Posted: 3/4/2010 6:39:41 PM EDT
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Sunday, March 7, 2010
Readings and Commentary here. First Reading Exodus 3:1-8a,13-15 1. Now Moses was pasturing the sheep of his father-in-law Jethro, a priest of Midian. And when he had driven the flock into the interior of the desert, he came to the mountain of God, Horeb. 2. And the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. And he saw that the bush was burning and was not burnt. 3. Therefore, Moses said, “I will go and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.” 4. Then the Lord, discerning that he proceeded on to see it, called to him from the midst of the bush, and he said, “Moses, Moses.” And he responded, “Here I am.” 5. And he said: “Lest you should approach here, remove the shoes from your feet. For the place on which you stand is holy ground.” 6. And he said, “I am the God of your father: the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face, for he dared not look directly at God. 7. And the Lord said to him: “I have seen the affliction of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their outcry because of the harshness of those who are over the works. 8. And knowing their sorrow, I have descended in order to free them from the hands of the Egyptians, and to lead them from that land into a good and spacious land, into a land which flows with milk and honey, 13. Moses said to God: “Behold, I will go to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ If they say to me, ‘What is his name?’ What shall I say to them?” 14. God said to Moses, “I AM WHO AM.” He said: “Thus shall you say to the sons of Israel: ‘HE WHO IS has sent me to you.’ ” 15. And God said again to Moses: “Thus shall you say to the sons of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is the name for me in eternity, and this is my memorial from generation to generation. Second Reading 1 Corinthians 10:1-6,10-12 1. For I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and they all went across the sea. 2. And in Moses, they all were baptized, in the cloud and in the sea. 3. And they all ate of the same spiritual food. 4. And they all drank of the same spiritual drink. And so, they all were drinking of the spiritual rock seeking to obtain them; and that rock was Christ. 5. But with most of them, God was not well-pleased. For they were struck down in the desert. 6. Now these things were done as an example for us, so that we might not desire evil things, just as they desired. 10. And you should not murmur, as some of them murmured, and so they perished by the destroyer. 11. Now all of these things happened to them as an example, and so they have been written for our correction, because the final age has fallen upon us. 12. And so, whosoever considers himself to be standing, let him be careful not to fall. Gospel Luke 13:1-9 1. And there were present, at that very time, some who were reporting about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate mixed with their sacrifices. 2. And responding, he said to them: “Do you think that these Galileans must have sinned more than all other Galileans, because they suffered so much? 3. No, I tell you. But unless you repent, you will all perish similarly. 4. And those eighteen upon whom the tower of Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they also were greater transgressors than all the men living in Jerusalem? 5. No, I tell you. But if you do not repent, you will all perish similarly.” 6. And he also told this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree, which was planted in his vineyard. And he came seeking fruit on it, but found none. 7. Then he said to the cultivator of the vineyard: ‘Behold, for these three years I came seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I have found none. Therefore, cut it down. For why should it even occupy the land?’ 8. But in response, he said to him: ‘Lord, let it be for this year also, during which time I will dig around it and add fertilizer. 9. And, indeed, it should bear fruit. But if not, in the future, you shall cut it down.’ ” Study Resources / CCC here. Overview of the Gospel: * In this Sunday’s Gospel reading, Jesus has just finished a long discourse on the need to be prepared for his Coming (Luke 12). He then uses two incidents from the current events of his day—the slaughter of a group of Galileans by Pontius Pilate, and the deadly collapse of a tower, killing 18 bystanders—to emphasize the urgency of repentance. * Though neither event is recorded outside the Scriptures, the first tragedy, according to the Jewish historian Josephus, would not be out of character for the Roman governor of Judea Pontius Pilate as he was known to have committed similar atrocities. As for the Tower of Siloam, the ruins can be seen in Jerusalem to this day. In Jesus’ time it was common belief that most misfortune experienced by people was punishment for sin (Job 31:3; Proverbs 10:24, John 9:24-34), a view Jesus did not share (John 9:1-3). * What Jesus wishes to emphasize is that just like the owner of the fig tree in the parable, God out of his great mercy (Ezekiel 33:11; Romans 2:14; 2 Peter 3:1-16), gives us ample—although not unlimited —time to, as John the Baptist says in Matthew 3:8, “bear