Good News?

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102525.cfm

All across America, people start their day by watching, reading or listening to the news. It's almost like we have a natural curiosity upon awaking that has us asking: What's going on. This is not new. In Jesus' time, news travelled literally along the highways and by-ways. It didn't come across airwaves, but it did come.

In today's Gospel, there is some buzz about bad news that Jesus helps His followers sort through. One of the prevailing beliefs of the Jewish people was that the events of life were reflective of how God felt about them. Jesus battles this perception frequently during His public ministry and today He tackles it head on. There are two news events that Our Lord puts into perspective for His hearers. The first is a story of faithful people who are slaughtered innocents, who are slaughtered in the midst of their sacrifice to God. By all appearances, they are faithful and not deserving of God's wrath, and Jesus asks the people to acknowledge this openly. Normally they might have talked amongst themselves of 'what had they done to deserve this fate'. It is not accidental that these 'innocents' had their blood mingled with the blood of their sacrifices by Pontius Pilate. I imagine this scenario came back to people after Jesus' crucifixion.

The second story is the tower in Siloam that fell killing 18 people. Certainly a terrible event, but one that shows that 'accidents happen'. Jesus again elicits the response from the crowd that 'by no means' were these being punished for sins. But then he points them to the real scenario - they must repent, or something less public, less newsworthy (in this world) awaits them - a spiritual death. He is encouraging them to be concerned about their own sins and their own life and not surmising what others may have done to deserve their circumstance.

He is trying to change their focus from this world, this temporal (time-bound) life to His world, His Kingdom, the eternal (timeless) life. He wants this thought to be ever before them, AND US. His two 'news stories' highlight two very important truths about this world: One: there will be injustice. Bad things will be done to good people. Ignorance of The Lord and/or evil influence will lead people to do bad things to other people. Restitution in this world is not guaranteed by God. Two: there will be untimely and unexpected death. Our world contains many potential pitfalls that do not involve evil intent or ignorance of The Lord. Bad things can happen to good people. We need to be prepared at all times to meet our maker.

Being ready all the time is HARD. We might not be able to do it, so Jesus again gives us the secret, which He also shares in the Lord's prayer: "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us." The parable has the gardener observing the lack of fruit, but instead of condemning, He pleads with the owner on behalf of the tree, and then works to cultivate the fruitless tree. We are called to do the same. This also can be hard, but not as hard as being perfect (sinless), this perfection is the perfection of the Father - mercy!

As He always does, because it is why He became man, Jesus gives us the example: Again - not accidental that the tree did not bear fruit for three years (the time of Jesus' ministry here), and that the gardener offers to cultivate the ground and fertilize it. Jesus himself will spill His blood, which will also be the blood of sacrifice into the soil, and then be buried in the ground to fertilize, so that this fruitless tree might come to life.

So keep in mind that no news of THIS WORLD compares to the Good News that is not only what Jesus told us, but what He lived for us.

NOTE: Starting Thursday, Oct. 30th, I will be hosting a Thursday evening Bible Study called Good News and we will meet at Cadence Clubhouse in North Park at 7 PM. We will discuss the upcoming Sunday readings, explore the ancient cultural context and bring to the fabric of our everyday lives. You've never studied the scriptures like this before. Join Us!