Reflection for Sunday March 20, Third Sunday of Lent: Luke 13:1-9

Gospel: Luke 13:1-9

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!” 

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.’”

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Reflection:

Would you obey this call of repentance by Jesus? 

Repentance is something that we all need to do for we are all sinners. But why is it that many of us are not willing to obey this call of Jesus? The reason behind is we don’t have the virtue of humility. And many of us have mortgaged our life to the Devil to enjoy sinful earthly pleasures.  These are the reasons why we refuse God’s call for us to repent. But what price are we willing to pay for snubbing Jesus call of repentance?  Would we be willing to endure shame, suffering or even death for snubbing the Lord’s call of repentance? 

The moment we repent a huge burden would immediately be removed from our hearts and conscience. We will feel light and peaceful and our seamless connection with Jesus will immediately be restored. But many of us refuse to repent we instead prefer to be slaves of sin. Many of us prefer to embrace the devil rather than God.   

Jesus in our gospel for today is calling us to repent from all of our sins. This means that we would be willing to walk away from any sinful actions and thoughts. We would completely walk away from anyone who makes us sin and who influence us to sin. And we would be willing to submit ourselves to the healing Sacrament of Reconciliation. – Marino J. Dasmarinas