Easter March 31, 2013

Bulletin Easter Sunday March 31, 2013

Acts 10:34, 37-43; Colossians 3: 1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5: 6-8; John 20:1-9
Today is a special day; it’s Easter. It’s special for everyone, I hope, and it’s special for me. It’s about fact and mystery. The fact is that Jesus came to show the Father’s love for me and every single person ever created. It is also a definitive fact that Jesus showed this love constantly throughout His life. It is about mystery…it's called the Pascal Mystery—the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus.
Jesus gave His life for me and for everyone ever created and He did it because He just plain loves every single person ever created no matter how I feel or they feel about themselves. But this is nothing new…throughout Scripture from the time of creation and Adam and Eve through the Acts of the Apostles, Scripture tells constantly stories of God’s faithfulness and people’s rejection of God and His way. I and every person have been involved in this cycle of love and rejection of love and God has constantly been working to prepare humanity for the reconciliation of each and all creation to the Lord.

This sounds easy to the ears and the mind and it may seem like there isn’t any mystery involved in this but there is…it’s about me and each person being loved, forgiven, redeemed and asked to be ‘changers of the world’ so that all may be love. Fr. Anthony Kadavil wrote this in Teaching and Preaching resources: Easter is a mystery “…we are called to embrace. This is a mystery which we are called to let empower and enliven us. This is a profound mystery which, although it happened once and for all --- is repeated continually in our day-to-day lives --- in our countless risings from our everyday struggles, failings, and disappointments. Put simply, this is a mystery which we are invited to enter into. You see, Jesus’ triumph over physical death is the perfect and supreme expression of the infinite power of God’s love defeating, redeeming, and transforming every consequence of sin, every consequence of a broken world. The Lord Jesus took the sin of the world, all of it --- all the brokenness, disobedience, selfishness, greed --- and rendered it completely powerless though perfect love. Even death itself is no match for God’s love. That’s the mystery we are invited to enter into and embrace this day. And when we do, when we accept this mystery as the template of our lives and allow the power of resurrection infuse every part of us…

.. .our failures will not crush our spirit.

… our sorrows will not break our heart forever.

… our disappointments will not sap our strength.

… our unfulfilled dreams will not extinguish our hope.

… our sin will not scar us forever.

… and even our illness and death will give way to a life that has no end.”
This is just the most amazing and awesome mystery: Love Wins. God has won…there is ‘no more pain…no more suffering’…there is no more sadness … there is no wondering if evil has a chance … there is no more wondering if there is a heaven … there is no more fear that I am excluded from heaven … there is no more put downs or disappointments … there is no more hurt … there is no more of anything bad … there is just love … love forever with God who is love. That’s it … there is no other plan to be lived out. Even though I am a sinner … each person is … now I can revel in the fact that: ‘I am a sinner … I am a loved sinner … I am a redeemed sinner … and I have been created to be with God forever. That’s what today is all about … it’s not the end of the story but the completion of ‘waiting for that day that I am with the Lord.’
So what do I have to do? I must be grateful…if I’m not I can easily think that I am the one responsible for all this…I’m not … I’m the object of God’s love. I must also respond. Now how do I respond to love? I must love and Jesus has filled the pages of the Gospels with the how to’s of this; and other writers have enumerated on this in the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles and Revelation in the New Testament. I must also allow God to transform me and inspire me… I don’t have to work on a plan … Jesus already did that. It is being love…living in love…gifting with my love…WHY…because I am loved.
As I look back at the many years of my life and situations that I’ve been in…I can see so very readily the obstacles I have placed in placed in God’s way. Did that ever stop Him, NO. God just continued to pursue me in love and with love.
I find it very interesting in John’s account of the Resurrection when Peter and the ‘other disciple’ came and discovered the empty tomb. Peter just couldn’t figure it out…and the other disciple ‘saw and believed.’ This would seem to be such a special event why didn’t John say who the ‘other disciple’ was? So many scholars state that this was John himself. But why didn’t he say it was he? Maybe it’s because in deliberately leaving the ‘other disciple’ as anonymous, he want me and each person to decide for ourselves. Each person comes to this story later…how is my belief…am I need of help from the Spirit…is my faith strong at this time…am I struggling…the bottom line is what do I need from God to help my unbelief? So I reflect on:

• How different would my life be if I wasn’t a person of faith?
  
• I encounter many people each day, many know me, and to others I am a stranger…so I ask: will it take more than words to convince people of my Christianity?
  
