Gospel Reflection March 23 – Deacon Frank Iannarino
Sunday, March 23
Third Sunday of Lent
Luke 13: 1-9
Gospel:
Some people told Jesus about the Galileans
whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.
Jesus said to them in reply,
“Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way
they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!
Or those eighteen people who were killed
when the tower at Siloam fell on them—
do you think they were more guilty
than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!”
And he told them this parable:
“There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard,
and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none,
he said to the gardener,
‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree
but have found none.
So cut it down.
Why should it exhaust the soil?’
He said to him in reply,
‘Sir, leave it for this year also,
and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it;
it may bear fruit in the future.
If not you can cut it down.’”
Gospel Reflection:
A young girl brought her boyfriend home to meet her parents. The parents couldn’t find many good qualities about him. When the parents had the opportunity to talk to their daughter later, by herself, the girl’s mother said: “Dear, he doesn’t seem like a very nice person.” The daughter answered her mother with these words, “Mom, if he wasn’t nice, why would he be doing 500 hours of community service?”
I may be stretching things a bit to say “community service” fits into the theme of this weekend’s gospel, but our readings remind us not to be like the fig tree in Jesus’ parable. We are to produce good works. God didn’t create us to take up space in this world. He wants more from us than that. He wants us to trust him, to love him, and to do good for others.
This season of Lent keeps reminding us of our need to grow in holiness and goodness. Some people start Lent with a great deal of enthusiasm – praying more, making sacrifices, or doing good work. But as the weeks drag on, they ease up with their good resolutions. We still have four more weeks of Lent. This Sunday’s readings encourage us to do what we can so we can come to Easter with our mind and heart renewed.
This weekend, we will have the first of three Scrutinies at our 11:00 Mass. They are not just for those in our OCIA process who are preparing to come into the church at Easter. The Scrutinies are for all of us so that we are better able to live the Christian way of life. May we all try by living up to what God wants and hopes for us. We must remember that whether God is comforting us, forgiving us, healing us, blessing us, encouraging us, or correcting us, “The Lord is kind and merciful.”
Deacon Frank Iannarino
