Reflection for the Third Sunday in Lent, YEAR C , by Rev Fr Mattew Attah.
“Do you think the Galileans were worse Sinners”❔
Sometimes we may be tempted to think we’re better than our Neighbors – Physically, Spiritually, financially, Morally and otherwise.
But Are you really better than Them❔
We’re also tempted to think that you’re alive or you’re succeeding because you know how to make it better. This was the belief in the time of Jesus, the people came to Jesus in the Gospel of Luke(Luke 13). They told Jesus about the persecution of the Galileans who were pilgrims in Jerusalem, they came precisely for the Passover feast and while they were at the temple offering their sacrifices, Pilate ordered that they should be killed immediately and their blood be sprinkled with the Animal blood of Sacrifices.
They were asking Jesus, What was the cause of these evil on the Galileans, were they worse than other Galileans❔
(If you follow the history of Pilate, you’ll find out that he’s known for brutality! He kills and destroys! We’ll see Very soon as he condemns Jesus to death)
And Jesus Reminded the People, Yes you have told me about the Galileans but do you remember the 18 persons whom the tower of Siloam collapsed upon? Do you think they were the worst offenders in Jerusalem?
The People felt that they deaths were punishment for their sins but Jesus says rather it’s a challenge for YOU & I, a Call to repentance, If you don’t repent, you’ll all perish like them.
The Gospel reading of today is a Call to Metanour which means a change of heart and that’s what Lent is all about.
Repentance is not about wearing Ashes, Putting on Sack clothes. Lent is a call to conversion. It’s an acronym for:
L – Leave
E – Every
N – Negative
T – Tendencies
Today in the Gospel, Jesus uses the parable of the fig tree where the impatient owner of the vineyard waited for 3 years without it being productive and wanted to cut it down. How many years have you existed❔Can God find any fruit in your life❔Have you not lived more than 3 years❔
The Winedresser pleaded, Sir give it one more year, so I’ll have time to dig and manure it. In other words, Give it a second Chance, and that’s the God whom we serve – The God of Second Chance.
One major Challenge that lies before a second chance is – PROCASTINATION, which many Christians are guitllty of today. Later I’ll do it, Later I’ll repent, Later I’ll observe my Lenten Fast.
When God is giving us a second Chance, he’s simply asking us to comeback with tears of Repentance!
Let’s not take God’s second Chance with Levity
He said, “Unless You repent, you’ll perish”. He’s a God of compassion, a God of Benevolence – Bene means Good, Volence from Volere in Latin means Willing ..It’s Gods Willing for Us.
And we see God’s Benevolence in the first reading of today where he showed his goodness to the people of Isreal by librating them from the Land of Captivity and Slavery – Egypt.
In this Season of Lent, you may be asking why we are taking the first reading from the book of Exodus. Exodus Means Departure, It’s because God’s inviting us to depart from the Slavery if Sin.
The first reading (Exodus 3: 1-15) is divided into two parts, Verses 1-6 and 7-15. The first part has to do with Moses’s homecoming at the burning bush. We’re familiar with how Moses escaped from Egypt, how he saw an Egyptian fighting his fellow brother (An Hebrew) and decided to help, the Egyptian died in the process, the brother reported revealed the secret and Moses was the most wanted on Egypt, he ran away and decided to marry Jethro’s daughter who was a Shepherd.
It was while shepherding the flock of his father in law (Exo 19:11) God revealed himself through the burning bush, the Bush that burns but never Consumes, which is the Second Part – the Manifestation of God in the Fire.
Fire in the Old testament is symbolic for the presence of God. But in the Days of the burning bush, it basically refers to the awesome and powerful presence of God. It’s all about revealing the holiness and Purity of God!
God’s instruction to Moses to remove his sandals is a sign of honour and respect for the holy ground and not just that, Moses removing his sandals is a sign of Home coming as he already stated in Exodus 2:22, “
He couldn’t find a home among humans but he found with God.
Have you been able to find a home with God❔
Can people see God in your Attitude, Character, in your Life.
This Lenten season is a call for us to find a home with God.
The Three C’s of Lent:
1. Communion with God through prayer
2. Commitment to God through Fasting
3 Come home to God
God is present with you during this season of Lent, if you Leave Every Negative Tendencies, you’re supposed to experience the presence of God.
He’s present not only to liberate us from the hands of our enemies but from the clutches of Sin.
Are you ready to allow him in this season of Lent to have his way in your Life❔
This is the Challenge before us! O that today we will listen to his voice..Harden not your Hearts✝
Have a great week ahead!!
PHOTO EXCERPTS FROM REV FR THEODORE MARTINOS 9TH YEAR PRIESTLY ANNIVERSARY THANKSGIVING MASS AT ST PATRICK IDUMAGBO, LAGOS ISLAND
Fr Martinos Presided over the Mass alongside some of his classmates
Dancing to the altar during
Thanksgiving
SUNDAY SCHOOL CORNER
In the Newly Rebranded Parish Hall, the Children were Not left out in the Sunday’s Spiritual Nourishment as the Coordinators took them through the Gospel (Luke 13: 1-9) with Special emphasis on the Parable of the Fig tree Jesus told the people about and how they as children are expected to bear “Good fruits” not “bad fruits” such as Stealing , Lying , disobedience to elderly ones, etc.
They were taught 9 out of the 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit and Learnt songs on Obedience, Kindness.
After the Mass they were Prayed Upon and blessed by Rev Fr Theodore Martinos and Rev Fr Matthew Attah.
ACTIVITY FOR THE WEEK
– Every Child should get a Cardboard, Cut off their favourite fruit and write a fruit of the Spirit on it to bring next week Sunday.
– Every child should read the book of Genesis 37:1-11(Joseph Dream)
MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK
Psalm 103:8 –
“The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love”