3rd Sunday of Lent
Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. Moses found himself standing on the holy ground of God’s self-revelation to him. He encountered the burning bush, was given the name of the God who came to rescue his people and received the mission to carry this message to others. He truly was standing on holy ground in the presence of Divinity!
Today, we stand on the holy ground of Lent. Through our Lenten observances, we encounter God, who comes to rescue us from all that enslaves and keeps us from becoming all we are meant to be. We, too, are being given the mission of carrying this message of redemption to one another and our world.
Through our baptism, we embraced the redemption freely given in Christ. Yet, in the words of Saint Paul, we are reminded that whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall. Caring for one another, especially the most vulnerable, is essential to the message we have been given. As we look around, we begin to see the many ways we have failed the poor, the immigrants, the lonely, the abused, the imprisoned, and those who are different.
We are halfway through our journey of repentance this Lent. We may have to admit that the growth we intended has not happened yet. But rather than give up, we might be better off taking the parable of the fig tree offered in today’s gospel to heart.
The owner wants the unproductive tree cut down. However, the gardener asks for one more year to cultivate and care for it. The Lord is our gardener who sees the promise in us and cares for us. Through the Eucharist and one another, we are cultivated to bring forth the fruits of our Baptism.
Will others experience redemption through me?
Let Us Pray:
Good and gracious God, open our eyes to see that we stand on the holy ground of your presence and love in our lives. May standing on that ground impel us to bring your life and redemption into our world through our care of others. Amen.
