3rd. Sunday of Lent
In the first reading this weekend, we encounter Moses on the top of Mount Horeb. He has climbed the mountain attracted by a bush that is on fire but not consumed. As he begins to approach the bush a voice calls out to him to take off his shoes because where he is standing is “holy ground.” Moses complies with the voice and subsequently learns that the voice comes from the God of Moses ‘s ancestors. This scene invites us to consider that when we are in prayer with God we too, no matter where we are, in prison, in a hospital, nursing home or wherever, that we too are standing on “holy ground.” In such a stance we are about to communicate with the God of our ancestors, those who have witnessed to us what it means to be a people of faith. This could be a mother or father, grandparent, aunt, or uncle, or even a stranger. Through their witness as Christians, they become our ancestors in faith. Who would you name as such a person for yourself? It is important for us to appreciate that Moses knows nothing of this God of the Israelites. At his birth, he was placed in a reed basket and put afloat on the Nile River. The pharaoh at that time, fearing the numerous growth of the Jews, had put out an edict that any male child born to the Jewish mother was to be killed. So, to protect Moses ‘s life his mother places him is placed in this basket and sets him afloat. Eventually an Egyptian princess finds him. Moses subsequently is raised as an Egyptian prince. He will know nothing of his people except their struggle. He also will know nothing of his own history. As an adult, he learns of his heritage as Jew, but becomes involved in the killing of an Egyptian overseer. The penalty imposed by the pharaoh is banishment from Egypt. Moses is sent into the desert to die. There Moses meets a sheep herder, and his family; falls in love with one of his daughters and marries her and becomes a sheep herder himself (see Exodus 1-2:22). End of story, by no means! For Moses, he probably thought that being a shepherd was going to be his life and his destiny. But, God has more for Moses to do. On that mountain top, in our first reading this weekend, Moses learns that God has a new destiny for Moses. He is destined to lead the children of Israel out of their bondage in Egypt and eventually to a new land that God has prepared for them. In our own lives there are often changes to the life we have planned for ourselves. It may come because of a negative health issue, or a loss of career, or an unexpected move or promotion etc. At first, we may be frightened by the suddenness of such a change and feel God has forgotten or abandoned us. But God is always merely a breath away. When we turn to him in prayer, we may begin to slowly see He is standing with us. He is standing in the midst of our lives waiting for us to recognize that He is there, like a mysterious burning bush on a mountain top. We may think the place we are standing is a desert, when in God’s reality it can become for us “holy ground.” In our second reading Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. He is striving to encourage the Corinthians to not waste their time on trivial things, but to focus their time and their efforts on the mission for which they were baptized into Christ. He cautions them not to be like the ancient Israelites, who, when they were redeemed from the hand of pharaoh, grumbled against God. They challenged God to prove himself to them, to prove that he will take care of them. feed them, give them water. Have we ever found ourselves grumbling with or at God? If so, what caused our mistrust in God’s benevolence for us? In the gospel Jesus addresses those who are following him and ask them to reflect on the tragedies that befell others (i.e. those for whom Pilate mixed the blood of the Jews with the blood sacrifices to the pagan Gods of Rome, or the Jews who were suddenly killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them). He asks his listeners whether they think that those others were more sinful than themselves and that is why such awful things happened to them. He tells the people not to judge others, but to look to themselves and to see whether they are making use out of the gifts God has given them or whether they are squandering them. In the parable of the gardener and the tree that bears no fruit, Jesus explains to those who are listening to him, that while God is merciful toward sinners, He does expect that people will repent and use the gifts God has given them to try to produce good fruit. Through the parable Jesus is teaching that God‘s patience is not endless. The gardener pleads with the master of the garden, as Jesus through his ministry, his death, and his resurrection pleads for those who hear his words- “ Let me tend it a little longer, put fertilizer around it, feed it, encourage it, refresh the soil, and perhaps it may bear fruit. But then, if not, I will,,,,,,,” Lent is a time to refresh ourselves and allow the tree of life within us to bear good fruit in our lives. To do that we must look at the tree of life within ourselves and see what it does need in terms of fertilizer, care, and water for it to bear good fruit. Like a good gardener, looking at our lives takes reflection, contemplation, prayer, and repentance (i.e., changing the direction in which our life is going). There once was an incredibly wise professor, who had many degrees and many awards for his intelligence and wisdom. He had searched all the philosophers from one age to another to find out what was the secret of happiness. But the answer to that question eluded him. He thought about this missing part of his life incessantly. In fact, he was so obsessed by the question that he decided to set out in search to find the wisest and the happiest person in the world. His search took him everywhere across oceans and across continents. After years of travel to distant places he finally was told of a woman who fit his description of the wisest, happiest person. And so, he set out on a rugged journey to the top of a mountain, where he was told that this wise and happy woman lived. Upon his arrival, the woman greeted him with a warm smile and a sympathetic ear. She listened patiently for hours as he described his pursuit for happiness and of the years and years of study and research and travel that he had done to finally be able to reach her. At the conclusion of his long story, he begged the wise woman to let him know what the secret of happiness was. The secret had eluded him all his life and so, he said “Tell me now, what is the secret?” But the wise woman would not be hurried “I suggest we have some tea first” she said calmly. Then the woman began the tea ceremony and slowly poured the brew into the professor’s cup. She poured and poured until the cup was overflowing! And she continued to pour and pour until the professor asked her to stop. “Just tell me the secret “he cried. She said “I cannot do that because like this teacup that is full to overflowing, your mind is so full of your own knowledge, your own thoughts, your own judgments that you have no room for anything more. Even if I try to tell you the secret of happiness, it will only spill out and you will be unable to receive it. You must first empty yourself.” 1. Lent invites us to empty ourselves. Empty ourselves of judgements about ourselves or others. Empty ourselves of any hatred, any doubt, any questions, so that God can make room in our souls for God to fill us. So, God can fill our teacups with His grace, His wisdom, and His love, His way of seeing reality. Like the gardener in the Gospel, Jesus is seeking to tend the tree of life within us that it may bear good fruit, good fruit for us and good fruit for the world. How do we respond to the tender care of the gardener of our souls?
1. 1. Sunday Sermons.com