(English text after the Italian)

 

If you don't convert you you will all perish in the same way

It is a permanent duty of the Church to scrutinize the signs of the times and interpret them in the light of the Gospel, so that, suitable for each generation, can answer the perennial questions of men on the meaning of present and future life and their mutual relationships.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The philosopher Filone of Alessandria (Alexandria of Egypt, 20 a.C. circa – 45 D.C.. circa) He reports in one of his writings that Ponzio Pilato was a tyrannical and hard governor, "Inflexible by nature and cruel for its obstinacy", and that during his mandate were not counted in Judea «Corruption, violence, theft, assaults, unbridled abuse, continuous executions without process and boundless, wild cruelty " (Delegation to Gaius).

We also have a memory of these actions in the New Testament, outside the stories of the passion where Pilate is more mentioned. The verse that opens the Gospel of this third Sunday of Lent brings us to news that only the third Gospel knows (LC 13,1). According to some commentators, the fact that Jesus was Galileo could have influenced why. That tragic event was reported to him. Let's read the passage:

«In that same time some showed up to report to Jesus the fact of those Galilei, whose pilate blood had brought together with that of their sacrifices. Taking the floor, Jesus said to them,: "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, for they suffered such things? No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all perish equally. Or those eighteen people, on which the Torre di Sìloe collapsed and killed them, You believe that they were worse offenders than all the inhabitants of Jerusalem? No, I tell you, but unless you repent, all perish in the same way ». This parable also said: “A man had planted a fig tree in his vineyard and came to look there, but he found it. Then he said to the winemaker: "There, I have been looking for fruits on this tree for three years, I find none. Therefore it! Why should it exhaust the soil?». But that replied that: "Master, Leave it again this year, As long as I have honeys around him and have put the fertilizer. We will see if it will bear fruit for the future; If no, you will cut it " (LC 13,1-9).

Not just a trend, But also the historian Giuseppe Flavio, in its Jewish antiquities, He writes that Pilate used to act with a firm wrist, especially if they were riots, Until being ready to kill the rioters without merciless. When the news reported in the Gospel could have happened? Due to the mention of the sacrifices it could have happened or while those Jews went to the temple, or during the actual sacrifice of animals; In this case it would be a sacrilegious act perpetuated during a religious ceremony. However it is for Jesus is an opportunity to invite the conversion:

"Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, for having suffered such a lot? No, I tell you, But if you don't convert you you will all perish in the same way ".

At the same conclusion it comes by commenting on another fact, The death of eighteen men caused by the collapse of a tower. The evangelical text opens with the annotation "in that same time" (LC 13,1), that binds the liturgical pericope to what precedes it. Or to Jesus' speech on the discernment of time and the ability to judge today and what is right (LC 12,54-57). It is precisely at that moment that some approach him to bring him the violent episode to him. They are made of history that question consciousness, then like today, And Jesus does not escape discernment and a judgment issued however with a perspective of faith. And the judgment of Jesus is first of all free, free from the belief still widespread at its time of a link between sin and misfortune.

Leaving this ancient theological scheme Jesus not only demonstrates his inner freedom, But also the ability to see men and non -sinners, victims and not only guilty, therefore proposing a reading of the events moved by faith and not by conformism, even it theological or spiritual. The spur therefore to the conversion, repeated twice, "But if you don't convert ...", It is an invitation to take life seriously, but also the needs of God. Not that God send misfortunes in order to convert us, But precisely because these inevitably happen, The person of faith does not escape discernment and interpretation, with the consequent risk of taking position. In this regard, the Second Vatican Council is expressed:

«It is the permanent duty of the Church to scrutinize the signs of the times and interpret them in the light of the Gospel, so that, suitable for each generation, can answer the perennial questions of men on the meaning of present and future life and their mutual relationships. In fact, we must know and understand the world in which we live, his expectations, his aspirations and his often dramatic character " (The joy and hope n. 4).