• How am I an example of Jesus’ to my world…to family…friends who believe…friends who doubt…friends who don’t know or don’t care?
  
• There is pain in Holy Week…there is pain in my life…do I expect there to be no pain…or do I realize that this is my cross to carry that brings me to the glory of heaven?
  

Sacred Space 2013 has an interesting reflection:

“When Jesus raised Lazarus, Lazarus had to be freed from his grave-clothes. Jesus’ grave-clothes are rolled up and lying on the side, a reflection of His mastery over death. I stand in the doorway beside the entrance and stare into that empty tomb. Do I grasp the difference between this resurrection and that of Lazarus?”

• What do I still have to do to be Jesus?    

Palm Sunday March 24, 2013

Bulletin Palm Sunday March 24, 2013

Isaiah 50:4-7; Philippians 2:6-11 Luke 23:1-49

The Lenten journey is over or rather it begins its intensive study of God’s love for me and every single person ever created. In the different churches that I have been associated in these past 45 years, different palm processions and ceremonies have taken place. Now I’m think back to what it was actually like almost 2000 years ago when Jesus came into Jerusalem. Matthew, Mark and Luke maintain that Jesus only came to Jerusalem once during His public ministry. John says that Jesus was at least present during His last three Passover celebrations.

Now Jerusalem was a huge city and it was situated high on the mountainous hills. The center point of the city was the temple. This was the rebuilt second temple called ‘Herod’s Temple.’ It was absolutely magnificent in its beauty and construction and hugeness. This was the time of the Passover anniversary and Jews from all over Israel and throughout the Roman Empire came to be a part of this holiest of days. Travelers from distant areas would come by boat to Jaffa which is now Tel Aviv and then take a caravan for the trip to the Holy City and would find lodgings in one of the many ‘hotels’. (Our pilgrimage last year took an hour by bus.) Then they would purchase a sacrificial animal, usually a pigeon or a lamb, in preparation for the following day's events. What did they see?

The internet explains: “The gleaming white marble of the structure of the temple was visible from well outside the walls of the city. The scale of the building was designed to impress, and it dominated the landscape, effectively becoming the focal point of Jerusalem. Even the three great towers near Herod's palace seemed small in comparison.

The first thing a pilgrim would do would be to approach the public entrance on the south side of the Temple Mount complex. He would check his animal, then visit a mikveh, where he would ritually cleanse and purify himself. The pilgrim would then retrieve his sacrificial animal, and head to the Huldah gates. After ascending a staircase three stories in height, and passing through the gate, the pilgrim would find himself in the ‘Court of the Gentiles.’"

And Jesus entered the city amid the acclamation of the crowd proclaiming, “Hosanna in the Highest ... blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” I’m sure that with Jerusalem being so famous there were loads of ‘parades’ or grand entrances for the many famous rulers and dignitaries who came. The hawkers were selling their equivalent of sun glasses, banners, umbrellas, souvenirs etc. and switched ‘suddenly’ when a ‘new rich and famous’ person arrived. Matthew tells of Jesus entrance 23:1-11 and the people proclaimed Him their ‘King.” Matthew adds an interesting note, “And when He entered Jerusalem, the whole city was shaken and asked, ‘Who is this?’ And the crowds replied, ‘This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee.’”

Luke starts his gospel today with the Last Supper account and Jesus’ farewell address, then on to the Mount of Olives and His arrest. Luke shapes his account in a unique way describing Jesus as God’s chosen prophet who was sent to save the very people who will reject Him and kill Him. Jesus is totally innocent of the charges; even Pilate declares this as does the centurion at the foot of the cross. And Jesus does nothing to save Himself; His sole concern is to save others; me and all who have ever been created and will be created. He was totally unlike the others who made ‘triumphant’ entries into Jerusalem. He was not concerned with power, prestige, possessions. He was concerned with me and each of His creation. He came to show that it’s not ‘my power’ that counts but God’s and this is achieved by prayer. It is not prestige and importance that count, it is in being a servant and caring for all that God places in my life, especially those in need and those who have nothing that I help by my almsgiving. And it is not pleasure and ‘wining and dining’ that count but in realized that I have been gifted and loved and I must fast to realize that this helps me to rely on God and be grateful for what I have. And Jesus is constantly teaching in Luke’s account. Each ‘person’ that comes before Jesus, He helps.

