A special guest blog by Dennis Menard

In His earthly ministry, Jesus did speak to the deeper realities behind tragic, seemingly senseless deaths. In Luke 13:1–5 (NIV), we find Him addressing two catastrophic events: one, an act of mass murder ordered by Pilate; the other, a deadly accident—the collapse of a tower in Siloam. Both would have stirred deep emotions and raised profound questions, much like 9/11 does for us today.

At that time, many believed that such tragedies were divine punishment—that the victims must have been greater sinners than others. But Jesus directly challenges this assumption:

“Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” “Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” (Luke 13:2–5, NIV)

Jesus does not explain why such tragedies happen—He doesn’t shift the blame to the victims. Instead, He reframes the discussion entirely. Rather than asking why others died, He urges each of us to reflect on the state of our own soul.

What might Jesus say about 9/11?

He might say: “Do you think the victims in the Twin Towers, on the planes, or at the Pentagon were worse sinners than anyone else? I tell you, no. But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

Jesus doesn’t offer a philosophical explanation for suffering. Instead, He calls us to urgency. He teaches that tragedies should awaken us—not to cast judgment, but to consider our own spiritual condition. The victims of 9/11, like those in Luke 13, didn’t expect their lives to end that day. They were simply living life. And many may not have had the chance to repent.

That’s the hard truth. Life is fragile. Time is short.

Jesus follows His warning with a parable in verses 6–9 a story about a barren fig tree:

“A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any… The gardener replied, ‘Leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’” [Luke 13:6–9(NIV)]

In this parable:

* The fig tree represents us—humanity.

* The owner represents God—expecting fruit from our lives.

* The gardener represents the Gospel itself—the need for repentance and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour within your lifetime.

But time isn’t unlimited.

Jesus’ point is clear: we are all living on borrowed time. God is patient, but His patience won’t last forever. Each moment is a mercy—an opportunity to turn to Him. The greatest tragedy is not when someone dies unexpectedly. The greatest tragedy is dying unrepentant without a Saviour—separated from God forever.

So what is God’s purpose in allowing tragedies? While we may not fully grasp His reasons, we know this: tragedies shake us awake. They expose the illusion that we are in control. And they call us back to what truly matters—our relationship with Him.

The message of Jesus in the face of tragedy is not one of condemnation, but of compassion and urgency: “Repent now. Turn to God while there is still time.”

As we remember the lives lost on 9/11, may we also hear the warning in Jesus’ words—not to speculate about others’ guilt or innocence, but to ask ourselves: Am I ready to meet God?

“You too will all perish unless you repent.”

Lord, have mercy.

About Dennis Menard:

Dennis Menard and his family attended a church I had the privilege of being an associate pastor at many years ago. We have been Facebook friends for years but not much more as our paths did not cross. Recently we have interacted much more often. Dennis has been a great source of encouragement to me with his posts on Facebook. God has used Dennis and his diagnosis, a diagnosis that most of us would say was not only devastating but also defeating, to encourage people to believe and believers to draw closer to God, to take notice of all He is doing. I had the joy (and sadness) of attending Dennis’ living celebration of life in July. Both Dennis and I had been on a medical roller coaster ride around the same time. While my news was not great, it was nothing like Dennis’. Dennis and his family got the diagnosis I had secretly feared would be mine. If it was my diagnosis, I am not sure I could be like Dennis. Dennis will tell you God in His perfect wisdom has prepared him for this and is using him in this. While I will have my struggles, Dennis’ struggles will be greater. Dennis is joyous when most would be afraid and excited where most would be depressed. Dennis, with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes looks forward to the day he will get to see our Heavenly Father, a day that will be sooner rather than later based on what the doctors have said.  Dennis has ALS. Please pray for his wife Carolyn, and his sons Jon and Chris as they trust God in this very difficult time.