Third Sunday in Lent [Cycle C]: Call to Repentance

THE BARREN FIG TREE
Image from lifeondoverbeach.wordpress.com

"... But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!". 

- Luke 13:3 and 13:5

There are passages in Scriptures which support the idea that blessings come to those who obey the Lord [see Exodus 20:6, Psalm 119:2, Deuteronomy 5:10; 7:9, Jeremiah 32:18, Nehemiah 1:5, etc], while curses and evil happen to those who are disobedient [see Exodus 20:5, Isaiah 14:21, Jeremiah 32:18, etc]. Naturally, the Jewish mentality is that when bad things happen to persons, it is because they have done something evil in the sight of God, that they are sinful. However, Scriptures also record this lament, "why do the evil [people] prosper?" [see Jeremiah 12:1; Job 21:7; Malachi 3:15, etc]. And also, Jesus our Lord who did nothing wrong was "numbered among the criminals" [see Isaiah 53:12].

The Lord Jesus corrected this mentality by saying that the people who died when the tower at Siloam fell were not more sinful than all other Galileans. He told them through the parable of the Barren Fig Tree that there is a proper time for reckoning as to the worthiness of a person to be judged good or evil and be rewarded or punished accordingly ["... it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down." - Luke 13:9]. 

What the Lord wants to point out is this: at the appointed time, that is, during the Day of Judgment, it is the the time when all of us shall face acquittal or condemnation and receive reward or punishment accordingly. It is not here on earth that people shall receive what they shall have in eternity. Good things happen to both good and bad people; bad things happen to both bad and good people on earth too [see Matthew 5:45; Luke 6:35]. Though many times, good people of course enjoy good things until the evil persons become so jealous of them and do them some harm; while bad people seem to get blessings, until such time that their evil works are discovered and they face earthly judgment. For the good who encounters evil, the challenge is to remain steadfast in the faith. For the bad people, they are called to repentance.

Life on earth is not a garden of roses. Our attitude must be one of hopefulness for the enjoyment of that garden of roses at the proper time in the Father's kingdom. The good things on earth cannot even compare a bit to what the Lord has prepared for us in heaven. The bad things that we encounter therefore should not bother as a bit if we believe. The important thing here on earth is to keep ourselves unstained by the world, that is, sinless and holy. 

As we continue to journey this Season of Lent, let us remind ourselves that if life on earth is an end in itself, the Lord Jesus Christ would have not gone through His passion and death. And we must not forget that Lent is not a complete celebration in itself for it is merely a prelude to Easter, to the Lord's glorious resurrection!