Tragedies As Urgent Warning

Jesus was informed of the grisly atrocities that Pilate committed. Pilate was notorious for some prodigies of cruelty. He slaughtered many people with ruthless barbarity and mingled their blood with their sacrifices. Few days before this horrendous crime, the tower of Siloam fell and killed eighteen people. Jesus used the occasion of these calamities to call the people to repentance.

Every day we hear tragic news of natural disasters- earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes and flooding; acts of terrorism, kidnappings, beheadings and accidents.  Over one million people die in road accidents. Thousands of people have lost their lives in senseless war and violence.

When we hear about these tragedies, we become a little sober. We sympathize with the victims or even empathize with them. Then we simply go back to our normal routine, return to our old sinful way of life. We tell ourselves these horrible things will never happen to us. The victims of these horrendous events also entertained the same belief, but today many of them are lying in their graves.

We are not better than the random victims of these tragedies. In this valley of tears, bad things happen to good people all the time. Misfortune can happen to anybody at anytime. The sudden and unexpected death of others should remind us of our fragility, vulnerability and immortality. This is the reason Jesus invites all to repentance. The call to repentance is infused with sense of urgency. Life can be very unpredictable. Life is precarious. Human existence is capricious.

Repentance is an urgent priority. A wise person will reconcile with God, with his neighbors and with himself.  A true Christian will live each day fully as if it is his last. He will work for his salvation with fear and trembling. Tragic news should remind us of our need for repentance.