Deacon Matt's Reflection

Reflection for Third Sunday of Lent: March 20, 2022

Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15: It’s very meaningful that this passage begins by describing Moses as a humble and responsible shepherd, tending a flock belonging to someone else; his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. Now, Moses is being called by God, the ultimate Priest, to help in shepherding God’s own flock; namely, us! When God calls Moses, God emphasizes the long relationship that God has had with Moses’ family; (God’s being worshipped and obeyed and served by Abraham, Isaac and Jacob… Moses’ ancestors). Moses’ ancestors are named as belonging to God’s flock. Now, Moses is being commanded to obey God and serve his Creator, as his fathers did. God shows great attentiveness and tender compassion and responsiveness in hearing and responding to the peoples’ pleas for help in their suffering and release from their captivity. Moses is now being called to lead the people in availing themselves of God’s generosity.

Psalm 103: “The Lord is kind and merciful.” In this psalm, we’re reminded to have gratitude to God, for God’s overwhelming generosity to us. We’re called to bless God’s Holy Name, which is identified in the first reading as, “I am.” Later in salvation history, we come to know God as Jesus Christ and as the Most Blessed Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit! God’s provisions to forgive, heal and redeem us are herein proclaimed; as are God’s kindness and compassion for us. The author exults in, proclaims and praises God’s justice, mercy and advocacy for those suffering oppression and for all. This week, consider praying this psalm for the suffering people of the Ukraine. This confident psalm concludes with thanksgiving and awe over the depths and heights of God’s kindness and mercy. Let’s take comfort!

1 Cor 10:1-6, 10-12: In this “midrash,” (analysis of historic Scripture, with a focus on its contemporary significance), Paul echoes the encouragement we’ve received about showing gratitude and appreciation to God, for God’s attentiveness to us, His people; throughout the ages. Paul reminds us of God’s miraculous interventions to help His people, Jews and Gentiles, throughout the time of the Exodus and their consequent exile in the desert. We are reminded of God’s Holy Presence in the life-giving water in the cloud, and from the Rock, (Jesus). The life-giving water from the cloud and the rock are a foreshadowing of the waters of Christian Baptism. God’s Presence and provisions for us are also manifested in the many supernatural ways in which God miraculously provided tender care for His people, such as in the sacred manna, fed to them in the desert… a foreshadowing of the Eucharist. Our God is always here for us!

Luke 13:1-9: In Jesus’ time, as in our own time; people sometimes mistakenly interpret tragic events that happen to various people as punishment or repudiation of them for theirs or their family’s sins. Luke clearly conveys Jesus’ strong rebuke of judgmental people who hold this view. However, Jesus also adds a warning to us that God does ultimately judge us regarding our sinfulness and that God does provide consequences to sinners by bestowing just rewards or punishments. We’re being told not to pridefully or self-righteously judge others; but to humbly identify and focus on our own faults and failings and repent of them. This passage conveys a strong Lenten reminder to prepare ourselves for the day of our deaths and for the final judgment. We’re strongly reassured today that God is kind and merciful, but we’d be presumptuous if we don’t also reflect that God is also just.

Ponderously,
Deacon Matt