This coming Sunday is the 3rd Sunday in Lent, Year C. In the previous post we explored how Jesus responded to the people in their conversation about the tragedies that were “in the news.” One tragedy was intentional, a brutal event instigated by the Roman rulers; the other was an accident. Jesus’ response is that neither are indications of divine judgment against sinners. Rather, in view of the uncertainty of life and the unpredictability of the future one must be warned to examine one’s own life and repent.

In our passage, the verb “to repent” (metanoeo) is in the present tense (subjunctive), which implies continuous action = “be repentant” or “continue to repent” or “keep on repenting.” In other words, this does not speak to a once-for-all-time event that saves one from “perishing,” but rather a lifestyle of penitence.