Repent or Perish

Reflection on Luke 13:1-9

The popular wisdom among the Jews of Old Testament times was that bad things happened only to bad people, just as good things happened only to good people. We see that in the story of the Book of Job. Job's friends tried to convince him that the reason why those terrible misfortunes befell him must have been some sins he had committed, maybe without knowing it.

Jesus did not hold that view at all. The people who suffer misfortune are not necessarily the worst sinners there are. They may, in fact, be quite innocent. Imagine a road accident in which eight people die, and only two survive. Among the dead is an infant six month old. Is it possible that, that infant was greater sinner than the two persons who survived the accident? What about the many cases of children suffering and dying from cancer? What sins have they committed? It is all a mystery. God alone knows why bad things can happen to good people, including innocent children, while a lot of bad people can get away with their crimes - or so it seems.

The truth is that nobody will get away with any crimes, unless repent. That includes those who think wicked thoughts about their neighbour and say wicked things about him, as well as those who do wicked deeds. The day of reckoning may be long in coming. But it will surely come. If it does not come in this life, it will surely come on judgment day. That us when sinners who fail to repent will most certainly perish, and forever.

The good news is that every sinner who repents receives forgiveness from God. We may not like that. We would very much wish to see some particularly wicked sinners pay dearly for their crimes even after they have repented. Fortunately God is not like us. As we read in the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, "I take no pleasure in the death of anyone -declares the Lord Yahweh- so repent and live" (Ezekiel 18:32). There is nothing we can do about that. It is God's way of doing things, and his ways are not our ways just as his thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8).

We can repent of our sins at anytime during the year. But Lent is a privileged season for repentance. Everything at about Lent speaks of repentance and forgiveness. We should take full advantage of this season while it lasts and repent, so that we do not perish.

Listening to the Son of God

Reflection on Luke 9:28-36

Have you ever had an experience that you wished would not go away? I mean, the experience was just so wonderful, so perfect, so delightful that you wished it would just go on and on and on. Some people can point to one or more of such experiences in their lives.

That must have been the kind of experience Peter, John and James had when they witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor. It was sheer heaven on earth. Peter wished it would never end. He wanted to build three tents, one for Jesus, another for Moses and another for Elijah. Then he and his companions would settle there, and not have to go down the mountain. But Peter would be told, "not yet; so fast."

Because, "as he spoke, a cloud came and covered them with shadow... And a voice came from the cloud saying, 'This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him.' "That is what they had to do before they could enjoy what Peter was asking for: a permanent abode with Jesus in the fellowship of the Saints. And that is heaven. They had first to listen to the Son of God and then they would be able to live with him forever in heaven. Really, listening to Jesus is one of the pre-eminent tasks of a Christian. That is what makes him a disciple, one of the sheep of Christ. That is what Jesus said: ‘The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me” (John 10:27). The Apostle James would later add that listening to Jesus entails doing what he tells us. In his words, " ... you must do what the Word tells you and not just listen to it and deceive yourselves" (James 1:22).

It is well known that Jesus is speaking to us in the Bible, the Word of God. We must listen to him there. We know too that Jesus is speaking to us in and through the Church, his body. We must listen to him there. It is not so well known that Jesus is speaking to us also in the events of our daily lives, the good ones and the not-so-good ones, the happy ones and the sad ones, the pleasant and unpleasant. We must learn to listen to him there too.

Therefore, whenever something striking happens to us, we should make a habit of stopping to ask what message the Lord might have for us in that event. What is the Lord telling us, what might he be asking of us? We can ask the Lord in prayer to manifest his will in that event to us. We may also seek counsel from people who are in a position to enlighten us: our parents, our teachers, even our spouse or dose friend, and especially our priest. We shall be surprised to find God revealing his will to us loud and dear.

After all said and done, however, what is important is that we listen to the Son of God and do his will that he manifests to us. That is how we shall possess that permanent abode with him, that Peter wished for on Mount Tabor, the mountain of the Transfiguration.