• His question to Judas must have made him pause and reflect...”Are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?
• To Peter who would deny Him three times, Jesus just loved. So obvious a lesson to me: no matter where I am at in my sinning, God loves.
• Jesus declared to the Council of Elders who He was, even though there was nothing Jesus could say to change their evil intent. Jesus told the truth and loved.
• He even reached out to Pilate who knew that Jesus was innocent but didn’t have the courage to say so.
• In His silence, Jesus reached out to Herod who just didn’t know what silence in front of God is all about. Jesus reached out to the ‘daughters of Jerusalem’ by focusing on them and their children. It’s all about God’s love.
• Jesus reached out to those who nailed Him to the cross, “Father forgive them.” Forgiving the ones who hurt me, who persecute me, who are unkind or sullen to me; and Jesus says to love them, pray for them, forgive them.
• Jesus reaches out to one who was next to Him whose life had been horrible to others and himself, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”

What lessons...Jesus just kept on giving and caring and loving. And I wrap myself up within me and close me up to others God has placed in my life because I’m tired...or upset...or hurt...or worried...or not interested...or run-down...or just plain lazy. I have much to reflect on:

• What does the Eucharist mean to me? Do I come to receive for myself or as ‘strength for my journey’ to help others?
• Does the promise of eternal life influence the way I live today? Or do I think I don’t have to do anything, I’m in?
• What is my understanding of the phrase ‘dying to self’? How do I try to live this out in my life each day? Do I even think about it each day?

Sacred Space adds to my reflections:

• “Jesus makes us think again about what it means to be a leader as He shows us new meanings of ‘friend’ and ‘servant.’ I take time with these words, considering what they mean for me.
• In the presence of God, I look at how I lead, serve, and befriend.

Fr. Paul Schmidt adds a reflection:

“At the beginning of our passion narrative today, Jesus said to His disciples: ‘I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.’ Jesus says the same to us: I have eagerly desired that you should come to Mass today. I want you to walk with Me through this Eucharist. I want you to walk with Me through this Holy Week. I want you to experience the power of My death and resurrection. I want you to live with Me the new life of Easter. I am re-aching out to you. Do not be afraid. Come along!”

St. Patrick's Day - March 17, 2013

March 17, 2013

5^th Sunday of Lent C

Isaiah 43: 16-21; Philippians 3:8-14; John 8:1-11
I look at the woman in the Gospel story and try to imagine what was going on inside of her? She was caught in the act of adultery; she expected to be stoned to death because that was the penalty in the Mosaic Law. Instead she was dragged by these ‘self-righteous scribes and Pharisees in front of Jesus as ‘certain evidence’ of her guilt and proving Jesus a phony. John doesn’t say whether she was a religious person. Did she know who Jesus was; had she heard Him? Did this now encounter with this ‘holy man’ make her feel that it was all over and that now ‘God couldn’t possibly forgive her or care for her.”
The scene shifts: in spite of shaming and humiliating the woman and even the murderous feeling the scribes and Pharisees had, Jesus stayed so calm and peaceful and was absolutely gentle in His approach. I am certain that John is describing the attitude of God in front of sinners: gentleness, total concern for the sinner, forgiveness and mercy if asked of Jesus. At the same time these ‘accusers’ are the epitome of sullenness, public shaming, no concern for one’s feeling and an absolute despicable attitude of non-forgiveness. And Jesus didn’t condemn them either, He exposed them. Did He do this to give them time to reflect on how they were interpreting the ‘letter’ of the Law of Moses rather than looking into the intent of the law? Jesus showed that His journey was one of mercy and forgiveness; not judgment and condemnation.
It is so easy for me to examine myself and look into the condemnatory attitude that so easily crops up in me. Am I willing to extend to others the same compassion I would like to receive if I was involved in a similar situation? If God is best at His mercy then there can be no more important thing in my life than to show compassion. And Jesus says, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone.” How much do I put up with before ‘I explode?’ Jesus did not come to condemn but to save. Am I listening and reflecting on how He continues to save me? Yet I, in my absolute ignorance and prejudice consider myself better than others. So I ‘pick up stones’ to throw. And Jesus says, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and from now on do not sin any more.”

Today is the feast of St. Patrick. Growing up in an Irish family, I couldn’t understand why everyone didn’t wear green. Then when I grew older, I thought that only ‘Irish’ should wear green. And then March 17 the day of Patrick’s death was a day of joy and celebration because everyone loved this saint. Then I discovered a message from him to me: compassion for your persecutors and loving them and spreading the good news especially to them. Some tidbits from Patrick’s life:

• He was Catholic to start with but admits that he was not a good one.
  
