Posted: 2/27/2013 4:58:13 PM EDT
|
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. Moses and the Burning Bush Icon2. 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. Psalm Psalms 103:1-4,6-8,11 (8a) The Lord is kind and merciful. Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all my being, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. The Lord is kind and merciful. He pardons all your iniquities, heals all your ills, He redeems your life from destruction, crowns you with kindness and compassion. The Lord is kind and merciful. The LORD secures justice and the rights of all the oppressed. He has made known his ways to Moses, and his deeds to the children of Israel. The Lord is kind and merciful. Merciful and gracious is the LORD, slow to anger and abounding in kindness. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him. The Lord is kind and merciful. 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.The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree 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.’ ” ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 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? |
|
• 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? Sisters and Brothers,--the key word here to me is "urgency." As I approach my 7th decade on God's green earth, I have seen a lifetime of urgency. Today, sad to say, this urgency is accelerated. It is quickened in all we do: work, love, worship, tend to families--it's all too fast. Just think about when you were a child and growing up--time moved like molasses on a cold winter's day. Now, it flies at the speed of life. So, as for me, I have really got to examine my actions (and inactions) with a view to exactly how God wants me to repent of my many sins. And when I look at my wristwatch and realize the pace in life today is so fast, I realize I had better be pretty fast to repent! ...course it helps that I'm retired! gives me plenty of time for reflection on "getting right with God!" Look at how the "civil authority" under Pontius Pilate handled Jewish protest and political dissent as shown in today's Good News. Jesus knew uncertainty was part of the human condition. We can see tumult, riot, and tragedy springing up at any time: “So he [Pilate] habited a great number of his soldiers in their habit, who carried daggers under their garments, and sent them to a place where they might surround them [the rebellious Jews.] He bade the Jews himself go away; but they boldly cast reproaches upon him so he gave the soldiers that signal which had been beforehand agreed on; the soldiers then laid upon them much greater blows than Pilate had commanded them, and equally punished those that were tumultuous, and those that were not, nor did they spare them in the least; and since the people were unarmed, and were caught by men prepared for what they were about, there were a great number of them slain by this means, and others of them ran away wounded; and thus an end was put to this sedition.” [Antiquities of the Jews 18:3,2(61-62)].(emphasis mine) 
|