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Home  / News & Publications /  Michigan Catholic News / 2010 /  We are called to repent ... now!

by Fr. Richard C. Macey special to The Michigan Catholic
Published February 26, 2010

The Third, Fourth and Fifth Sundays of Lent may use the readings for Cycle A, when they are linked with the RCIA program in the parish. I will comment on the Cycle C readings over the next few weeks.

First Reading: Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15
There are several names for Moses’ father-in-law: Reuel (Exodus 2:18), Jethro (Exodus 3:1), Jether (Exodus 4:18), and Hobab (Numbers 10:29). This may represent different traditions of the story, which are woven together. Horeb and Sinai refer to the same mountain, where Moses and the people of Israel will return to obtain the Law from God. “Angel” in both Hebrew and Greek is the word for “messenger.”

Moses was called into the service of the Lord through a voice that spoke to him from a burning bush. The fire in the bush attracted Moses to it. Fire was also used as a theophany, an appearance by God. It was an invitation for Moses to approach by the burning bush. He was not coerced by God, who respected the free will of Moses. The double calling of his name by God (like Abraham, Jacob, Samuel, Martha and Saul/Paul) meant that he was recruited for a special role in God’s plan of salvation for His people. Moses accepted God’s offer. Since he was raised in the house of Pharaoh and not by his Hebrew family, he had to ask the name of God.

A Jewish commentary on the naming of God before each patriarch, “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob,” taught that each person must make a personal commitment to the Lord, just like the patriarchs. It also shows the grounded tradition of faith to which a believer professes. This appears to be a traditional way to refer to God, since it is repeated near the end of this reading.

“A land flowing with milk and honey” expresses the fruitfulness of the land for an agrarian society. It is the fruitfulness of animals and plants. The milk probably comes from goats. The honey is not from bees. It is the sweet nectar of dates, figs or grapes. The fact that the land is described as flowing with these things, rather than water, also emphasizes the richness of the land.

There are several English translations for God’s answer to Moses about His name: “I am who am” (or “I will be what I will be”). The English translation of “the Lord” follows the Greek version of the Old Testament to show respect for the name, Yahweh. It is the title that the observant Jew substitutes for the name of God. After the return from exile in Babylon in the sixth century B.C., the original, Hebrew name could only be spoken once a year by the High Priest in the Holy of Holies in the Temple on Yom Kippur, the Feast of Atonement.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12
Paul addresses the Gentile Church at Corinth by including them in the heritage of Israel, as he explains the events that surrounded “our ancestors,” during the Exodus. He gives a midrash, a written commentary on Scripture, about the events in the Book of Numbers.

Some scholars have suggested that the admonition, “do not grumble,” may be a veiled threat against those who opposed Paul in the Church. The Israelites in the wilderness during the Exodus grumbled against Moses and Aaron (Exodus 16:2; Numbers 14:2, 17:6). It was the cause for the entire generation to die on their way to the promised land (Numbers 14:23,29,36-37). The concluding verse of this passage emphasizes the importance of individual responsibility for one’s actions.

Gospel: Luke 13:1-9
The narrative includes two stories and a parable of the fig tree. They are unique to Luke in the Gospels. Neither one of the stories are mentioned in any biblical or extra-biblical work. The stories and the parable are a call for repentance. They warn about the fragility of physical life. They indicate that “the clock is ticking!” Repentance cannot be put off for long, if it is to be effective in the final judgment of life. Each individual is given the opportunity to be productive for the benefit of others. God planted us on Earth to be fruitful, and He provides the nourishment and opportunities for our lives to be fruitful.

Recently, I had to apologize to a parishioner for “correcting” them in front of others. It is so easy to become righteous, when you know you are right! How hard it is to remember that human stories are not so simple to judge. Repentance and forgiveness, like growing to maturity, take time and effort. We can never stop. That is why Lent is so critical in our yearly measure of being Christlike and our challenge to continue our journey of faith together. And Jesus Christ, our human and divine model, gives us a little more time to be fruitful for others.

Fr. Richard C. Macey is pastor of Our Lady of the Woods Parish, Woodhaven.