• His father was a government official and Patrick enjoyed the comforts of the ‘well-off.’
  
• He described himself at 16 as a scatterbrained youth who had “turned away from God and did not keep His commandments.”
  
• He was kidnapped and sold as a slave and was a ‘slave’ on a farm for six years, he had no friends, and suffered without adequate food or shelter.
  
• He discovered, “God showed me how to have faith in Him forever, as one who is never to be doubted.”
  
• He followed God’s instructions on how to escape and God protected him all the way home.
  
• His parents wanted to keep him home but his love for God led him to want to serve God as a priest.
  
• Even more, his love for others led him to want to return to the people who captured and enslaved him and teach them about God.
  
• After overcoming many obstacles, including being rejected by Church officials and his lack of education and social graces he returned to Ireland as a bishop.
  
• He wasn’t greeted with open arms and said, “… daily I expect either murder, or robbery, or enslavement.”
  
• “They seized me with my companions and on that day they most eagerly desired to kill me; but my time had not yet come. And everything they found with us they plundered, and myself they bound in chains.”
  
• He served for 30 years.
  

HOW DO I RESPOND TO THIS….by celebrating and in St. Patrick’s own words calling each person to holiness: he asks those who believe and love him to “strengthen and confirm their faith…That will be my glory, for a wise son is the glory of His father…I give thanks to God who kept me faithful.”
God is doing that to me…He showed that to the scribes and Pharisees, and the woman in the gospel and to me.
So I reflect on two examples of Compassion and Forgiveness:
From the dairy of Etty Hillesum, a young woman in a WWII concentration camp: “I will have to pay tonight for that German soldier…he is suffering, too…on both sides of those borders [being human beings] people are suffering and one should pray for all of them. Good night.”
A piece of brown packing paper was found on the body of a dead child in Ravensbruck concentration camp, “O God, do not think only of the women and men of good will, but think also of those of bad will. Do not only think of the suffering they caused us, but also of the fruits that suffering produced: our comradeship, our fidelity, our humility, our generosity, and the greatness of heart that has been growing out of all this. When they come to judgment, let the fruits we rendered be their forgiveness.”
Sacred Space helps me so much, “The people asked a question for which they wanted to hear only one answer. Jesus did not engage in a dialogue with them. As I come to pray, I am reminded to listen for the voice of Jesus in dialogue with me, not saying only what I want to hear.”
Lord let me know Your forgiveness of me and let me forgive accordingly. I can’t do this on my own; I can only do this by being open to Your grace. Amen.

March 10, 2013

Bulletin: March 10, 2013

4^th Sunday of Lent C

Joshua 5:9-12; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
The Prodigal Son story; what an awesome description of how much love God has for each person. It does not matter to God where the person has been, what they have done, what they are afraid of or how they regard God. God just loves each person and is constantly leading them, encouraging them, helping them to recognize His love and to bring them to Him. God just plain loves; and I have to realize that He loves me just the way that I am: when I love myself or hate myself; when I am pleased with how I am responding to God or when I have closed God out and am concerned just with myself. God is constantly loving me and bringing me closer to Him but I have to respond and constantly be molding myself in the way that Jesus taught and the Spirit directs me. God is doing the same for each person; how great God is.
I’ve been thinking about the older son, I never really liked him, he just seemed to me to be too smug and not interested in any way in helping his ‘lost brother’ who came back repentant. But he had a point: he had done everything his father had ever asked. He showed his loyalty and in doing this showed his respect for the father. He could have ‘demanded’ some sort of reward: a gift, a party or the like, but he just did his work day in and day out. So putting this into the story what would it be like if the father had ‘agreed’ with the older son, and told the son to go away or that he could stay but take the ‘lowest’ position at the estate. Would this be fair and just? I would have to say that it would be but where is mercy in this? Can you have justice without mercy? And if you can’t, where does mercy come in and how much is one to be merciful? I have to look at myself in this: how often has God been merciful to be: a lot, in fact all the time. I receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation monthly admitting that I am a sinner and constantly in need of God’s mercy. If I didn’t use this sacrament, I would tend to think that I’m OK and that I’m living just as Jesus taught and the ‘little sins’ that I do aren’t all that bad. Yet how can any ‘little sin’ be not that bad? Am I loving when I do this sin (these sins) NO…and didn’t Jesus say that I must always love; each person, even ‘my enemies’ and that I must pray for them too? YES. So am I bordering on being a hypocrite and self-righteous as Jesus so often accused many Pharisees? YES. Then this parable tells me that the Father loves me and extends His mercy, all the time and forgives me if I ask to be forgiven. So where am I at and how do I apply the message of this parable to my Lenten journey and my daily journey to be Jesus and preparing myself for the Kingdom?

