3rd Sunday of Lent – Now is the 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!’” (Luke 13:1-5)
 
In this passage, Jesus challenged the audience to repent and start doing the right things for the right reasons. Jesus tried to impress upon them that the deaths he referred to were not in proportion to anyone’s guilt. Those who had died were no better or worse than everyone else. Jesus wanted the audience to learn from the deaths of the others and repent, or they too would perish.
 
This week marks the halfway point in our Lenten journeys. Have we grown in our understanding of how our faith and life intersect? Have we learned from our own lives and the lives of others? Have we participated in the sacrament of reconciliation? Now is the time. Again and again, Jesus impresses on us the importance of repentance and conversion.
 
Disasters and bad things happen now just as they happened in the time of Jesus. We can easily forget that those who died had hopes and dreams and families and friends, just as we do. When we fight for justice, we fight for everyone—including ourselves. God is present in disasters and evil things through the response of those on the outside. God is present in our response to injustice and in our care for others.
 
How have you reached out to those who suffer?

Adapted from Word on the Go, a downloadable resource from RENEW International.