Does God punish
Sunday Readings:
Ex 3, 1-15;
1Cor 1-12;
Lk 13, 1-9
Today, the third Sunday of Lent, is Purification Sunday. We must purify the image we have of God and purify our own person through conversion. Jesus in the Gospel makes it clear to us that God does not punish or use the misfortunes of others to warn us of something.
Salvation does not depend on external events, but comes from ourselves, from our capacity for conversion. The words of Jesus must be understood in this sense: “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!”
We should not infer that those who died is because they were "punished" for their sins, and if we, who perhaps feel safe, do not convert, we are heading for our own downfall. Because it is not the Lord who punishes, but we affect ourselves when we distance ourselves from God, the source of Good.
Fr. Martin