- 1st Reading – Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15
- 2nd Reading – 1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12
- Gospel – Luke 13:1-9
Our responsorial Psalm today – “The Lord is kind and merciful” describes the theme of our readings today.
In our 1st reading we hear Moses being chosen by God to lead his people out of Egypt, out of slavery, God identifies himself as the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob signifying his enduring relationship with his people.
We know the rest of the story about the great Exodus out of Egypt, a journey which lasted for forty years and although the people grumbled and complained on many occasions, God provided them with water and manna, the bread from heaven and even quail. Despite all the good God did for them many still turned to iddotry and paid the price of death for it. While the rest were led to the promised land.
In our 2nd reading, St. Paul makes reference to Moses and the Exodus from Egypt. St. Paul told the Corinthians and he tells us, “The things that happened to them serve as an example. They had been written down as a warning to us.”
The theme that the Lord is kind and merciful continues in our Gospel.
In the 1st part of the Gospel, Jesus speaks of two groups of people who had been killed. And even though people at that time thought that when something bad happened, it was because of their great sin. Jesus clarifies that we are all sinners in the incidents gave Jesus the opportunity to call everyone to repentance. He stresses the fact that those people did not die because of their sins, but that just like them, we do not know when the end will come, and all those who do not repent of their sin will perish.
Jesus continues his lesson with the parable of the fig tree which for three years did not bear fruit. Coming close to being cut down, it is only saved by the gardener who begs for a little more time for it to bear fruit. This would indicate that our prayers for intercession really do work. Our Heavenly Mother and all the saints in heaven serve as our intemmediaries, the gardeners asking God to give us a little more time to bear fruit.
These stories seem to indicate the coming of Christ and serve as a warning to us. Are we bearing fruit? Very few are given a second chance. We do not know when the end will come.