RENEWsletter for March 7, 2010 - 3rd Lent

Hello Renewed folks--
The readings for next Sunday show us several ways God helps us deal with our sinfulness. He gives us something to do that we can handle. He gives us guidelines by which we can order our lives. And he gives us more chances.

The readings for this coming Third Sunday of Lent are found on the web at: http://www.usccb.org/nab/030710c.shtml and in your Bible in:

Exodus 3.1-8a, 13-15
Psalm 103.1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 11
1 Corinthians 10.1-6, 10-12
Luke 13:1-9

NOTE: If your church uses the RCIA readings, they're found at: http://www.usccb.org/nab/030710a.shtml, which are the same at Year A's. But for the purposes of this RENEWsletter, we'll look at the standard readings.

In the First Reading God comes to Moses in the form of a burning bush (Ex. 3.2). Before Moses realized it was God in the bush, his curiosity was piqued and he turned aside to see what was going on (v. 3). He was already on holy ground when God spoke to him out of the bush (v. 4). Now, it was well-known in those days that you didn't look upon the LORD and live, so Moses, acutely aware of his unworthiness, quickly hid his face (v. 6). But God wanted to talk to him, so he gave him another way to approach him. "Take off your sandals. The ground here is holy ground" (v. 5).

Curious! Moses's sandals weren't good enough for holy ground, but his bare feet were. While his feet prob'ly weren't much cleaner than his sandals, he could easily comply with God's wishes, so he did. And God spoke with him, giving him some heavy assignments (vs. 7-8). Moses didn't think he could handle those, but God did (vs. 13-15).

The Responsorial Psalm is a refreshing interlude of joy at God's kindness and mercy. He's really not a God who will kill you for looking at him. In fact he "pardons all your iniquities" (Ps. 103:3). We are encouraged to look to him for all our needs, which he abundantly supplies (v. 8).

Paul, in the Second Reading, explains how God would have us comport ourselves. He briefly describes the ordeal of the Israelites in the wilderness after they had been led out of bondage in Egypt (1 Cor 10.1-5). Then he says, "These things happened as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil things, as they did" (v. 6).

The selection we have ends with the exhortation to take care not to fall, whenever we think we are standing secure (v. 12). That's kind of a heavy warning, but the next verse, not in the official selection, is helpful. Verse 13 says, "No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it".

The Gospel Reading, as Dr. Luke relates it, includes a parable of Jesus that is the most reassuring of all the ways God aids us in being righteous. It's the parable of the barren fig tree (Luke 13.6). The owner of the fig orchard comes to gather figs from this tree, but there are none. Disgusted and disappointed he orders his gardener to cut the tree down and use the area to grow something else (v. 7). But the gardener entreats the owner to give the tree one more chance. "Let me cultivate the ground around it, and fertilize it, and see if it doesn't start bearing fruit next season." (vs. 8-9).

God has standards. We humans have difficulty meeting those standards. But God will let us "take off our shoes" to stand on holy ground, even though our feet may be dirty and smelly. He gives us guidelines and rules of behavior and patiently teaches us how he wants us to behave. And he never lets us face anything he knows we are unable to handle. And when all that fails, he gives us another chance. He cultivates and fertilizes us and we get to try again.

Lent is a time for reflecting on God's mercy and kindness, and to realize that we have another chance to become the people God wants us to be. Let's take that other chance this week and find out how we can serve God.

Randy Jones
"Those who know not God's mercy condemn themselves!"