Have you ever walked into a movie halfway through? That’s what today’s Gospel might feel like. We hear about “Galileans whose blood Pilate mixed with their sacrifices” and “eighteen people killed by a falling tower in Siloam.” Wait, what?  Let’s rewind. These were two devastating events that had Jerusalem buzzing 2,000 years ago. The first involved our old friend Pontius Pilate (yes, the same one from the Creed who would later condemn Jesus). When people protested Rome’s misuse of Temple funds, Pilate sent soldiers disguised as civilians into the crowd. At his signal, they pulled out clubs and turned a peaceful demonstration into a bloodbath. The second incident was more like a construction disaster – a tower collapsed, killing eighteen innocent people.

Thank you for taking the time to read this homily for the THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT (March 23, 2025). Your support means a great deal to me, and I’m deeply grateful for the many who share these messages with their friends, families and social media followers. If you’ve found meaning in these words, I’d be grateful if you’d share them with others who might benefit.

And for those who prefer listening, you can find the audio version on SoundCloud HERE or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes HERE. Your comments, messages, and the way you’ve embraced these homilies continue to inspire me.  Sincerely in Christ -Father Jim

The crowd bringing these stories to Jesus wasn’t just sharing the latest news. They were asking that age-old question we all wrestle with: Why do bad things happen to good people?

I recently came across a story that broke my heart. A 78-year-old woman named Tona Herndon was visiting her husband’s grave. She’d lost him after 60 years of marriage, and in her moment of grief, someone saw an opportunity. A thief stalked her, waited until she reached the grave, then jumped out and stole her purse containing $700. When we hear stories like this, we can’t help but ask: Where was God?

That’s exactly what the people in today’s Gospel were getting at. Some believed these victims must have done something to deserve their fate – that God had turned away because of their sins. But Jesus? He shuts that down immediately. “Do you think they were worse sinners than anyone else in Jerusalem?” he asks. The answer is a resounding no.

Jesus is dismantling a dangerous idea here – that God hands out punishments and rewards like some cosmic vending machine. Cancer doesn’t check your church attendance record. Earthquakes don’t verify your prayer life. And being at Mass today doesn’t guarantee you’ll ace tomorrow’s test or win the lottery.

So what’s the point then? In our first reading, God reveals himself to Moses with that mysterious name: “I AM.” It might sound abstract, but think of it this way – it means “I AM THE ONE WHO WILL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR YOU.” Not just when things are good, not just when we’re being perfect, but always.

In Jesus, this “always there” God does something radical – he becomes one of us. He doesn’t wave away suffering or pretend it doesn’t exist. Instead, he enters right into it. And he calls us to do something more than just ask “why?”

Remember Tona Herndon’s story? It has an extraordinary ending. After the thief was caught, his 15-year-old son Christian saw the news. His father had been largely absent, in and out of prison. Christian could have pretended he hadn’t seen the story. Instead, he asked to meet Tona. He apologized for his father’s actions and offered her $250 – money his father had recently given him for a band trip. Tona accepted his apology but handed the money back, insisting he use it for his trip.

This Lent, Jesus isn’t asking us to solve the mystery of suffering. He’s inviting us to transform the question from “Why do bad things happen?” to “What am I going to do about it?” The God who revealed himself as “I AM” empowers us through his Spirit to be his presence in the world’s broken places.

Each of us has been given what we need to answer this call. When tragedy strikes, we don’t have to understand it. But we can be the hands and feet of Jesus, reaching out to those who hurt. Life isn’t easy – we all know that. But perhaps instead of asking “Where is God?” in difficult times, we might ask, “What does God want to do through me?”

That’s what this season of Lent is really about – not just giving up chocolate or coffee, but turning away from our self-focused questions and turning toward God’s invitation to be part of his response to the world’s pain. Whether that means offering forgiveness like Tona, showing courage like Christian, or simply being present with someone in their grief – God is calling each of us to be an answer to someone else’s “why?”