3rd Sunday of Lent
My dear parishioners,
God is Good!!! All the time!!! And all the time!!! God is Good!!!
Moses wants to help his people. Without direction from God, however, his efforts have no lasting effect. Fearing the consequences of killing an oppressor, Moses flees to Midian, where he marries Zipporah, daughter of Jethro, a local priest. As this reading begins, we see Moses shepherding a flock of sheep. In God’s service, Moses later becomes shepherd for the people of Israel. This reading narrates the beginning of that dramatic transformation.
Repentance is a major theme running throughout Luke’s Gospel. He is convinced that anyone who is willing to repent can be assured of God’s grace of forgiveness. On the other hand, Luke does not think that forgiveness is automatic. Sinners must take ownership of their lives and act responsibly—or else pay the consequences, forfeiting God’s forgiving grace. Today’s Gospel illustrates that teaching from its episodes of tragic death and a parable about a fig tree. Jesus is both compassionate and decisive.
Random violence. Jesus describes two events that are found only in the Gospel of Luke. The first has to do with Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices. Whether historical or not, this incident fits the temperament of Pilate, who was known for vicious violence. However, Jesus points out that they were random victims. They were not singled out as great sinners who had to pay a price for their sins. The warning is that this can happen to anyone at any time. Now is the time for repentance. The same dynamic is present with the description of the tower at Siloam, which fell on 18 people and killed them. This random catastrophe did not target sinners.
The parable of the fig tree. A fig tree owner considered three years enough time for his tree to produce fruit. Because it had produced nothing, he ordered it to be cut down. Keeping and caring for a fruitless fig tree was an irresponsible use of resources. The gardener makes a case for keeping the tree one more year in hopes of finally getting it to produce. He realizes that he can make no guarantee, but he is willing to try for at least one more year. We assume the owner agreed.
It may bear fruit. There is also a strong possibility that it may not. On the one hand, there is an emphasis on compassion. Despite this tree’s terrible record of fruitlessness, the gardener is willing to give it one more chance. On the other hand, this tree is in crisis. If it does not produce fruit, it will indeed be cut down. This characterizes Jesus’ approach to sinners. Jesus clearly manifests compassion when dealing with sinners. But he also demands accountability and does not deal in cheap grace. Forgiveness requires repentance.
Excerpts from “Sunday Homily Helps”, is used by permission of Franciscan Media. www.FranciscanMedia.org. All rights reserved
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Aloysius