Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk

Third Sunday of Lent Year C – March 23, 2019.

Reading: Ex 3:1-8,13-15; Responsorial Psalm 102:1-4,6-8,11; 

1 Cor. 10:1-6,10-12 & Gospel Luke 13:1-9.

Theme: Produce or Perish!

Introduction

Friends in Christ, as we continue our Traditional Lenten observances of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, our liturgy charges us to assess our lives on the expected good deeds we are supposed to produce as Christians. Based on the parable of the fig tree in today’s gospel, our liturgical reflection titled, “Produce or Perish,” shall take us through the background and summary of the readings, pastoral lessons, homiletic quotes to remember and the conclusion. 

Background & Summary of the Readings

The first reading (Ex 3:1-8,13-15) reveals how Moses encountered God in the burning bush when he went to look after the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law and priest of Midian. It tells how God called from the burning bush and ordered him to come nearer yet take off his shoes for the place he was standing on is a holy ground. It further discloses how God reveals himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We are told that Moses covered his because he was afraid to look at God.

Thereafter, the Lord told him that he has seen the miserable condition of the people of Israel in Egypt. He maintained that he would deliver them from their slave-masters and lead them to the land of Canaanites, flowing with milk and honey. Disclosing himself as “I Am who I Am,” the Lord noted that his name shall be invoked for all generations to come.   

In the second reading (1 Cor. 10:1-6,10-12), St. Paul takes the Corinthians memory lane to reveal how their fathers were guided by a cloud to pass through the red sea. He tells how they ate spiritual food and drank spiritual drink from the rock. He discloses that that rock is Christ. He noted that regrettably, despite all the Lord did for them, they failed to please him which lead to their corpses littering the desert.

He emphasized that all this happened to serve as a warning to Christians who have allowed lust for forbidden things to take the better of their lives. He further cautioned those who always complain to take these things that the scripture talks about as a warning. Using the end time to draw his audience closer to Christ, he said, those who think they are safe ought to beware of falling. 

The Gospel (Luke 13:1-9) presents the response of Jesus to the people who felt that the Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices suffered because of their sins. He maintained that it wasn’t the case and called on his audience who are supposedly Pharisees to repent or perish. Using the example of the 18 people on whom the tower at Siloam fell and killed, Jesus insisted that they were not guiltier than others. Again, he told them to repent. He used the opportunity to tell the parable of the fig tree which was due for cutting because for 3 years, it didn’t give fruit to the owner. But the man looking after it pleaded for just one more year to be given so that he might manure it and if it does not produce, it should be cut down.

Pastoral Lessons

1. The Holy Ground that Moses took off his shoes in the first reading stands for the Church in contemporary times which is the sanctuary that produces citizens of heaven in this would who distinguish themselves as the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Cf. Matthew 5:13 & John 8:12).

2. By revealing himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, God wanted to teach us that his name should be invoked for all generations to come.

3. By covering his face because he was afraid to look at God, Moses teaches us to approach God in his Holy Place in awe, reverence and total worship by resisting every temptation to turn our Churches into theatres of jamboree and entertainment.

4. Just as God saw the miserable condition of the people of Israel in Egypt and delivered them from their slave masters, no matter your miserable condition of sickness, poverty, unemployment and sin, God can turn things around for your good if you endure.

5. By leading Israelites to the land of Canaan, flowing with milk and honey, we are assured that God would take us on eagle wings to the great beyond after our lives’ work here is ended if we are faithful.

6. St. Paul’s revelation in the gospel that Jesus is our rock further reveals the mystery of the table of the Eucharist where like the Jews, we eat spiritual food and drank spiritual drink from Christ, our rock.   

7. Paul’s caution that the Jews who failed to please God died and their corpses littered the desert should serve as a warning to the contemporary Church too to sit up and produce fruits that lasts.

8. Jesus’ response about the Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices and the 18 who died at Siloam teaches that those who suffer and die are not the worst sinners.

9. Our liturgy further teaches that good people too suffer which is why the bible notes that unless  we carry our Crosses daily and follow Christ (Luke 9:23), we are not worthy of the kingdom.

10. The grace of 1 year that was given to the fig tree is a metaphor for the sum-total of our lives here on earth as a bonus that God daily gives each one of us to produce or perish.   

Homiletic Quotes to Remember

1. Our liturgy charges us to assess our lives on the expected good deeds we are supposed to bear as Christians.

2. God reveals himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

3. His name shall be invoked for all generations to come.

4. St. Paul – reveal(s) how their fathers were guided by a cloud to pass through the red sea.

5. Jesus insisted that they were not guiltier than others.

Conclusion

We are called upon to change the thinking that poverty, sickness or death is the portion of bad people. Although the book of Job tried to counter the Old Testament mentality that people suffer because they offended God, Jesus had a hard time trying to explain to his audience that suffering is human condition which should be embraced with endurance so as to win the crown of life. As we continue with following Jesus on the royal road of the cross, we are reminded that two options lie before us – To produce or perish! Have a blessed week!