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Important Info  Homily For The Day |
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1. Homily: 3rd Sun of Lent, Yr C Rev Fr J P Tindana
Ex 3.1-8a, 13-15/Ps 103/1 Cor 10.1-6, 10-12/Lk 13.1-9
The theme of repentance is stressed once again, especially in our Gospel Reading. This is appropriate for this season in which we renew ourselves by repenting from our sins. The point is: repent or perish.
Our First Reading from the Book of Exodus talks about Moses’ encounter with the God of Israel through the burning bush and the subsequent revelation of God’s holy name. The beauty of this story is that God revealed Himself to Moses as he was going about his normal duties of keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro.
God is everywhere. Wherever people are God is also present. The terrible mistake we often make is to consign God to only sacred places. If that is the case then God cannot be in our schools and at our workplaces. Bracketing God out of certain places is a sad mistake.
How fruitless is our effort to try to hide ourselves from God. The Psalmist, fully aware of the all-seeing presence of God, stated: “Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there” (Ps 139.7-8). God is present everywhere and absent nowhere.
When Moses saw the blazing bush that was not consumed, he became curious. He even described it as a “great sight.” As he turned to have a closer look at it the Lord called him. The Lord declared: “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground” (Ex 3.5).
Our feet carry us to many places. The same feet that bring us to worship God is the same feet that bring us to places of sin. When Moses had grown up, his feet carried him from Pharaoh’s palace to go and watch his people who were under forced labour. This visit led him to kill one of the Egyptians who was beating a Hebrew.
Spiritualising the text, it can be said that Moses was asked to remove all that defiled him so that he could approach the God of holiness. The dung of sin that got stacked to him was to be thrown away so that he could approach God freely. The weight of sin, even as small as the dust on our feet, should not be allowed to stay on us. Holiness should be our aim always.
After Moses heard that the Lord was the God of his ancestors, he hid his face for he was afraid to look at Him. The moving statement of this story is when the Lord said: “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings” (Ex 3.7)
The plight of the defenceless never escapes the critical eyes of God. Heaven is most agitated when the strong visit the vulnerable with the full force of their machinery of torture. The cries of the poor are like fiery darts of arrow that constantly pierce the compassionate heart of God.
When oppression, injustice and harassments go on unchecked, the Divine Judge will descend and render freedom, justice and tranquillity by any means possible. The Lord told Moses: “I have come down to deliver them” (Ex 3.8).
Repentance is the clarion call of this Season of Lent. We are called upon to approach God in humility by acknowledging our errors. We are called upon to acknowledge the mistakes we have made by allowing our feet to carry us to places of sin. Therefore, let us remove the sandals of sin and be free to approach God.
Our Gospel Reading treats the subject of repentance. At the time our Gracious Lord was speaking, there was the story of some Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. Jesus made it clear that they did not suffer such brutalities because they were worse sinners.
The other story our Gracious Lord made reference to was about the eighteen people who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them. They also faced that fatality not because they were worse sinners. The chilling aspect of these references is that if these who were not worse sinners could become victims of such calamities, then how much more will the worse sinner endure?
We are all like fig trees planted to bear fruits. If we fail to produce fruits, we will be cut down. Who knows, maybe we should have been cut down long ago. Blessed are we to be given a second chance to bear fruits through our efforts in this Season of Lent.
Our Second Reading from First Corinthians is a warning to us from ancient Israel’s history. It is known that not all of them made it to the Promised Land. They had similar experiences of God, but “God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness” (1 Cor 10.5).
On many occasions they rebelled against God and treated Him as if He owed them. Many of those who complained against God were silenced to the chambers of death. St Paul admonishes: “These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Cor 10.11).
Those of us who believe we have a long way to go on the path of virtue must pay heed to our Gracious Lord and St Paul. Let us use our Lenten observance to better our chances of reaching heaven our homeland.
Let us continue with our prayers, fasting and almsgiving. As we persevere with them, they will bring us closer to hear the voice of God. This will fill us with joy and peace.
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