LENT III SUNDAY Ex. 3:1-8a, 13-15; 1 Cor. 10:1-6, 10-12; Lk. 13:1-9

All three of today’s readings speak of God’s mercy and compassion in disciplining His children by occasional punishment, while giving them many “second chances” despite their repeated sins. Although God’s love for us is constant and consistent, He will not save us without our co-operation. The first reading tells us how God shows His mercy to His chosen people by giving them Moses as their leader and liberator. Moses was leading a peaceful life of a shepherd. God called him from there and sent to his people with a mission - to redeem God’s people. From a peaceful life he was thrown to a life of struggle. Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro.  

 

Moses was the foster-son of the daughter of the king of Egypt. He was accustomed to a life of luxury. But he killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew slave and had to flee from Egypt into the desert. He had a lot of time on his hands as he tended sheep. He started to recalibrate his life. He started to ask questions. And God spoke to him. He saw that Moses was seeking him. And so he appeared in a burning bush. The bush intrigued Moses, because it was burning but not consumed. He got curious about it. But this was more than idle curiosity. Moses says to himself: “I must go over to look at this remarkable sight.” And that choice made all the difference. [Another man we know is Zachaeus, who had curiosity like Moses, which led him to climb a sycamore tree and that led to his encounter with Jesus which totally changed his life upside down. Curiosity with regard to matters of faith will lead us to deeper encounter with God.] Going back to Moses’ burning bush experience, as he drew near the burning bush he found that the fire was not burning.

The fire symbolizes God's other-worldliness - fire is the least material of all material things. It's like light; you can see it, but you can't touch it. It is burning in a bush, but the bush is not burnt up. That symbolizes that God's way of being is different from ours.

The name God reveals to Moses emphasizes the same thing: "I am who am."  In other words, "I am the one who exists independently of every other being." 

Human existence is dependent: we come into the world through our parents; we are cared for by them, and even as adults, we need the support of a society, the companionship of others.

We are dependent, God is independent. He simply is, from age to age. He has no need of anyone else.

But this far-away-ness of God isn't the whole story.  It's not even the most important part of the story.  He may not need us, but he wants us to be close to him.

Biblical scholars tell us that the Hebrew verb for "being" (used in God's name, "I am") doesn't just mean existence in the abstract.  It also means to be near, to be close. 

God came close to Moses, and drew Moses close to him. In Christ and in the Eucharist, he does so even more. God is far away - because he is God - but he is also close by, because he cares.

 

There’s a profound lesson here for our own lives. Today we’re halfway through Lent, a time God gives us as a journey into the desert. We too need a little more silence and a little more reflection as Moses did, in order to see the burning bush of God’s presence and draw near to it.

And God is hoping that we have the same response as Moses:  “I want to know this God who is not distant but who, in Jesus, has come into my life.”

“I want to draw near him; I want his light that helps me find my purpose in life. I want to hear God call my name.”

Lent is a 6 week intensive training course in holiness. And holiness means friendship with Jesus Christ. Jesus is the burning bush for us. When we see Jesus we see God. When we know Jesus we are touching God. We are touching the happiness we were created for.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us: “Because Christ himself is present in the sacrament of the altar, he is to be honored with the worship of adoration. To visit the Blessed Sacrament is…a proof of gratitude, an expression of love, and a duty of adoration towards Christ our Lord” (No.1418).

So here’s a take-away for the 3 remaining weeks in Lent. Spend half an hour each week with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Bring to him whatever’s going on in our life. It will change our lives.

When we receive Christ in a few moments we are receiving the real presence of God who calls to us like he called to Moses. The response is up to us. But remember to take your shoes off, shoes of protection, pride and sinfulness away by repenting of them.