HOMILY OF 3RD SUNDAY IN LENT: YEAR C

HOMILY OF 3RD SUNDAY IN LENT: YEAR C

HOMILY THEME: IT’S NOT OVER YET

BY: Fr. Isaac Awe

Exodus 3:1-8.13-15, 1 Corinthians 10:1-6.10-12, Luke 13:1-9

Then he said to the cultivator of the vineyard: ‘Behold, for these three years I came seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I have found none. Therefore, cut it down. For why should it even occupy the land?’ But in response, he said to him: ‘Lord, let it be for this year also, during which time I will dig around it and add fertilizer”. (Luke 13:7-8)

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Dear friends in Christ, we are here before the lord to dig round our lives and add fertiliser to our lives through God’s words in order to be fruitful so as to make the world a better place. What is the present state of our lives? Stagnant or progressive? Fruitful or barren?

How many people’s lives go unfruitful because of the lack of someone who believes in them and the second chances? Is there a family member living under our roof who needs a second chance? How many people we meet are struggling with all sorts of burdens: who needs an ear to listen, or a shoulder to lean on? Shouldn’t I be a patient Gardner? How can I cultivate, nourish, nurture, and bear fruit? How can I help cultivate, nourish, nurture and make others bear fruit? Am I determined to make the most of my second chance?

What can barren fig trees tell us about the kingdom of God? Fig trees were a common and important source of food for the Jews. Bad figs or a decaying fig tree was linked with evil deeds and spiritual decay. The unfruitful fig tree symbolized the outcome of Israel’s unresponsiveness to the word of God. The prophets depicted the languishing fig tree as signifying the desolation and calamity of Israel due to her unfaithfulness to God ( Joel 1:7,12; Habakkuk 3:17; and Jeremiah 8:13). Jeremiah said that evil people are like rotten figs (Jeremiah 24:2-8).

This parable of Jesus depicts the patience of God. It is about how God gives us second chances. No matter how often we fail, God always focuses on the good we could do, if we just made better choices. God never gives up on us . He never condemns or rejects us. Redemption is God’sjob. It’s comforting to know that even with all our weaknesses and failures he will still work in us to make us more fruitful. In fact, his compassion is one of the most effective fertilisers around. It’s capable of feeding us and strengthening us. It has the power to lift us out of pain and setbacks we can experience in our lives and encourage us to take the next step towards a fruitful, peaceful life. God is willing to give us a second, third, or even fourth chance.

Nevertheless , it also contains a warning that we should not presume upon it. God gives us time to get right with him, but that time is now. We must not assume that there is no hurry. A sudden and unexpected death leaves one no time to prepare to settle one’s accounts when he or she must stand before the Lord on the day of judgment. Jesus warns us that we must be ready at all times. Tolerating sinful habits and excusing unrepentant sin will result in bad fruit and eventual destruction. The Lord in his mercy gives us both grace and time to turn away from sin and from worldliness, but that time is right now. If we delay, even for a day, we may discover that grace has passed us by and our time is up. Do we hunger for the Lord’s righteousness and holiness?

Reflection: It’s not too late to cry but it may be too late to cry when the head is off.

PRAYER: Lord, increase our hunger for your righteousness and holiness. May we not squander the grace of the present moment to say “yes” to you, to your will, and to your way of holiness. Amen

Happy Sunday!

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