Weekly thoughts on the Sunday Gospel, readings or a topic...

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seeing your life through the lens of the gospels – Luke 13:1-9
1. Jesus rejects the idea that personal misfortune is God’s punishment for sin. Yet a serious illness or accident can serve as a wake-up call for how we live our lives. How have such experiences given you a greater appreciation of the value of your life and relationships, and of the time and opportunities at your disposal?
2. ‘I’ll wait till tomorrow to do that.’ Have you ever said that and then found the chance is gone the next day? In the story we are called to recognise God at work in our lives and respond to Him. Now is the opportune moment. When have you been glad you did not put off action to the following day?
3. Perhaps there have been times when you saw yourself like the tree in the parable – useless, merely a waste of space, unable to achieve what you wanted. Think of friends who came to you at such a time, people who saw your potential and were prepared to give you another chance, people who also dug the soil around you and gave you the help you needed to grow. Perhaps in your turn you have been able to do this for others. 
– John Byrne, OSA

The Deep End
Today’s Gospel brings a thorny question for Jesus, as the people ask why a number of Galileans were killed by the Romans as they made sacrifices to God. The basic question is why do bad things happen to certain people? Some Jewish leaders at the time viewed the Galileans as second-class Jews, and so they are raising more than a question about meaningless suffering here. They want to know if the Galileans suffered because they were not really ‘Jewish enough.’ Jesus responds with a sharp question about a recent tragedy involving those killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them. Were they worse offenders than others in Jerusalem? No. Jesus responds further by focusing on those who are still living. In the parable of the fig tree we hear that the tree is not producing any fruit and probably should be cut down. However, the owner of the vineyard agrees to one more year, during which it is given special attention.
Jesus’ response to the difficult question on suffering is to focus on the living. We are still alive and therefore should be producing much fruit. Perhaps those who are questioning Jesus need, like the fig tree, much fertiliser, nourishment and growth so that they can focus on producing fruit for the world. The fig tree is blessed, and has received much grace in terms of time and care. The parable is a reminder to all of us of the nourishment and time we have been given; it is a call to examine the fruits that we produce in this world, in our communities, our families and in our church.  – Jane Mellett, Pastoral Worker, Dublin

(from Intercom)