It is the ability to discover the hand of God, His providence was once said, Behind the events, also those of each life. So for Jesus hearing about some seditious killed by Pilate or other deaths under a collapse is not an opportunity to see in those facts a divine punishment for sinners. In fact the same will repeat to those who, in the Gospel of John, will ask him about a blind birth, On who he had sinned because he finds himself in that condition: "Nor did he sin, nor his parents, but so might be made manifest in him the works of God " (GV 9,3).

So Jesus, leaving the easiest road, warns that you can learn from events. The fact of the death of some becomes a warning for others: "If you don't convert, all perish in the same way ». After all, the improductive fig parable also poses a similar problem. This fig tree seems alive, But in reality he died, since it does not produce anything. In the Lucanian Gospel we find several examples of people who, metaphorically, they are in the same condition as the cotton priest; they seem dead, nevertheless they arouse the interest of the Lord who is looking for who is lost. This is the case of Zaccheo: "The son of man in fact came to look for and save what was lost" (LC 19,10); of the prodigal son of the parable: "It was dead, And he came back to life " (LC 15,32); of the same crucified malfactor with him to whom Jesus promises: "Today you will be with me in Heaven" (LC 23,43).

In Jesus the divine patience and mercy is revealed who does not want the death of the sinner, but that converts and alive (cf.. This 18, 23). To perform this, the Lord respects the singer's times, as the farmer does with his call to care and waiting: "But that replied that: “Master, Leave it again this year, As long as I have honeys around him and have put the fertilizer. We will see if it will bear fruit for the future; If no, you can cut it”. While Giovanni Battista, at the beginning of the Gospel, he had preached an eschatological judgment without appeal, whereby: «The dark is placed at the root of the trees; Therefore every tree that does not give good fruit is cut and thrown into the fire " (LC 3, 9); Jesus, instead, It is the vineyard that not only knows how to wait, but it shows that he believes in the change and conversion of the sinner who at the moment not from good fruits or does not give at all. In front of the net: "Cut it!»; Jesus opposes his: "Leave it" (Aphes, as you, in Greek). A verb that among its main meanings has to leave free, put back a fault, season a debt. So this miniature parable becomes an important teaching for the time of Lent or for the jubilee year that is celebrating itself. We need a conversion time to reach healing and liberation. Perhaps it is no coincidence that immediately after the Fico parable for three years in the unsuccessful, Luca tells of a healing: that of a woman infirm for eighteen years (LC 13,10-13).

Happy Sunday everyone!

from the Hermitage, 23 March 2025

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IF YOU DO NOT CONVERT YOU WILL ALL PERISH IN THE SAME WAY

It is the Church’s permanent duty to scrutinize the signs of the times and interpret them in the light of the Gospel, so that, in a way suited to each generation, it can respond to men’s perennial questions about the meaning of present and future life and their mutual relationships.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The philosopher Philo of Alexandria (Alexandria of Egypt, around 20 BC – around 45 SUCH) reports in one of his writings that Pontius Pilate was a tyrannical and harsh governor «inflexible by nature and cruel due to his obstinacy», and that during his mandate there was no shortage of «corruption, violence, theft, assaults, unbridled abuses, continuous executions without trial, savage cruelty” (Delegation to Gaius).

We also have a memory of these actions in the New Testament, outside of the passion stories where Pilate is mostly mentioned. The verse that opens the Gospel of this third Sunday of Lent tells us of news that only the third Gospel knows (Page 13,1). According to some commentators, the fact that Jesus was a Galilean may have influenced why. That tragic event was reported to him. Let’s read the passage:

«At that time some people who were present there told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. He 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! Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at 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!”. 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”» (Page 13, 1-9)

Not only Philo, but also the historian Josephus Flavius, in his Jewish Antiquities, writes that Pilate used to act with a firm hand, especially when it came to riots, to the point of being ready to mercilessly kill the rioters. When could the news event reported in the Gospel have happened? Due to the mention of sacrifices it could have happened either while those Jews were going to the Temple, or during the actual sacrifice of the animals; in this case it would be a sacrilegious act perpetuated during a religious ceremony. In any case, for Jesus it is an opportunity to invite conversion:

«Do you believe that those Galileans were more sinners than all the Galileans, for having suffered such a fate? No, I tell you, but if you do not convert you will all perish in the same way».

