Exodus 3:1-8, 13-15 / 1 Cor 10:1-6, 10-12 / Luke 13:1-9
There is one teaching that can be found in most religions and cultures. It is known as the Golden Rule.
Whichever way it is stated, basically it is to do unto others what you want others to do unto you.
That also means that you don't do to others what you don't want others to do unto you.
It is called the Golden Rule because it is as basic and as simple as it could be when it comes to life and relationships.
Putting it even simpler, it is like what you give is what you get.
So, when we do good to others, what we get in return is a blessing. And whatever bad we do to others, what we get in return is retribution.
So, when someone suffers something unfortunate or tragic, we might just wonder if that person had done something wrong. Was it some kind of retribution?
The Golden Rule may seem simple and basic enough to understand and to apply to life.
But life may not be that simple to understand and that Golden Rule may not be so easily applied.
In the gospel, there were two tragic cases that caused anguish and distress. Some people came and told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with that of their sacrifices. That was disgusting and revolting.
Jesus then cited the case of the 18 people who died when the Tower of Siloam fell on them.
In both cases, Jesus asked if those who died so tragically were greater sinners than the rest. Was it some kind of retribution?
But Jesus did not enter into the topic of retribution. Instead, He emphasized on repentance.
His warning is clear enough: Unless you repent, you will all perish, and even just as tragically.
The call to repentance would actually make us rethink our understanding of the Golden Rule.
The Golden Rule assumes that people would reciprocate with the same token. In other words, whatever we do to others, then others will also do to us.
So, when we love others, we kind of expect others to love us in return. And when others do wrong to us, can we do the same thing back to them?
And if we can't, can we say that they will get their retribution, as in eye for eye and tooth for tooth?
But if we think like that, then are we doing anything exceptional?
The call to repentance makes us look at the new commandment of love that Jesus gave us and that is, “love one another as I have loved you”.
And that means to love our enemies, to bless those who curse us, to do good to those who treat us badly and to pray for them.
In other words, to repent is to look at the Cross and to look at Jesus who suffered and died to save us.
Jesus loved us first, and there is nothing we can do to return His love.
Jesus is only asking us to love others just as He has loved us.
To love others is the fruit of repentance. With love there is no more need for vengeance or retribution.
With love and heeding the call to repentance, we will know that we are sinners.
Yes, we can say that “I am a sinner but I also have a Saviour”.
That is the Good News that we have to tell the world.