Rev’d Peter Balabanski
Lent 3C – Luke 13 1-9
Oscar Romero was Archbishop of the city of San Salvador from 1977. At that time, his country, El Salvador, had a terrible government. Most of the people were kept very poor by a greedy few. But they were frightened to complain, because anyone who complained was arrested and tortured – often killed. Romero spoke out against all this until he was assassinated by government soldiers in 1980. They shot him when he was at the altar during communion as he raised the chalice of wine before the people. It’s like today’s gospel story; his blood and the communion wine were mingled at the altar. And five days later the soldiers opened fire on the people who had gathered for Romero’s funeral.
People came to Jesus today with a story that was just as terrible. Some people from Galilee had come to the Temple – they’d come to offer their sacrifice to God. And just as they were offering their gifts, the soldiers of the Roman governor killed them, right at the altar. The soldiers mingled their blood with the blood of their animals and birds that were sacrificed on the altar.
When the people told Jesus about this, he heard them ask a very complex series of questions. We may have just heard people tell him some terrible news. But Jesus heard them ask, ‘Why did this happen to people who were doing good? Were they really secretly bad people, pretending to do good, and God punished them? Does God strike people down like that? Do you have to be really terrible for God to do that, or could it happen to us too? Why would God let this happen to people who were doing something good?’ I think Jesus heard all these questions; they’re the questions people ask when bad things happen. ‘Why them? Why me? Why now?’ … We often ask questions like these when we get very sick, when we don’t seem to be getting better, or when terrible things happen to us or to people we love.
Jesus answered the unspoken questions of these people with a question of his own: ‘Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way, they were any worse than all other Galileans?’ Then he answered his own question: No! … ‘And’, Jesus told them, ‘the same went for the eighteen people who accidentally died when that building fell on them.’ If I tried to give his answer in different words, I’d say this. ‘Just because something bad happens to a person, it doesn’t mean they’ve been any worse than the next person. When you’ve lost someone you love, you deserve to know at least that!
What happened to these poor people could happen to any one of us at any time. So I’m really glad that Jesus said what he did. I’m glad to be able to tell grieving friends and family that Jesus said fatal accidents and fatal illnesses are not things God does to people. In this parish there are many who carry the sadness of the untimely death of loved ones. I’m glad to be able to assure you that illness and tragic accidents and the evil acts of dictators are not God’s punishment.
Jesus tells us these are not signs of God’s anger, but; just that we’re mortal. ‘So’, he warns us, ‘be ready – to turn to God.’ Why should I be glad to preach that? What’s good news there? Once again, the answer comes from Jesus; ‘…Unless we repent, we will all perish as they did.’ That sounds pretty ominous, but only until we consider how those people perished – completely unexpectedly. They had no idea it was coming. What might they have done if they knew they were going to die?
What would I do if I thought this year was going to be my last? If I were that fig tree in the parable, and I heard the gardener pleading for me to be given just one more season – I’d fix back-burner relationships first, then … what would you do?
Like many people I’ve journeyed with, in just that situation, I might set about putting my life in order. And I’d try to make sure I was better prepared to meet God face to face. I’d realise pretty quickly how silly it is to worry about what’s wrong with other people. I have plenty to do fixing myself up. And I have God’s love to tell other people about; that’s a hope that everybody needs.
Doing what Jesus says has far-reaching effects. When Oscar Romero was first made an Archbishop he was a government supporter. Then just three weeks later, a close friend of his was one of three people assassinated by soldiers for helping the poor. Romero said, “When I looked at Rutilio lying there dead, I thought, ‘If they have killed him for doing what he did, then I too have to walk the same path’” Romero repented; he turned; he left behind what was comfortable and safe, and he followed the same path as his friend; he turned, and truly followed Jesus. He only had three years more to live; what a blessing he turned when he did!
Jesus is telling us, don’t leave it all to the last few minutes.
The lovely poet and preacher, John Donne, put it very memorably:
Sleep with clean hands, either kept clean all day by integrity
or washed clean at night by repentance. (Sermon XI, Lent, 20/4/1630 before the king) Amen.