Third Sunday of Lent (Year C) - 23rd March 2025

Quick Glance Summary

• Theme: God’s call to change is constant and caring.
• Key Message: Be alert to the signs and the presence of God. Pay attention and respond.
• First Reading (Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15): Moses shows himself alert, finds God’s presence in the Burning Bush, and finds a whole new direction for his life.
• Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 11): Praise for God's work of  facilitating healing and change.
• Second Reading (1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12): Paul warns against complacency: it is not enough to be part of the worshipping community, sharing the same spiritual food. Our lives must show signs of change.
• Gospel (Luke 13:1-9): Jesus alerts us to God’s constant work on our behalf, like the gardener who does not give us on the fig tree.

Gospel for the Third Sunday of Lent (Year C) - 23rd March 2025

Luke 13:1-9

Some people told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. Jesus said to them in reply, "Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did! Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!"

And he told them this parable: "There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, 'For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?' He said to him in reply, 'Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilise it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not, you can cut it down.'”

Overview of the Gospel Passage

In this passage, Jesus addresses the common belief that suffering is a direct result of personal sin. He refutes this notion by citing two incidents: the execution of Galileans by Pilate and the accidental death of eighteen people due to the collapse of the tower of Siloam. Jesus emphasizes that these victims were not greater sinners than others and uses these events to call all to repentance. He then shares the parable of the barren fig tree, symbolizing God's patience and the opportunity given to individuals to repent and bear spiritual fruit.

Connecting the Gospel to Today's Cultural Context

Paying Attention to Life’s Moments

When people truly pay attention to life’s significant moments—whether through personal challenges, unexpected discoveries, or deep realisations—the benefits can be transformative.

A classic example is the discovery of penicillin. In 1897, Ernest Duchesne noticed that mold could kill bacteria, but his work was ignored. Years later, Alexander Fleming accidentally rediscovered it in 1928 but didn’t recognize its full potential. It took another decade for Florey and Chain to develop it into the life-saving antibiotic we know today. The lesson? If we don’t pay attention, we don’t see what’s there.

This applies spiritually as well. Imagine if Moses had been too distracted to notice the burning bush—what if he had been scrolling on his phone instead? Many of us today live in a distracted world, missing the signs and nudges that call us to change. We fill our lives with busyness, entertainment, and avoidance, numbing ourselves to the deeper lessons life presents.

Life constantly challenges us to grow—through grief, illness, crises, parenthood, or caregiving. If we aren’t reflective, these moments will pass us by, and life will keep presenting the same lessons until we finally face them.

The Gospel speaks of God being like a vineyard worker who keeps tending a struggling plant—a symbol of life’s challenges that demand attention and care. If we ignore them, we face missed opportunities, emotional numbness, and regret.

Lent is an invitation to wake up. It’s not about finding something new but opening our eyes to what God is already showing us. The question is: Will we take the chance to learn the lessons life is offering?

Reflection Questions with Responses

1. Who or what groups might find these readings especially helpful? Individuals facing hardships or questioning the reasons behind suffering may find solace in these readings. The message that suffering is not necessarily a punishment for sin can be comforting. Additionally, those feeling stagnant in their spiritual journey are reminded of God's patience and the continuous call to growth and repentance.
2. What human weaknesses do they address, and what virtues do they aim to strengthen? These readings address the human tendencies toward complacency, self-righteousness, and the propensity to judge others' misfortunes as deserved. They encourage the virtues of humility, self-reflection, repentance, and the pursuit of continuous spiritual growth.
3. What is the feeling tone of each reading?
   • First Reading: Awe and reverence as Moses encounters God.
   • Responsorial Psalm: Gratitude and praise for God's mercy.
   • Second Reading: Cautionary and instructive, urging vigilance.
   • Gospel: Urgency in the call to repentance, coupled with hope for renewal.
4. Which saints or well-known figures exemplify the message of each reading?
   • First Reading: St. Moses the Black, who underwent profound personal transformation.
   • Responsorial Psalm: St. Faustina Kowalska, known for her devotion to Divine Mercy.
   • Second Reading: St. Augustine, who warned against complacency and emphasized continuous conversion.
   • Gospel: St. Mary Magdalene, who heeded the call to repentance and became a devoted follower of Christ.
5. What works of art, poems, or pieces of music provide insight into the message?
   • Art: The Burning Bush by Nicolas Froment, depicting Moses's encounter with God.
   • Poetry: John Donne's Hymn to God, My God, in My Sickness, reflecting on repentance and divine mercy.
   • Music: Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God, a hymn inspired by Psalm 51, emphasising repentance and renewal.
6. Where has the message of these readings been true in my life or those close to me, and is there a story I can share about that? Reflecting on personal experiences where unexpected challenges prompted deeper self-examination and spiritual growth can be insightful. Sharing a story of a time when a difficult situation led to a renewed commitment to faith and positive change can resonate with the congregation, illustrating the transformative power of repentance and God's enduring patience.

First Reading: Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15

Moses was tending the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. He led the flock beyond the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire, it did not burn up. So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up."

When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am."

"Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

The Lord said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them."

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12

I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and all drank the same spiritual drink. Yet God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness.

These things happened as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not grumble, as some of them did, and suffered death. These things happened to them as an example and were written down as warnings for us. Therefore, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you do not fall!