Sunday, March 23, is the Third Sunday of Lent. Mass readings: Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15;  Psalm 103: 1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 11; 1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12; Luke 13:1-9.

In the first part of today’s Gospel, Jesus warns of the notion that the suffering of certain people is due only to their sins: 

“Do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!”

What Jesus is saying is that is easy to focus on the sins of others, while failing to discern our own need for repentance and mercy. Before God, we are all beggars; all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). 

But the Lord reminds us that he is willing to help us, with his grace and mercy. He describes a process in which we must cooperate, for judgment will surely come. 

Note the following three steps of assessment, assistance and acceptance.

Jesus tells the parable of a fig tree that bore no fruit. The owner (God) wants to cut it down. Faith is a fruit-bearing tree, bearing the fruits of love, justice, and the keeping of the commandments. The Lord looks for these fruits and assesses whether they are present. 

The text goes on to describe the prayers and requests of the gardener (in this case, Mother Church): 

“Sir leave it for this year also. I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it. It may bear fruit in the future.”

The gardener (the Church) asks for mercy and time. As such, mercy and time are granted by the owner (God), along with necessary supplies (grace) to help accomplish what is sought: the fruit of faith. 

Indeed, the Lord sends us help and graces in so many ways: He speaks in our conscience, writes his law in our hearts, gave us the Law, sent us prophets, and punishes our wrongdoings in order to bring us to repentance. He sent us his Son, who established the Church and gave us grace and the sacraments. 

How much God has done for us: He has graced us in every way. He has entrusted to the Church, in answer to her pleas, every necessary grace to bear fruit. Now, he patiently waits. He looks to return again to seek the fruits that are necessary for us to have the holiness without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). 

 The parable ends very simply with this line: 

“If not you can cut it down.” 

Judgment is not so much God’s decision as it his acceptance of our decision to bear fruit or to refuse to do so; to accept or refuse his offer of the fruits of faith, such as chastity, mercy, forgiveness, reconciliation, love of the poor, and appreciation of the truth. 

Thus, the Lord teaches us to be serious about sin and about judgment. For now, there is mercy and every grace available to us, but there will come a day when our decision will be accepted and forever fixed.