March 14, 2004

Mindekirken, March 14, 2004
Pastor Jens Arne Dale

Luke 13.1-9

The hunt for Osama Bin Laden has been intensified, we have heard this week. The world hasn’t forgotten 9-11.This week Spain got its 9-11. An attack in Madrid killed almost 200 people. Whether Bin Laden or ETA or others were responsible, we don’t really know. But it is a tragedy anyway when such things happen.

The tower of Siloam in Jerusalem collapsed. 18 people died. In the temple another catastrophe happened. Several Gallileans had been killed, and their blood had mingled with their sacrifices. The whole thing was shameful.

Jesus commented on the terrible things that had happened. One might have expected that Jesus would have pointed out Pilate in the same way that Osama Bin Laden had been pointed out after 9-11. After all, Pilate had caused the disasters. He wanted to secure the water supply of Jerusalem, but the project had become too expensive. To make ends meet, he had taken money from the temple treasury. He, in a way, stole the money from God. It had provoked higher tension between the Jews and the Romans. Pilate gave the order that all tendencies to riot should be struck down. But the soldiers did it in a far more violent way than intended. Several Galileans were slaughtered in the temple.

Jesus himself came from Galilee. And we know from the text last Sunday that he was unfearful when it came to confronting those who were in power. Go and tell that fox for me…Jesus had said about Herod. One might have expected that Jesus would be outspoken against Pilate after what he had done. But surprisingly enough we don’t hear any flaring criticism of Pilate. Instead Jesus aims his guns against his own. Unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did. Would there be another bloodbath in the temple?

What about the tower of Siloam? Many thought the victims were more guilty that other people in Jerusalem. The prevailing way of thinking was that disasters and sickness were punishment from God. The tower might have been part of the construction of the hated aqueduct of Pilate. The laborers received a salary which made them also guilty of stealing from God. Was it God’s punishment that made the tower collapse and kill the 18?

No, no and again no, is the answer of Jesus to this. Disasters, sickness, and problems in somebody’s life, are not the means of God’s punishment. Has he or his parents sinned, since he would be born blind? The disciples asked in John 9. None of them, was Jesus clear answer. He rejects the thought that God punishes people through sickness or adversity.

But I think the thought might sneak into our minds sometimes: God doesn’t like me. Therefore I have the problems I have. But apprehension, depression, family problems, suffering and disasters should not be considered as God’s punishment. The only one we read about in the NT who was cursed, was he who died on the wood of the cross, Gal 3.13. For us, however, the message of God’s favor is proclaimed. Don’t be afraid. God is on the side of the poor and suppressed, he has mercy on those who struggle and carry heavy burdens. If we feel rejected, hurt, or if we despise ourselves, even if our disaster is self-inflicted, it does not change God’s kind disposition towards us. He wants to save and help.

The victims of the catastrophes in Jerusalem were according to Jesus not struck by God’s punishment. Nor did Jesus comment on the disasters by attacking Pilate, who everyone considered the chief terrorist after the massacre in the temple. Quite surprisingly Jesus pointed at his listeners: Unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did. V.3 and 5. One might understand the things Jesus said on the background of what happened a generation later. In 70 A. D. the gruesome slaughter of people in the temple occurred and the temple was destroyed. Only a small part of the supporting wall was left. We recognize that as the Wailing Wall.

But Jesus’ threat or his judgement over Jerusalem can’t be generalized. It turns out to be wrong if we say that 9-11 was God’s punishment for the pride and ungodliness of America. The God of the Bible has not taken over the viewpoints of Bin Laden.

Bin Laden seized a religion, and misused Islam as an instrument of hatred and revenge. We have to be self-critical so that we don’t create a picture of the enemy that equals Bin Laden, the Taliban and Islam in general. Our answer to terrorism should not be a Christianity which is fanatic towards other religions. Crusades and religious wars contradict the gospel itself. Healthy faith means respect for others viewpoints. Fundamentalism without tolerance is like a cancer which threatens the life of faith. A nation fighting a war on terrorism has to follow international law and order.

And we also have to ask whether our power is arrogant and has humiliated other people and caused bitterness. Terrorism might be a symptom of our affluent society suppressing the poor people of the world. A strong link between Bin Laden and Iraq has not been shown, but rebuilding Iraq and developing democracy in the Middle East might help get rid of some of the reasons for terrorism.

Norway made its constitution in 1814. But when the values of the free and independent Norway were formulated, they were not totally free of intolerance. Jews and Jesuits were not allowed to enter our country. And it would take almost 40 years to get rid of the paragraph about the Jews and more than 150 years to erase the discrimination of Jesuits in the constitution. The Church of Norway is implicated in discrimination of the Sami, gypsies and other minorities. Slavery in the US, and relations with native Americans are a long history of injustice and sin in this country. The work for a more just and better society must never rest. It should be a concern for all of us.

Jesus tells about the fig tree that didn’t bear fruit today. The tree was well taken care of for a couple of years, but even so, it didn’t bear any fruit. However, the gardener wanted to let the tree grow for another year. He had expectations for the tree and wouldn’t give up on it. It’s the nature of God to give us another chance. He attends to us and provides us with his grace and care. But do we bear fruit? Do we show the same respect, care and love for others as we ourselves have received from God? Christian repentance would give the fruit of faith, the Bible says. The joy of God’s salvation has to be shared with others. We are called to mission.

Archbishop Flynn has written a new letter of instruction to the Catholics. There he says: "You cannot have evangelization without social justice coming into it. In other words, I will not be able to say that I’m going to have a wonderful relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and that I’m also going to tell racist jokes." Fruit is also about ethical attitudes, humbleness and having a servant’s mind, and to work at giving all people a worthy life.

Glory be to God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one true God, now and forever. Amen.

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