Gospel
Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.
Some people arrived and told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with that of their sacrifices. At this he said to them, ‘Do you suppose these Galileans who suffered like that were greater sinners than any other Galileans? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen on whom the tower at Siloam fell and killed them? Do you suppose that they were more guilty than all the other people living in Jerusalem? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did.’
He told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none. He said to the man who looked after the vineyard, “Look here, for three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be taking up the ground?” “Sir,” the man replied “leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.”’
(Luke 13:1–9)
Did you know?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
- The pool of Siloam was a reservoir within the city walls of ancient Jerusalem. During King Hezekiah's reign, an extraordinary tunnel was dug through bedrock to connect the pool to the spring of Gihon outside the city walls so that the city would have an ample water supply during times of siege.
- Although no evidence exists outside the Bible regarding the incident described in this week's text, in which Pilate ‘mingled the blood of the Galileans with their sacrifice,’ such an act is not out of character. Pilate had a reputation for being a brutal military leader.
- During the time when Jesus lived, suffering was often considered God's punishment for sins committed.
Exploring the Word
This gospel is really about God's loving care and patience. It was commonly believed that a loving God could not be responsible for terrible calamities that befell people, and that these events must somehow be a result of the people's own sinfulness. Jesus takes the opportunity to explain that the recent deaths of both Galileans and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did not mean that they were any more sinful than others. They did not deserve death any more than anyone else. Indeed, we must not look to the sinfulness of others but to our own need for repentance.
The parable with the vineyard owner depicts God’s infinite patience with the sinfulness of humans. Despite our failings, God will graciously give us time to produce our best fruit. The theme of this gospel—God’s forgiveness and care—will be explored more in the gospels of the next two weeks.
- Lent is a special time of preparation, especially for the elect. How can you cultivate your own garden of faith in this special time?
- Are there still areas of your life in which you have yet to produce your best fruit?
Making connections
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
- How ‘fruitful’ has your life been? What ‘fruit’ have you borne?
- Do you need a second chance to bear good fruit?
- How can you make your life even more fruitful?
- In your life, have you ever had to nurture someone or something for a long time before they ‘produced fruit’? Did you experience failure along the way? What eventually led to the growth of the fruit? Share your reflections.
- Focus this week on cultivating your own relationship with God. Try to draw out the best in someone else as well.
- Use this section of today’s psalm as your prayer this week:
The Lord is compassion and love,
slow to anger and rich in mercy.
For as the heavens are above the earth
so strong is his love for those who fear him.
Sharing the tradition
A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ
Explaining why suffering and evil exist in a world created by a good and loving God has always been a dilemma for people of faith. How can God allow terrible things to happen, especially to the innocent?
The world we live in often seems very far from the one promised us by faith. Our experiences of evil and suffering, injustice, and death, seem to contradict the Good News; they can shake our faith and become a temptation against it.
(CCC, §164)
As Christians, we believe that the only answer to this profound question lies in having faith in the risen Christ, who overcame death and evil.
- Discuss with others their ideas about how to comprehend the bad events that happen in life and in our world.
- You could ask how the elect have comprehended suffering in their own lives. What personal growth emerged from those experiences?
Symbols and images
In Scripture, the vineyard is often used as a symbol of Israel, God’s people. God is depicted as the owner of the vineyard, and he attends to it with great care—planting, cultivating, feeding and pruning the vines to make them fruitful and abundant. Israel will be judged according to what fruit it bears or fails to bear. So, too, will we be judged according to how fruitful our lives are.
Living the Word
Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment
- The third Sunday of Lent is the recommended day for the celebration of the First Scrutiny. How can you involve your entire community in this celebration for the elect?
- If you cannot have the presentation of the Creed in a community setting, this could be done as part of your closing prayer. Pray for each other as you near the completion of your journeys. A suitable song could be We Believe (GA 448). Conclude with one of the prayers of exorcism in the RCIA at §141. Remember to adapt it, as you are not using the gospel readings for Year A.