He reaches the same conclusion when commenting on another fact, the death of eighteen men caused by the collapse of a tower. The Gospel text opens with the annotation “at that same time” (Page 13:1), which links the liturgical pericope to what precedes it. That is, Jesus speech on discernment of time and the ability to judge today and what is right (Page 12,54-57). It is precisely at that moment that some approach Him to report the violent episode. They are facts of history that challenge the conscience, then as today, and Jesus does not shy away from discernment and a judgment issued, however, with a perspective of faith. And Jesus judgment is first and foremost free, free from the widespread belief still in his time of a link between sin and misfortune.

By moving away from this ancient theological scheme, Jesus not only demonstrates his inner freedom, but also the ability to see men and not sinners, victims and not just culprits, therefore proposing a reading of events driven by faith and not by conformism, be it theological or spiritual. The urge to conversion, therefore, repeated twice, “but if you do not convert…”, is an invitation to take life seriously, but also the needs of God. Not that God sends misfortunes in order to convert us, but precisely because these happen inevitably, the person of faith does not shy away from discernment and interpretation, with the consequent risk of taking a position. The Second Vatican Council expresses itself in this regard:

«It is the Church’s permanent duty to scrutinize the signs of the times and interpret them in the light of the Gospel, so that, in a way suited to each generation, it can respond to men’s perennial questions about the meaning of present and future life and their mutual relationships. Indeed, we need to know and understand the world in which we live, its expectations, its aspirations and its often dramatic character” (The joy and hope n. 4).

It is the ability to discover the hand of God, his Providence was once said, behind the events, even those of each one’s life. So for Jesus hearing about some seditious people killed by Pilate or others who died under a collapse is not an opportunity to see in those facts a divine punishment for sinners. In fact, he will repeat the same thing to those who, in the Gospel of John, ask him about a man born blind, about who had sinned for him to find himself in that condition:

«Neither did he sin, nor did his parents, but it was so that the works of God might be manifested in him» (Jh 9,3).

Jesus therefore, leaving aside the easier path, warns that we can learn from events. The fact of the death of some becomes a warning for others: «If you do not convert, you will all perish in the same way». After all, the parable of the unproductive fig tree also poses a similar problem. This fig tree appears alive, but in reality it is dead, as it produces nothing. In the Luke Gospel we find several examples of people who, metaphorically, are in the same condition as the fig tree in the parable; they seem dead, nevertheless they arouse the interest of the Lord who goes in search of the lost. This is the case of Zacchaeus: «For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost» (Page 19,10); of the prodigal son of the parable: «he was dead, and is alive again» (Page 15,32); of the same criminal crucified with Him to whom Jesus promises: «Today you will be with me in paradise» (Page 23,43).

In Jesus, divine patience and mercy are revealed which does not want the sinner to die, but rather for him to convert and live (This 18, 23). To accomplish this, the Lord respects the times of the sinner, as the farmer does with his call to care and wait: «But he answered him: “Master, leave him again this year, until I have hoed around him and put the fertilizer. We’ll see if it bears fruit in the future; if not, you will cut it off”». While John the Baptist, at the beginning of the Gospel, had preached an eschatological judgment without appeal, for which: «The ax is placed at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire» (Page 3,9).

Jesus, on the other hand, is the vinedresser who not only knows how to wait, but shows that he believes in the change and conversion of the sinner who at the moment does not produce good fruit or none at all. In front of the net: «Cut it!»; Jesus replies: «Leave him» (Aphes, as you, in Greek). A verb which among its main meanings has those of setting one free, remitting a fault, forgiving a debt. Thus this miniature parable becomes an important teaching for the season of Lent or for the Jubilee year that is being celebrated. We need a time of conversion to reach healing and liberation. Perhaps it is no coincidence that immediately after the parable of the fig tree which was fruitless for three years, Luke tells of a healing: that of a woman who had been ill for eighteen years (Page 13,10-13).

Happy Sunday to everyone!

from the Hermitage, March 23, 2025

 

 

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