A Call to Repentance

03-23-2025Weekly ReflectionFr. Augustine Acheme, VC

Today’s Gospel (Luke 13:1-9) presents a sobering message from Jesus: “If you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!” He addresses people who believed that tragic deaths were punishments for grave sin, challenging this notion and redirecting the focus inward. Instead of speculating about the guilt of others, Jesus urges self-examination and conversion. His words remind us that suffering is not necessarily a sign of divine punishment but that every moment of life is an opportunity for repentance.

Jesus reinforces this message with the parable of the barren fig tree. The owner seeks fruit for three years but finds none. He orders the tree to be cut down, yet the gardener intercedes: “Leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future.” This parable is a striking image of God’s patience. He does not immediately condemn but gives me for renewal. However, this time is not endless- there is urgency in Jesus’ words. God’s mercy is abundant, but it calls for a response. The question is, are we bearing fruit? Are we truly living as disciples of Christ, or are we stagnant in faith?

The first reading (Exodus 3:1-15) recounts Moses’ encounter with God in the burning bush. God reveals His name- “I AM WHO AM”- and His plan to deliver Israel from bondage. Like the fig tree, Israel had been given me to turn back to God. Moses’ mission reflects God’s ongoing call to His people: a call to freedom, renewal, and trust in His power.

St. Paul, in the second reading (1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12), warns that even those who have received God’s grace are not automatically secure. The Israelites experienced divine blessings but still fell into sin. Paul urges humility: “Whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall.” Lent is a time to acknowledge our need for God’s mercy, to till the soil of our hearts, and allow His grace to transform us.

The fig tree still stands, the gardener is still at work, and the call to repentance remains open. What in our lives needs pruning? What areas require deeper conversion? Let us not take God’s patience for granted but respond wholeheartedly, bearing fruit in faith, love, and righteousness.

Fr. Augustine Acheme, VC