Third Sunday of Lent (C)

March 24, 2019

Readings:

First Reading: Exodus 3: 1-8a, 13-15 (or Exodus 17: 3-7) 

Psalm: 103

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 10: 1-6, 10-12 (or Romans 5: 1-2, 5-8)

Gospel reading according to Luke 13: 1-9 (or John 4: 5-42)

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Homily

In our present times, what had happened to Kenneth, to Kulot, Djastin (Lopez), and to over 6,000 persons who died in the hands of the alleged policemen during “tokhang” (katok hangyo) knock and ask modus operandi, of riding in tandem, of Death Squad and other groups, who were victims of so-called EJK or Extra-Judicial Killings, because they fought back or “nanlaban,” because they were drug users and/or pushers? Even in March 2019 the Social Weather Station survey indicated the increase to 78% of the respondents were worried that they or someone they knew would become victims of extrajudicial killings as compared in June 2017 survey of 73%; where the Supreme Court also defined EJK in 2008 ruling: “a killing committed without due process of law, that is, without legal safeguards or proceeding;” (cf. Sun.Star, Opinion: “Don’t Quibble Over How EJK is Defined, People Worry. Period,” March 5, 2019, p. 10), or to that 16 year old Christine Lee Silawan, living in Sitio Soong, Brgy. Mactan. Lapu-lapu City, Cebu, found dead on March 11, 2019, whose face was skinned to the bone and her throat, tongue, and right ear were severed, mutilated, half-naked, with so many stabbed wounds and found her dead body in Brgy. Bankal, Lapu-lapu City, Cebu; whose suspects were probably the leader of a certain cult named Jonas Martel Bueno and his two brothers, Junrey and Jovy, members also of that cult eating human flesh from the mountain barangays in Danao, specifically in Sitio Agutayan, Brgy. Lawaan, Danao.  Also murdered victim of this cult was Trinidad Bacutan, a 60 years old farmer found dead in his own house in Danao City with the skin on his face and chest were missing, two months before the Silawan murder.  The skin is used as ingredient in a stew which they would eat, or it might be his ex-boyfriend who killed her (cf. Sun.Star Sunday, “It’s Probable: Danao Cult Behind Teen’s Grisly Death,” Vol. 37, No. 10, March 17, 2019, pp. 1-2). How about Mario Abella with mental disorder, of Sitio Lacros, Brgy. Labangon in Cebu City, who died in a fire that hit his house at 2:00pm on March 14, 2019.  His nephew called out to him to go out of his house, but he said, “Ari ra ko diri, Dong, kay mao ni ang gisugo ni Senor Sto. Nino nako” (I will stay here, Dong, because that is what Senor Sto. Nino wants me to do.).  (cf. Sun.Star, News Plus, “1 Dead, 2 Injured in Labangon Fire,” Vol. 37, No. 108, March 15, 2019, p. 10).

What had happened to them, was it the intention of God, to punish them because they were sinners and more sinful than the rest of us?  These and many other worrisome and gruesome killings we can consider similar to those people in the gospel today were many witnessed the incident in those time, in Jerusalem, in particular the killings of Galilean worshipers of the True God whom Pontius Pilate did not allow to offer gifts and animal sacrifices, so he killed them and even mingling their blood mixed to their animal sacrifices on the altar.  “Some people who were present told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood to their sacrifices” (Lk. 13: 1).  Those Jewish people who were present and witnessed in the killings of the Galileans by Pontius Pilate were thinking that they were sinners and disobedient not to the will of God but by the will of a man’s law and caprice – Pontius Pilate, a representative of their Roman conquerors, who worshiped Caesar, Emperor, as god.  Or these Jewish men “who related this story to Jesus may have been trying to lure him into taking sides, either for or against Pilate, or they may have simply been curious about Jesus’ reaction to the massacre” (https://www.gotquestions.org/tower-of-Siloam.html).

But Jesus had different understanding of what had happened to that group of Galilean worshipers.  “Jesus said to them in reply, ‘Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?  By no means!  But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!’” (Lk. 13: 2-3). They were not sinners or disobedient to God’s will but victims of a man’s pride, whims, quirk, and self-glorification, power and authority over his minions and slaves.  Then he encouraged these Jewish people who witnessed the killings to constantly repent for every day they committed sins against God and their neighbors especially those victims of impunity (license) to kill/murder, harass, against God’s law of love and forgiveness, mercy and compassion.

He added to those Jewish people (if they did not know yet) informing them about the eighteen people killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them. “’Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower of 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!’” (Lk. 13: 4-5).  Jesus was updated of the current news happening in Jerusalem.  Again, he said they were no sinners or bad people, or more sinful than the rest of us.  It was an accident and it does not happen every day.  “Siloam was an area just outside the walls of Jerusalem on the southeast side of the city. A spring-fed pool was there, which was the scene of one of Christ’s miracles (John 9). The tower of Siloam may have been part of an aqueduct system or a construction project that Pilate had begun. In any case, the tower fell, and eighteen people were killed in the catastrophe.” (https://www.gotquestions.org/tower-of-Siloam.html).  But then again, Jesus repeated his flee to them for repentance for their sinfulness or else worse that the Galilean worshipers whom Pontius Pilate killed and the eighteen people died when the tower of Siloam fell on them.

To bring the message clearer to his hearers, he gave them another story, a parable, where they were familiar. It was about a fig tree that does not bear fruit.  “And he told them this parable: There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none.  So cut it down.  Why should it exhaust the soil?’  He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future.  If not you can cut it down’.” (Lk. 13: 6-9).  To compare the two incidents that happened in Jerusalem to the fruitless fig tree, Jesus was saying to them and to us that a fruitless faith and worship without work and/or only lip service is a dead faith (a fig tree without fruit) that does not bear fruits (of works, service and sacrifices for others).  We have to prove our faith in God by giving service and charitable works to the needy neighbors.  It is not enough that we pray regularly, do some novena and other devotions though they discipline our spiritual life.  We have to put salt (flavor) to our prayers and devotions by adding works of charity, love, mercy and compassion, if not it is better for us to be cut down from the root like the fruitless fig tree.  And above all, our constant repentance, our change of heart, our asking forgiveness daily, to the sins we do and the good things we do not do to others, otherwise, as what Jesus said, “But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!”