No Condemnation, Only Mercy’s Urgent Call

Rom 8:1-11, Psalm: 23, Lk 13:1-9

My dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

In the face of tragedy, personal failure, and our own persistent weaknesses, a question often arises in the human heart: “Where is God in this? Am I being punished?” Today, the Word of God offers a breathtaking answer. It reveals a God whose deepest desire is not to condemn, but to save; a God who patiently cultivates our souls, urging us to accept the transforming gift of His Spirit.

Saint Paul begins with one of the most liberating declarations in all of Scripture: “There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” This is the foundation of our hope. The Law of Moses, holy as it was, could not save us; it could only highlight our sin. But God has done what the law could not: He sent His own Son to condemn sin itself, not the sinner. Through His sacrifice, the “law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.” Paul draws a stark contrast between living “in the flesh” (directed by selfish desires) and living “in the spirit” (directed by God’s grace). To be spiritually dead is to be dominated by the flesh; to be spiritually alive is to have the Spirit of Christ dwelling within us. This is not a vague idea, but the promise of the Resurrection at work in us now: “The one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you.”

This profound gift of unmerited life, however, demands a response. The Gospel makes this urgently clear. People tell Jesus about two recent tragedies: a brutal act by Pilate and a fatal accident. The unspoken question is, “Did these people die because they were great sinners?” Jesus utterly rejects this theology of direct, punitive punishment. “Do you think they were more guilty than everyone else?” He asks. “By no means!” But He uses these events as a sobering reminder of life’s fragility and the universal call to conversion: “But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!”

He then tells the parable of the barren fig tree. The owner, finding no fruit for three years, wants to cut it down. But the gardener intercedes: “Sir, leave it for this year also… I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future.” The owner is just in his judgment; the gardener is rich in mercy and patience. This is an icon of God the Father’s justice and God the Son’s merciful intercession. The “extra year” is the time of mercy, the time of our lives, given to us so that we might bear fruit.

The powerful connection between the two readings is this: The “no condemnation” of Romans is the patient work of the Gardener. He does not simply leave us to our own devices. He “cultivates the ground” of our hearts through the gift of His Spirit, the sacraments, and the circumstances of our lives. He nourishes us with grace. But the tree must respond. We must open ourselves to this cultivation through repentance and faith.

The comfort is immense: we are not condemned but cultivated. The challenge is urgent; this time of mercy is not infinite. Let us, therefore, not take the Gardener’s patience for granted. Let us allow the Spirit to prune away what is barren and nourish what is good, so that our lives may finally bear the fruit of holiness for which we were created. Amen.