Third Sunday of Lent (C)

Readings:

1. Exodus 3.1-8a, 13-15
   Psalm 103.1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 11  Response:  “The Lord is kind and merciful.”
2. 1 Corinthians 10.1-6, 10-12
3. Luke 13.1-9

[Note:  Many parishes use the readings from Cycle A during Lent.  In that case, the gospel would be John 4.5-42, the story of Jesus and the woman of Samaria.]

Reflections on the Gospel Reading

Today’s gospel reading fits in well with Lent.  In a passage found only in his Gospel, Luke presents three warnings to repent while there is still time.  In the process we get a glimpse of Luke’s theological outlook.

To understand Luke’s first two warning stories we need to realize that the report about Pilate’s murders was a trap.  It was something like the seemingly innocent question about tribute to Caesar (Luke 20.20-26).  John J. Pilch even thinks it was a deliberate lie to test Jesus’ reaction before anyone could check the facts.  (1997, 55)

In the honor/shame world of that time any public statement or question was a challenge to one’s honor.  As Luke tells it, Jesus’ enemies hoped that he would lose face no matter how he responded to the news.  If he condoned Pilate’s reported murder of the Galileans, he would lose face with the vast majority of the people who hated the Roman oppressors.  If he spoke out vigorously against the atrocity, he would be a marked man.  It would not be long before the Roman authorities would silence him.  One way or another Jesus would be out of the picture, either by loss of authority with the common people or by death.

The Jesus presented to us in the Gospels is a master of this deadly serious game of challenge and response.  Rather than respond directly, Jesus deftly changes the subject.  He turns his listeners’ attention to their response to the news that he is bringing – his proclamation that the reign of God is breaking in upon them.  He draws a moral from the fate of the Galileans and matches it with a similar story involving Judeans.  The moral is the same.  These instances of sudden death should cause his listeners to reflect on their response to the good news of the reign of God.  Have they repented, changed their lives, turned toward God?  If not, their death when it comes will be sudden too.  If one is not prepared, death is always sudden.

We see Luke’s “theology of a second chance” in the following parable of the fig tree.  Whereas the previous two warnings were directed to the people, this parable seems to be directed toward the leaders of the people, Priests, Scribes and Pharisees.  It is important to note that the fig tree is planted in a vineyard¹.  In the Jewish Scriptures a vineyard is frequently a symbol of the whole nation of Israel.

According to the custom of the time a fig tree would have three years to grow after planting before it began to bear fruit.  It was forbidden to eat the fruit of the next three years, and the fruit of the seventh year was to be offered to the Lord.  According to this time table the owner had been waiting for nine years since planting and still had nothing to show for it.  Any reasonable person would say that it was time to dump this investment. (Pilch 1997, 56)

The gardener, however, pleads for one more year.  He hasn’t given up on the fig tree, just as God has not given up on the leaders of Israel.  They still have time to repent.

Joseph Fitzmyer ties the three warnings together:

The Galileans may have died by the malice of some human being; the eighteen Jerusalemites by chance (they happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time).  But the fig tree will die expressly because of inactivity and unproductiveness.  In the long run this becomes "the greater sin."  (1985, 1005)

In the Ash Wednesday liturgy Paul tells us, “Now is the acceptable time!  Now is the day of Salvation!”  (2 Corinthians 6.2)  One of the formulas for giving of ashes reads, “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel.”  We find the same message in today’s gospel reading.  During this Lent, not next year or the year after, we are called to turn toward God, to be converted, to repent, to respond to the good news of the kingdom, and to follow Jesus along the way to death and resurrection.  Whether it is an about face or a course correction, we need to change direction now while there is still time.

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In today’s gospel the emphasis is on the urgency of conversion.  Next Sunday the emphasis will be on the content of conversion.  We will listen to Luke’s magnificent parable of the Merciful Father and his Prodigal Sons, and we will ponder the meaning of forgiveness.

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In preparing these reflections, in addition to the biblical texts, I consulted the following works:

BAG – William F. Arndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, A translation and adaptation of Walter Bauer’s Griechisch-Deutsches Wörterbuch zu den Schriften des Neuen Testaments und der übrigen urchristlichen Literatur (fourth revised and augmented edition, 1952) (Chicago:  The University of Chicago Press, 1957)

Fitzmyer 1985 – Joseph A. Fitzmyer, The Gospel According to Luke X-XXIV : Introduction, Translation, and Notes (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1985), pp. 103-109.

Fuller 1984 – Reginald H. Fuller, Preaching the Lectionary:  The Word of God for the Church Today, Revised Edition (Collegeville, MN:  The Liturgical Press, 1984), pp. 411-412.

Johnson 1991 – Luke Timothy Johnson, The Gospel of Luke , Sacra Pagina Series Volume 3, A Michael Glazier Book (Collegeville, MN:  The Liturgical Press, 1991), pp. 210-214.

Karris 1990 – Robert J. Karris, O.F.M., “The Gospel according to Luke, “ in Raymond E. Brown, S.S., Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S.J. and Roland E. Murphy, O. Carm., Editors, The New Jerome Biblical Commentary  (Englewood Cliffs, NJ:  Prentice Hall, 1990), p. 705a, section 138.

LaVerdier – Eugene, LaVerdier, S.S.S., Luke.  New Testament Message, Volume 5.  A Michael Glazier Book  (Collegeville, MN:  The Liturgical Press, 1990), pp. 179-181.

Malina & Rohrbaugh 1992 – Bruce J. Malina and Richard L. Rohrbaugh, Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels  (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1992), pp. 306-307.

Mitchell 2004 – Joan Mitchell, CSJ, “3rd Sunday of Lent,” Sunday by Sunday, Vol. 13, No.27, March 14, 2004, pp. 1-3.

Pilch 1997 – John J. Pilch, The Cultural World of Jesus, Sunday by Sunday,  Cycle  C .  A Liturgical Press Book (Collegeville, MN:  The Liturgical Press, 1997), pp. 55-57.

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