Gospel
Lk 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.’”
Homily
Some days after the Haitian earthquake, a famous tele-evangelist made the remark that Haitians were being punished for having made a pact with the demon. Some people dismissed the remark as total nonsense, as indeed they should have but others, and I hope that you were not among them were tempted to give credence to this tele-evangelists interpretation of the God we worship, an interpretation which the Gospel reading for this Sunday addresses.
The gospel passage tells us that Jesus used the occasion of a massacre of some Galileans by Herod to ask a very pertinent question; “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?” Jesus gives the answer himself;
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!”
There brand cialis are many men around the world who have reported about this problem. Possible side effect : As a vasodilator, generic levitra this drug has several adverse effects related to blood pressure issues. While it is possible to buy tadalafil 20mg mastercard, cialis online, reviews of the quality of the drugs and the services of the drug stores should be enquired properly and should be searched on the internet. Damiana: One of the oldest (as buy viagra sample old as Mayans civilization) herbal treatment of sexual endurance and remedy for improving erection quality.
Let us go back to the question of Haiti. When we look at Haiti we know that all the destruction was due to a total lack of adequate infrastructure caused principally by the expropriation of everything which Haiti had. Black slaves had to be taught a lesson. Haiti was impoverished and the corruption of Haitian leaders did not help. We in the Caribbean sat back and did not help even when we could. Thus the visionary calypsonian, as if foreseeing the disaster, would sing
“Haiti I am sorry we misunderstood you but one day we will raise our heads and look inside you.”
There is need therefore for repentance not only on the part of those who impoverished Haiti but also on the part of those who sat around and did nothing to help Haiti out of her impoverishment.
We misunderstood just as the people who approached Jesus misunderstood. Haiti was not bad, Haiti was abandoned. We have created and lived in a world of selfishness. We help those who could help us and when they cannot help they are abandoned.
Unless we recreate however a culture of solidarity, in our moment of need, we will all perish as they did. This is the repentance which is being asked of us, the shift from a culture of selfishness to a culture of solidarity because solidarity before the disaster may have prevented it.
If this is true on the geo-political level it is also true on the national and level and the level of neighbourhoods.
This call to solidarity on all levels is nothing new. It is the authentic message of the Gospels and solidarity is the fruit of authentic union with or love of God. The lives of all the saints ancient and modern attest to this.
May we Christians build the culture of solidarity at all levels or we will all perish as they did.
Prayer
All powerful and ever-loving God you call us to repentance lest we perish. Help us to understand that true repentance always entails the building of a culture of solidarity especially with the most abandoned and those who may find it impossible to offer anything in return. Remove from our hearts the spirit of selfishness which is the antithesis of solidarity and replace it with the Spirit of generosity and boldness. We ask this through the intercession of Mary, our Mother and your Son Jesus. Amen
