on of Jerry Sagayo, priest, is a manifestation of such dubious faith (I am sorry to say it this way). Abundant reactions expressed on FB saying that Father Jerry Sagayo 57 years old and bishopable, ‘gone too soon’ or the like somewhat expresses such wobbly faith. Yet, we go to that primordial human questioning when someone dies who is young and promising, ‘Why?’ and the latter qualification or reasoning, ‘punishment’ of sin?
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Our gospel narrative tells us how Jesus put into context this concern. His hearers were wondering about who was guiltier of their sins. They wondered, could it be that those Galileans who died as victims of Pilate’s anger were the most guilty? Could it be those eighteen people who were crushed by the tower of Siloam are really the most guilty? They also wondered if they were guilty. Jesus responded to them by telling a parable, a story that is filled with mystery. He told them of a parable which is somewhat unrelated to the concern. The parable of the unfruitful tree. Jesus told them that all were guilty, not just those killed by Pilate or those killed by the falling tower. Jesus said that everyone was in need of redemption, all needed to turn to God and come closer to God. The people must have wondered how much does God care for us, love us, if we are guilty? The parable revealed to them and us that God give to all the time to grow and to become fruitful.
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The Lenten invitation to repentance is not merely a call to turn away from evil but a plea to produce the fruits of good living. The biting question according to Desmond Knowles is whether our love of God is evident in our treatment of others. I cannot but agree more. We can begin under our own roof at home and make a start at being more aware of our partner and more sensitive to our children and the other members of our family. It is easy to take our family for granted and to forget that they are individuals in their own right, who deserve respect.
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We can meet God by caring for the poor, the sick, the old and the lonely. All of us have received a tremendous support from others – despite perhaps our not being aware? How concerned are we about giving something in exchange? Are we takers and not givers? This question pricks us more deep this election season where money and favor are abundant – for a price. Reaching out for others in need demands getting out of ourselves and putting aside our selfish ways. The warning about the unfruitful tree is not given to frighten us but to remind us that the time for doing good is limited and is fast running out. We cannot keep putting off good works indefinitely, otherwise there will come a time when there is no tomorrow and we will be found wanting.
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Lent is an opportunity for taking a hard look at our lives and asking how do we stand before God right now. Pink, red, green, whatever. If we find that we are so caught up with material concerns that we have given a back seat to spiritual things, then we have forgotten the real purpose of why God gave us life. The challenge confronting us to hoe the ground around our hearts in the expectation that it will produce good fruit.
Let us pray.
Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(ECP-BCP Third Sunday in Lent Collect)
