{"id":1779,"date":"2016-02-28T13:56:21","date_gmt":"2016-02-28T18:56:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/?p=1779"},"modified":"2016-02-28T13:56:21","modified_gmt":"2016-02-28T18:56:21","slug":"3rd-sunday-of-lent-year-c-homily","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/3rd-sunday-of-lent-year-c-homily\/","title":{"rendered":"3rd Sunday of Lent, Year C – Homily"},"content":{"rendered":"

3rd<\/sup> Sunday of Lent, Year C<\/a>
\nExodus 3:1-8a, 13-15
\nPsalm 103:1-2, 3-5, 6-7, 8, 11
\n1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12
\nLuke 13:1-9
\nFebruary 28, 2016<\/p>\n

\u201cSome people<\/em> told Jesus\u201d <\/em>about what Pilate was doing (mingling the blood of sacrifices).\u00a0 This leads to Jesus talking about suffering.\u00a0 Remember, in those days people believed that if you were suffering it was punishment for sin.\u00a0 Jesus tells them that the suffering they describe does not happen because the people were greater sinners than others.<\/p>\n

However, neither does Jesus say that these people were not sinners in some way.\u00a0 He uses it as an opportunity to tell everyone to repent.\u00a0 If we do not repent we will perish.\u00a0 Sin has its consequences and if we do not repent the greatest consequence of our sins will be to spend eternity in Hell.<\/p>\n

The good news is that when we repent, God forgives us and gives us another chance but what does it mean to repent?<\/p>\n

I see at least three parts to \u201crepentance.\u201d\u00a0 First, we need to realize we have done something that is wrong.\u00a0 We need to be humble enough to realize we are not perfect and we sin.<\/p>\n

Secondly, we need to be willing to admit our sins.\u00a0 This means going to the Sacrament of Reconciliation<\/a> to confess our sins.\u00a0 You can do this on Saturday afternoon.\u00a0 Next week, on March 9th<\/sup>, we will have our annual diocesan Day of Penance and Mercy from 12:30 \u2013 7:30 p.m. or you can always make an appointment.\u00a0 God wants to forgive you but you have to ask.<\/p>\n

The third part of \u201crepentance\u201d is a genuine desire to change, to undergo conversion.\u00a0 We need to become people of \u201cmercy.\u201d God has shown us \u201cmercy\u201d in forgiving our sins but this is not the only way God shows us mercy.<\/p>\n

God also shows us mercy in hearing our cries and responding to our affliction just as God heard the cry of the Israelites in Egypt.\u00a0 God lead them out to \u201ca land flowing with milk and honey.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

Our God is one who is \u201cslow to anger and abounding in kindness<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 He pardons our sins, heals us, and crowns us with his kindness.\u00a0 Truly, \u201cThe Lord is kind and merciful.<\/em>\u201d\u00a0 Are we?<\/p>\n

Often when we think about our sins, we think about what we have done wrong.\u00a0 This is good but it isn\u2019t the whole picture.\u00a0 We also need to think about \u201csins of omission,\u201d meaning the things we have failed to do.<\/p>\n

Here we turn back to Jesus with the fig tree.\u00a0 The tree had borne no fruit for three years so the landowner wanted to cut it down.\u00a0 The tree was planted to bear fruit.\u00a0 So, if it isn\u2019t fulfilling its purpose, get rid of it.\u00a0 It seems simple enough.<\/p>\n

Do we bear any fruit?\u00a0 God did not create us to sit idly by.\u00a0 We have created to do good works, to do acts of mercy.<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 In doing so, we bear good fruit.<\/p>\n

We can do Corporal Works of Mercy to feed the hungry and give drink to the thirsty like God did for the Israelites in the desert.\u00a0 We can welcome the stranger as God has welcomed us as his people.<\/p>\n

We can also do Spiritual Works of Mercy.\u00a0 If you aren\u2019t so familiar with these, you are not alone.\u00a0 Before the Year of Mercy, I didn\u2019t know much about them but I had to learn (see my presentations<\/a>).\u00a0 Among the Spiritual Works of Mercy is the call to \u201ccomfort the sorrowful.\u201d\u00a0 Don\u2019t we seek God\u2019s comfort in our own sorrow?\u00a0 Do we offer comfort to others?<\/p>\n

The Spiritual Works of Mercy also include \u201cadmonishing the sinner.\u201d\u00a0 How do we do this?\u00a0 Generally, it doesn\u2019t normally take a lot of effort for us to notice the sins in other people but what do we do when we see their sins?\u00a0 Do we rush to judgment and criticize and then walk away or do we act in a way to help them become a better person.<\/p>\n

We need to help them learn what our faith teaches.\u00a0 This is another Spiritual Work of Mercy, to instruct those who don\u2019t know better.<\/p>\n

Even when God punishes his people, it is not simply divine retribution.\u00a0 It is to get the people to change.\u00a0 It is not just to get them to change but as Paul tells the Corinthians, to serve as an example and warning to us, \u201cso that we might not desire evil things, as they did.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

God is \u201cslow to anger and abounding in kindness<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 How patient are we?\u00a0 How forgiving are we?\u00a0 How kind are we?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

3rd Sunday of Lent, Year C Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15 Psalm 103:1-2, 3-5, 6-7, 8, 11 1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12 Luke 13:1-9 February 28, 2016 \u201cSome people told Jesus\u201d about what Pilate was doing (mingling the blood of sacrifices).\u00a0 This leads to Jesus talking about suffering.\u00a0 Remember, in those days people believed that if you were …<\/p>\n

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