Psalm 122:1-2.3-4ab.4cd-5
God's Second Chances
Brethren, one of the strongest emphasizes and lessons from Luke's Gospel is the need for conversion and repentance, and above all God's patience or second chances right away from the preaching of St John and onwards to the end of the Gospel. Today's gospel emphasizes these two aspects: need for repentance and God's patience and grace.
Firstly, to Jesus' teachings, the fact that we are living and have everything we possess is not by our own right but by God's grace and his patience. In today's gospel Jesus says: “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way (Pilate had mingled their blood with the blood of their sacrifices), they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? 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!"
We too are not saints than those who sin, are not more worth than those who die, are not more equal than those who don't even have what to eat, etc. It is time we recognize that it is only by God's grace and thus need to become humble and contrite before God instead of our pride so that he will always be on our side. God is always patient with us but if we do not repent and recognize his mercy, he will also cut us from him and then we lose heaven. This is a serious warning, let's be alert! More still, Jesus' words today call us to preparedness for we never know when death hits or even natural calamities. The book of Job teaches us that calamity can happen to both the righteous and evil ones. When unexpected death or calamity hits us, will it find us prepared to enter heaven?
Secondly, to Jesus' teaching, we should always grab the second chances God gives us because time is limited. He uses a parable of a fig tree to emphasize his message. It is a parable of a man who had a fig tree and had been coming to collect fruits for three years, but he couldn't get any. At this moment, he had come to cut it, but his servant pleaded with him to leave it for another year while he gives it fertilizer and tills it and if it doesn't give fruit after one year, it will be cut. The man gives the tree a second chance. God also deals with us the same way.
No doubt that the man who had a fig tree can be considered as God and the fig tree is us, His people. The servant who pleaded on behalf of the tree, is the Holy Spirit who intercedes for us and completes our prayers. This also can be our saints who all intercede for us, and the church, Christ's body on earth. God always gives us the second chances to repent and come back to him when we have strayed away from Him. When this chance is given, let us grab it, use it wisely and repent so that God will welcome us back. This second chance is there for us to bear fruit according to our vocation and calling as Christians.
St Paul in the first reading tells us that all of us have been given different gifts and vocations, for instance, teachers, prophets, doctors, politicians, religious, family heads, and others. These all make up one body, whereby Jesus is the head. Therefore, everyone must carry out his or her duty and vocation dutifully and make up a body of Christ. At last, we should be able to tell God that, see God, you gave me this and these are the fruits which I have fruited. God has created us with a specific destiny and mission in mind. Over the years, if our lives do not correspond to that destiny, if we do not develop in the way he intended, or if we do not bring the expected fruit, then our creator will rightly be as disappointed as the person in the parable. God created us, he has given us all we need to thrive, and he greatly cares about what will become of us.
One temptation with the second chances is that sometimes we can take them for granted, and then continue sinning with a hope that God will always forgive us. But let us remember the people in the gospel whose calamities befell, if they were not prepared, they faced God's judgement. Even the fig tree was given only one year. Brethren our time is limited to repent and bear fruits which God expects of us. God is patient, but for those who persistently and stubbornly rebel against him and refuse to repent and change their course, there is the consequence that they will lose both their soul and body to hell.
God, in his mercy, gives us time to get right with him, but that time is now. We must not assume that there is no hurry. A sudden and unexpected death leaves one no time to prepare to settle one's accounts when he or she must stand before the Lord on the day of judgment. Jesus warns us that we must be ready at all times. Tolerating sinful habits and excusing unrepentant sin and wrongdoing will result in bad fruit, painful discipline, and spiritual disease that leads to death and destruction. The Lord in his mercy gives us both grace (his gracious help and healing) and time to turn away from sin, but that time is right now. If we delay, even for a day, we may discover that grace has passed us by and our time is up.
Reflect today on the second chances that have been given to you in your life. Have you taken good use of them or you are taking advantage of them to sin the more? Are you bearing the right fruits which God expects you to bear? Pray for the Spirit to always guide us in using well the second chances in our lives.
Let us Pray
My God, you have created me in your image and hence know that I will become the best version of myself when my life yields fruits: fruits of joy, fruits of charity, fruits of holiness. Despite my frequent inadequacies, you do not overwrite my free will but patiently work with me, helping me to convert and to grow. Help me to always use my second chances wisely. Amen.
Be blessed
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