I went to Msgr. Romano Guardini’s masterful work, ‘The Lord’ as I do so often to help me in my reflection. He says, “Justice is good. It is the foundation of existence. But there is something higher than justice, the bountiful widening of the heart to mercy. Justice is clear, but one step further and it becomes cold. Mercy is genuine, heartfelt; when backed by character, it warms and redeems. Justice regulates, orders existence; mercy creates. Justice satisfies the mind that all is as it should be, but from mercy leaps the joy of creative life. That is why it is written that heaven rejoices more over one sinner who does penance than over a hundred just who have no need of it.” This helps so much and in a few pages Msgr. Romano helps me even more: “Thus the return of the younger son introduces an hour of destiny for his older brother. The parable adds nothing to the description of the incident, but it is self-evident that he is faced with a fundamental decision: if he insists upon justice only, he will force himself into a position of narrowness that will curtail his own liberty of heart and spirit. On the other hand, if he accepts the truth in his father’s words, he will understand the true nature of conversion and pardon, and enter in to the kingdom of creative freedom that lies above justice.” Then he concludes:

“Nevertheless, the proprietor’s unwelcome reply hits the nail on the head. We begin to understand when we realize that he represents God. The parable means simply this: He who distributes work and wage and the various destinies of men is the Lord of all existence, God. He is the Creator, the Omnipotent, the Primal One. Everything that is, is His. There is no higher law higher than He. His decision is always valid. Do we agree? Sincerely? NO, Even from God we demand justice. We expect His omnipotence to be curbed by His justice. This expectation is not irreligious. There is a whole book in the Bible on the self-assertion of justice in the face of God: the Book of Job. Job knows he has not sinned, at least not so as to have deserved anything like the terrible afflictions that have been sent him. Therefore he sees himself a victim of injustice. Job’s friends appoint themselves his judges and declare that he must have sinned, for such misfortune can only be punishment. However, the palaver comes to a sudden end; they are disdainfully silenced by God Himself, who personally appears to Job, wrapped in the mantle of living mystery, where upon all discussion ceases. What does this mean? That we attempt to call God to order in the name of justice only as long as we are intrinsically ignorant of who He is. As soon as the essence of His holy being even begins to dawn on us, our objections wither away. For everything comes from God, has its roots in God. Justice is not a law superior to everything, God included. God is justice.” So I come to learn more about this God who doesn’t fit into my mold…but is God. I have to see what God is telling me about Himself; when I’m open to learn, and then I can realize His closeness, love and mercy. So I reflect on:

• How often I say or think that ‘I’ve forgiven what they’ve done, but I’ll never be able to forget. How can I say this? The Prodigal Son is about God’s unconditional love that involves His forgiveness and forgetting the sin when sorrow is expressed. Lord help me!
  
• Do I think that the prodigal son felt he would be welcomed back by his father? Do I always feel God will forgive me and welcome me back? Why or why not?
  

Sacred Space puts in the positive for me: “The son who stayed at home seemed to have lost sight of his father’s generous character. I ask God to bless me with a life-giving understanding of our relationship.

God has a heart full of love for me; for what do I ask? I rejoice with God at signs of life, at the rediscovery of what has been lost or forgotten.”

“Return to your heavenly Father this Lenten season. Give God a chance to welcome you back.”

