REPENT! EVERY SIN IS A DISASTER (3rd Sunday of Lent, Year C) скачать в хорошем качестве

REPENT! EVERY SIN IS A DISASTER (3rd Sunday of Lent, Year C)

“…unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:3) Slavery can be described as an act of man’s inhumanity to man. To be enslaved is to be dehumanised and reduced to an object lacking rights and privileges. To be enslaved is to be oppressed and afflicted. In today’s first reading, we read that God felt the pains of the Israelites, who were slaves to Egyptians at that time. “I have seen the AFFLICTION of my people and have heard their CRY. I know their SUFFERINGS.” (Exodus 3:7). Apart from physical slavery, there is another type of slavery that is just as dangerous and oppressive: one that brings about both physical and spiritual death. This is the slavery of sin. In today’s second reading, St. Paul, reflecting on the outcome of our ancestors in the faith, spoke of how they “were destroyed by the Destroyer” due to their sinful actions. St. Paul says their stories are written in the Scriptures to “warn us against desiring evil.” In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus continues the warning when, upon reflecting on the calamity that had befallen the Galileans said: “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Today’s message in our readings is clear: “There is a day of reckoning – a day we shall have to give an account of our lives. We may assume that all is well for now, but a time will surely come when we must suffer the consequences of our sins.” Let us now consider this message in detail. 1. Unless You Repent, You Will All Likewise Perish Twice in today’s Gospel passage, Jesus says: “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Unless you repent is a conditional statement. It implies that one is given a time frame to rethink one’s actions, make a change, and stop doing that evil. When we say God is merciful, we mean that God gives us ample time to repent, reconsider our ways and refrain from evil. The mercy of God lies in the fact that He does not punish the sinner immediately but, like the man who planted a vineyard, keeps coming back, hoping to find fruits. God continues to speak gently to us through our conscience, the scriptures, and avenues such as this homily. 2. Those Who Suffered, Were They Worse Sinners? Those who told Jesus about the Galileans assumed that for them to have suffered in that way, they must have been far worse sinners than anyone else. They concluded that God must have allowed them to die in that manner as a punishment for their sins. To their greatest surprise, Jesus said: “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners… because they suffered thus? I tell you, No… or those eighteen upon whom the tower of Siloam fell… were they worse offenders? I tell you, No.” 3. God Hears the Cry of the Oppressed Am I a taskmaster? Do I oppress my workers, treat them like slaves or deny their just wages? Do I act like a god over those under me? Am I merciful or humane in my dealings with those over whom I exercise power and authority? Do I somehow forget that there is a tomorrow when I maltreat, insult, and dehumanise others, especially the younger ones? Do I see injustice and keep quiet because I am not a victim? Of course, they may be unable to fight back or do anything to you, but if they cry out to God, He will not turn a deaf ear to them. 4. Increase Your Prayers, Make More Efforts to Repent from Sin. The Good News today is that no matter the extent of sin in our lives, God will not abandon us when we cry to Him. Just as the Israelites could not save themselves, we cannot do it alone. It takes grace to come out of sin, but Grace is available. Like the children of Israel who called out to God in prayer when they were suffering at the hands of the Egyptians, the key to fighting sin is prayer. Jesus said: “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8) The worst thing that can ever happen to you is to trivialise sin, painting it as “normal”. Every sin is a disaster. Let us pray: Almighty, ever-living God, grant us the grace of freedom from the captivity of sinfulness. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. May God’s abundant blessings be upon us all. (3rd Sunday of Lent - Proper Readings Liturgical Colour: Violet. Bible Study: Exodus 3:1-8,13-15, Ps. 103:1-4,6-8,11, 1 Cor. 10:1-6,10-12, Luke 13:1-9).