A Few Words On "The Word"

March 11, 2007
3rd Sunday in Lent, Year C

Luke 13:1-9

Be Prepared!

Think just for a moment what your life might be like without the influence and guidance of your parents. Okay, some of you might be thinking that life would be way easier without your parents - no curfew, no chores, no nagging. However, there's no denying that we are shaped by our families, especially our parents. From the moment we are born, our parents watch over us, protect us, and teach us the basic realities of life. Even when we fall down, they never give up on us, encouraging us to continue maturing.

When we are young we often feel that our parents are over-protective or a little too demanding. However, in reality they are preparing us for life on our own. As children we are utterly dependent on our parents for food, shelter, and comfort. We tend to take these realities for granted and truly don't realize until we become more mature that our parents were teaching us how to be prepared for whatever life might throw at us.

Jesus' message in today's gospel has two aspects. People were struggling to make sense of the killing of some Jews. In Jesus' day, death was often seen as punishment for sin. The problem was that the Jews killed by Pilate were seen as righteous. Jesus tells them that just because you may be sinless doesn't ensure you a long life or peaceful death. It is therefore necessary to repent in order to be prepared for judgment. However, Jesus' second point is to show the Jews that repentance is a daily task. Maturing in faith takes time and careful attention if it is to reach its full potential. It is important not to give up on people despite the appearance that they may never grow more fully.

Our parents are meant to help us achieve the two goals Jesus sets forth in today's gospel. They teach us to be prepared and independent while offering us support, never giving up on us even when it seems we may never reach our full potential. As young people we long to reach a point where we can live on our own without our parent's endless care.

Unfortunately, our culture sometimes overemphasizes the need to reach a stage of total independence. Many people become so self-centered that they forget to observe the needs people around them might have. Jesus doesn't want us to just be prepared for death but to also be prepared to help any we might encounter who are dependent on us. We cannot let our desire to live without reliance on our parents blind us to the plight of others, our parents wouldn't want that.

Lent is a time of growth and daily repentance. However, it's also a time for action and a time to be prepared to patiently nurture those around us, supporting the least in our society in all circumstances just as our parents continue to support us.

Reflection Question

Have you ever wanted to give up on someone but stood by them anyway, hoping that they would continue to grow?

Join us in our Forum to discuss these questions!