March 3, 2013

Bulletin: March 3, 2013

3^rd Sunday of Lent C

Exodus 3:1-8, 13-15; 1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12; Luke 13:1-9
I have found some interesting lines in the readings today that help me reflect on my Lenten journey. In Exodus Moses encountered the ‘burning bush’, certainly a remarkable sight and he had to get closer to see why it wasn’t being consumed. God calls him by name and Moses is afraid. God says “I have witnessed the affliction of my people…I know well what they are suffering…I have come down to rescue them.” This is what God is like: knowing and seeing everything with unfathomable caring and mercy. And do I hide or sense that God doesn’t care about me; this is the ploy of the devil. And to prove this God states His name as I AM. As Sunday Homily Helps states, “This is a name unique to God. It reflects the timelessness of the eternal God. Every generation of the faithful will have reason to remember the gracious presence of God in their lives.” What do I have to do to remember; to let it sink in that God is with me all the time? It can only be recognized with gratitude. If I am not grateful then I can’t understand God.
Paul reiterates the wonderful gifts that God gave to the people during and after the Exodus. Yet in spite of all that God did the people continued to do what they wanted and refused to live up to the covenant. Why did God continue to allow this? What is God best at? HIS MERCY! And Paul reminds me that I must look at all these faith stories and to see in them a pattern that is important for me: repent…change…be converted. He says it so strongly when he says “These things happened to them as an example, and they have been written down as a warning to us, upon whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall.” How many warnings did Moses convey to the people from God…Paul is warning me and all: repent…change…be converted. Paul kept on reminding the community at Corinth to ‘shape up.’ So I see myself with these people, even though I might think that my relationship with God is thriving, maybe that’s not the case at all. Maybe my confidence and assuredness is a sign of pride…my own spiritual pride…’I must be on the right track with God’. Why? When I say this I am prone to think I’m OK and I don’t have to work on anything. This can never be…but this is where the devil constantly wants me to be: complacent and self-satisfied. When this happens all growth is cut off; I’m no different in attitude than many of the Pharisees that Jesus’ condemns for their self-righteousness.
The two incidents that Jesus uses in the Gospel are reminders that now is the time for me to keep working on me. The first incident tells a horrible event where Pilate mingled the blood of some Galileans he had killed with the blood of their animal sacrifices. This is the only place in any literature that this is mentioned. Was Pilate capable of this, certainly? But why did it happen? Is there a reason for it; just that ‘things happen’ and I never know when ‘things will happen’ so I must be prepared. I could be the ‘Galilean victim’ so am I prepared for what will happen? Is there ‘unfinished’ repenting…changing…conversion that I must attend to? Can I incorporate in the remaining time of Lent? The second incident is where the tower at Siloam fell on 18 people killing them. Why? Tragedy happens. This is a reminder for me to continue in repenting…changing and conversion. Then Jesus tells a story of a barren fig tree, emphasizing the point that there is still time. Logic would have said that the tree was finished, but the owner, ‘God the Father’ allows the tree to stand for one more year. I can’t presume my conversion I can only take these messages to heart from my loving, merciful God.

Faith Catholic gives this summary: “Do we understand that we are on holy ground? Here in this place it is perhaps a bit more obvious. But we are on holy ground wherever we walk, for the Lord walks with us. We carry the burning bush, namely the fire of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. When we become too busy and so caught up in the distractions of this life, we begin to run the risk of extinguishing God’s fire within. Lent calls us each year to a time of rededication and repentance. Lent is also a good time to remember that we are far better off dealing with our own individual sinfulness, than using someone else’s shortcomings to excise our own. This is the gist of Jesus’ message in the Gospel.

In today’s parable we are also reminded that God gives second chances. Though tempted to simply cut down the fig tree because it is using up good space upon the earth that could be used for producing fruit, the gardener convinces the owner of the orchard to give him more time to cultivate around it and fertilize it. If all his attempts fail, then it will be cut down.

This parable represents the great ongoing conversation between our Creator and Redeemer—Father and Son. When the Creator begins to think it is time to cut His losses and start over, the Redeemer intervenes and asks for another opportunity to have God’s greatest creation—you and me—come to terms with our need to repent of not bearing fruit for the Kingdom. So let us invite the Lord into our hearts to prune, to cultivate and to feed us. Thus, will we be better enabled to bear the good fruits for the Kingdom of God—the fruits of compassion, justice and reconciliation.”
It all comes down to me. God created me in love and is proud of His creation; that’s why the gifts are constantly flowing. But I am accountable…so the bottom line is am I living and working for heaven in the way that Jesus teaches? So I reflect on:

• I am called to walk on holy ground—always aware of the loving presence of God, always united to Jesus in my efforts to live the Gospel. How am I doing so far this Lent?
  
• Moses was minding his own business when something dramatic happened. In the Gospel some things happened the people questioned some things that didn’t make sense to them. Jesus said, ‘You know neither the day nor the hour...’ So this day and moments are important…am I living this way?
  
• I know people who put their faith lives before other concerns. They seem to have a sense of serenity and peace about them. Do I learn from this?
  
• So what am I to do? Sacred Space says it simply, “I consider how God looks on me lovingly, ‘digs around me,’ and is patient with me. I humbly lay the fruit of my life before God.”