At that time some people who were present there told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. He 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.'"
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.'"
The Jews held the belief that suffering and illnesses were due to the punishment of God. At one instance, the apostles even asked Jesus about a blind man, whether it was the blind man or his parents who sinned, that he was born blind (Jn 9:2).
As Christians, we need to erase this kind of mentality. In today's Gospel, Jesus explains that those who died a cruel death are not necessarily sinners being punished. Suffering is not necessarily a punishment from God. We need to see suffering in a better light. It is part of our life as humans of the fallen nature. Because of the example of Christ, we can see suffering not as useless pain. We can now see suffering as a purification, a purgation, something that can bring about something good in the end. The greatest example of salvific suffering is the murder of the most innocent Son of God that brought about the salvation of mankind.
As Jesus points out that not all suffering come from God, He also warns us that suffering will indeed come if we remain sinners. Yes, God does not punish men immediately in this world, but that doesn't mean that there is no punishment at all. His mercy cannot do anything against human freedom. His mercy also cannot contradict His justice. Therefore, Jesus took this opportunity to warn us about a fate worse than earthly suffering - eternal suffering.
Our Lenten season is an annual amplification of the call for repentance. In the Gospel today, we are the fig tree that God expects to bear fruit. God has been so patient with us. How many times have we sinned, repented and sinned again? Yet, even though we always fall into sin, God is ever faithful and merciful, though as was said, this is limited by His justice.
God gives us the necessary graces in order for us to bear fruit. He gives us fertilizer that we may grow. What is sad is that when we are given much graces to help us recognize God and realize that He is calling us to repentance, we give more attention to the graces and less to the Giver. God nourishes us physically and spiritually that we may bear fruit and that we may be strong enough to journey back to Him. The greatest nourishment God gave us is the Body and Blood of His only Son. Jesus' is the loudest announcement of God's call for repentance. The Calvary scene says so many things. Through this picture of a suffering innocent God-man, God tells us, "I love you enough that I paid your own debt to Me. Come back to Me now! Nothing can separate you from My love."
Jesus' death, being the greatest call for repentance, is God's last call. God said everything when He sent Jesus here. Jesus, the Word of God, is the last call. God can say no more. Let us heed God's call for repentance.
