The gospel for Saturday of the 29th week in Ordinary Time is taken from Luke 13. Some people told Jesus about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. He said to them, do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way that they are 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. Of those 18 people who were killed when the Tower of 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. 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 his 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 will cultivate the ground around it and fertilize may bear fruit in the future. If not, you can cut it down. 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 kinds of 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 to dig around us, soil, fertilize us, water us, and pray and continue to work for our transformation. He is a loving God, and when he warns us that we might be destroyed, he is there to do everything he can to make sure that doesn’t happen. After your reflection, I’ll close with a prayer.
SA Satan Satan Sat Sam Closing prayer Father, as we examine ourselves, as we look 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. His nurturing Holy Spirit. And we ask this in Jesus name, amen.