fruit that befits repentance” (in New Testament Greek, metanoeo—literally, to change one’s mind for the better). Questions: * In the First Reading, God reveals very clearly to Moses who he is and how it is his people can come to know him. How do you keep before you the identity of God and his holiness, and your need of repentance before him? How can you do this better? * In verses 6-9, whom does the fig tree represent? The owner? The gardener? * How do the incidents of Pilate’s bloodshed (verse 1) and the collapsing tower of Siloam (verse 4) provide examples of the urgency of repentance? * What is the danger of associating someone’s misfortune with sin (verses 2, 4)? * How do you treat newspaper accounts of tragic deaths? How often do they remind you of your mortality and of your own need of repentance? If they have not, how should you take advantage of Jesus’ admonition (verses 3, 5)? * If you had one more year like the fig tree to turn your life around, what would you do? What fruit do you want to be producing by this time next year? |
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Let me try this one, Sisters and Brothers:
* How do the incidents of Pilate’s bloodshed (verse 1) and the collapsing tower of Siloam (verse 4) provide examples of the urgency of repentance? and short on its heels: What is the danger of associating someone’s misfortune with sin (verses 2, 4)? KEY VERSE: "Unless you repent, you will all perish as they did" What imagery we have this week! Fantastic! There's that "tree" again, front and center; (and implicitly, "fruit" which any good tree bears: "you will know them by their fruit..."). There's also the terrible image of a blood-thirsty, impetuous, and perfidious earthly "ruler" in Pliate. Compare Jesus' parable to the wise, merciful, and patient "gardener" of the story, ruling over his garden-kingdom. In Jesus' time, those who hoped for a triumphant Messiah who would reestablish Israel in power found his teaching on the cross difficult to accept. Most of the Jews in Jesus' time expected an all-powerful "warrior-king" to appear and forcibly evict the pagan Roman occupiers. Mighty tough to be thinking about armor, swords, spears and violence, and then 180* be told: "Be meek and obedient; love your neighbor." [we'll see later that Jesus rides unarmed into Jerusalem on the foal of an ass, and NOT like the powerful war-horse stallions dripping with weapons the Roman conquerers rode in to subjugate Jerusalem.] Jesus pointed out recent disasters that people believed to be the consequence of sin. In one incident, Pontius Pilate's men killed some Jewish Galileans in cold-blood while they were offering sacrifice in the Jerusalem Temple at Passover. In another case, several construction workers were accidentally killed when a water tower fell on them. These individuals did not die because of their own sins. Although they were innocent of wrongdoing, they nonetheless suffered the reality of evil in the world. Without faith, these calamities would be seen as terrible tragedies, but with faith, all events in a person's life, whether good or bad, can be sanctifying and redemptive. Jesus told us the parable about a fruitless fig tree planted in the vineyard (the fruitless tree was a symbol of barren Israel, Jer 8:13; Is 5:1-7). God was merciful and patient in waiting for it to bear fruit, but time was running out. The kingdom of God was at hand and God's people should repent while there was still time. For a fascinating insight into "Pontius Pilate," check this: Pontius Pilate Do we view the trials in our life as opportunities for growth? To turn to God? To turn to the "Master Gardener?" Lord Jesus, help me to uproot sin in my life so that I might bear good fruit. 
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* How do you treat newspaper accounts of tragic deaths? How often do they remind you of your mortality and of your own need of repentance? If they have not, how should you take advantage of Jesus’ admonition (verses 3, 5)? I have always been aware of my own mortality, death has always been something that I have pondered on. Sometimes when people my age die it hits home more than others, and it reminds me that much more. Life is truly like a vapor, as St. James tells us. * If you had one more year like the fig tree to turn your life around, what would you do? What fruit do you want to be producing by this time next year? I would probably be even more concerned about sin in my life, and holiness would constantly on my mind. I had a medical scare a couple of years ago that turned out to be nothing, but during that time of uncertainty I was never more close to God then at that time. Life can be put into perspective at times like that. |
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Excellent answers!
Lord Jesus, help me to uproot sin in my life so that I might bear good fruit. - worth repeating!! * How do the incidents of Pilate’s bloodshed (verse 1) and the collapsing tower of Siloam (verse 4) provide examples of the urgency of repentance? You just never know how long you have! Don't wait until tomorrow to repent. Each night in prayer, we must reflect on the day, our sins and pray for God's mercy and forgiveness. Fr. Steven Scheier and the Parable of the Fig Tree |