Word to the Wise
Sunday, February 28, 2016 - 3rd Sunday of Lent - C
[Exod 3:1-8a, 13-15; 1 Cor 10:1-6, 10-12; Luke 13:1-9]SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2016, THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT [Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15; 1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12; Luke 13:1-9. Parishes with RCIA programs may use scriptures from Cycle A] "All are the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ." [1 Corinthians] The season of Lent is a long reminder to us of the need to be in a continual process of "conversion" that includes both repentance and change. St. Paul is reminding the Corinthians that they cannot simply take their baptismal status for granted and do whatever they want to do. The gospel scripture today with the image of the barren fig tree is a similar warning. A fruit tree is expected to bear good fruit and not just take up space. This weekend I begin the third of four parish missions at a parish in Victoria, TX, before moving on to my fourth and final one of this Lenten journey in New Iberia, LA. The theme of the mission is "the Rock which is Christ." St. Paul interprets an incident from the history of the Chosen People as one in which Christ was already present, and shows that many of them died because they were unfaithful to their calling. Our baptism is that calling. It is not something that occurred when we were babies - an event of the past. It is a present reality by which we are enabled to be identified with the mission of Jesus. Pope Francis has called on all of us to be "missionaries of mercy." The challenge of fidelity to that mission requires both repentance on our part and mercy to our neighbors. To come to a greater realization of this is the goal of Lent (and of my parish mission). It is also something we want to continue after Easter Sunday when we return to the items we "gave up" for Lent! AMEN
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