3rd Sunday of Lent

Reflection written by Bishop David Walker

The third Sunday of Lent lays heavy emphasis on suffering, the destructive force of sin, and the unexpected healing presence of God. It is a timely theme for Lent, when we are called to repent. The time of Lent, also a

time of fasting and penance, invites us to re-examine our lives and in particular, where we have strayed into ways of misery and failure, which is the focus of the Readings today. Lent is our time to stop and consider conversion, which is only possible through our recognition and acceptance of God’s grace.

In Exodus 3 we encounter the well-known story of Moses and the burning bush. If we delve further we come to the awareness that it is the story of present suffering and the hope of salvation, which is very much similar to our Lent and Easter times of repentance and new life. Moses himself is a man of sorrow but at the burning bush he comes to an awareness that all the Hebrew people are suffering too. As God declares, ‘I have observed the misery of my people in Egypt’. There is suffering all around us, wherever one may be and whoever they are. It is unfortunately a universal phenomenon that drags people down. However, today’s reading offers the hope of a new life, where people can overcome their injustices and live in freedom. God promises to Moses, ‘Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them.’ What we have here is a God moved with compassion, a God who seeks human joy and desires to save us. It is the one and same God who will be with us in his Son Jesus, the same God who loved us into being and who chose to experience human suffering and death. God takes the initiative always to draw closer to us. The question is, will we accept the promise and hope God extends to us, when we are suffering in our sin?

The following two Readings from 1 Cor 10 and Luke 13 are firm in their message and raise the question, will we continue to wallow in sin and misery when God is among us? Yes God extends compassion and money. God takes the initiative but do we respond? Can we, during this Lenten Season, recognise and appreciate the blessings of life and commit to living under God’s grace and will, or will we remain the barren fig tree. The fi g tree gave no fruit, yet Jesus was willing to give it another go. God is always waiting patiently to give us another chance.

God was with the people in Egypt when they were enslaved, God was in the desert with the people despite the rebellion, God took them to the Promised Land leading them to the waters of life, and God is with us today in giving hope in our struggles. In this Lenten week, we are reminded that God hears our cries and knows our suffering. Now it is up to us to come forward as Moses did, to listen to God and be transformed in the hope of new life.