Walking with Jesus: Third Sunday of Lent

For Sunday, March 20, 2022

Exodus 3:1-8, 1-15; 1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12; Luke 13:1-9

I am comfortable in doing what I have been trained to do, being a priest. It has been a wonderful life. I know that many of you are the same: performing jobs, occupations that you have been trained to do. Many of you have switched occupations because you were “called” to advance and challenged to better yourselves. We enjoy the affirmation that comes with the reward of doing a good job. Often we get too comfortable with what we do and we miss opportunities for advancement. The same is true as we look at our spiritual lives in Christ. We are comfortable with things being the way they always were … we are uncomfortable with change. This disrupts the “status quo” and may mean that we have to learn new ways to handle situations in our lives. As we know, change is uncomfortable. We see in the readings today that life in Christ is never the “same old same old” because the Lord is always leading us closer to Himself. Are we listening … are afraid to respond … are we willing to change our mortal bodies to conform with Jesus’ glorified body? Heaven is not earth … Hell is not earth. Which are we preparing for?

Moses has been “running scared” because of what has happened in Egypt: He has seen the forced labor of the Israelites and witnesses an Egyptian hitting one of his kin. Moses becomes enraged, killing this man and hiding his body in the sand. The next day he sees two Israelites fighting and asks why they are doing this. One responds, “Who has appointed you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” [Exodus 2:13-14] Moses is afraid and runs to Midian. He sees rustlers preventing a herd of sheep from getting water and drives them away. As a result of Moses' responsibility and courage, the owner gives his daughter to Moses in marriage. They have children and are comfortable in their new life. But the Lord has other plans.

Today, Moses sees a bush that is burning but not being consumed. How can this be? He comes closer and encounters the Lord. Moses has been leading sheep but the Lord’s plan is for Moses to lead His people across Egypt, through the Sinai desert to the “land flowing with milk and honey.” That isn’t Moses’ plan … he continually objects to God’s plan. If Moses would think of the non-consumed bush and his ancestry, he would see that the Lord is constantly nourishing and protecting his ancestors -- Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob -- and leading them closer to His plan. Now the Israelites have cried out to God because of the fierceness of the Egyptians, and Moses is the person God chooses to lead them to the Holy Land. Moses hesitates because he doesn’t know God’s name. God gives Moses the privilege of hearing the divine name and learning God’s eternal presence in human history. The Israelites will never be without God’s protective presence in their lives. How about our lives? Do we reflect on where we have been and how we have been rescued from all sorts of trouble, doubt and situations? To whom do we attribute this “rescuing?” Who cares for us so much to take care of us? We never could have gotten out of these situations ourselves. TRUE. We call this grace: God’s help. Why? Because He loves you and me and everyone all the time. We see this in Moses’ story, we see it throughout Scripture, we see it in our lives. How often have we expressed our gratitude to God?

Paul recalls God’s intercessions to the Israelites during the long Exodus. He emphasizes how frequently they were ungrateful and continued to be so, resulting in God's promise that these ones would not reach the promised land. Paul asks the Corinthian community and us if we are making similar mistakes by not living up to God’s standard, realizing God’s presence in His caring, nourishing and leading us closer to Himself. Are we grateful or are we determined to do it “my way” with no intention of receiving God’s help, protection and love? When we do this, we are not living the Gospel standards as Jesus taught and lived. Do we ask His help? Why not?

Forgiveness is a favorite theme in Luke’s gospel and in the Acts of the Apostles. He is convinced that a person who is willing to repent and ask for God’s help can be completely confident of His merciful forgiveness. Today he shows how God’s mercy is always present but has limits. The people believe that if an accident or disease happens, the individual must have done evil and is being punished. Two events happen and the people are wondering where they have sinned. Jesus responds that being free from tragedy is not the same as being free from sin. Another parable shows that the need for repentance is symbolized by fruitfulness: The fig tree hasn’t produced fruit in years and the owner says cut it down. The gardener comes with a rescue plan. We never learn whether the owner accepts the plan, but the owner represents God who is merciful and compassionate. God’s mercy is highlighted by patience, meaning there is still time for repentance -- but it will not last forever. Lent is our time to look at ourselves and our relationship with God. Are we living God’s life or ours?

So I reflect on:

• Life’s difficulties cannot be solved like a math or engineering problem. Some things can’t be solved. How do I deal with that? Do I continue on with courage, patience and confidence in God’s care and promise of heaven? If so, am I living His plan?
• We give up on ourselves … we give up on others. God gives us His mercy. Do we give others our mercy?
  

Sacred Space 2022 states:

“'Unless you repent you will all perish as they did.’ Some clear words of warning from Jesus, who alerts us to the risk of feeling too satisfied with ourselves and our ways. Is there something I feel called to change, an area in my relationships I do not feel satisfied with? I ask Jesus to let me hear His words as addressed to me.”