"LOOK BEYOND!"

THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT (C) March 11, 2007

Readings: Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15; 1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12; Luke 13:1-9

In today's gospel, Jesus tells us the parable of the barren fig tree, the tree that the landowner wanted to cut because it bore only leaves and no fruits.

There are two things a living tree produces, leaves and fruits. A tree produces leaves in its own interest. Through the leaves a tree breathes and draws energy from the sun. Leaves provide a tree with its crown and beauty. But a tree produces fruits mainly in the interest of others. Fruits provide food for bees and insects, for the squirrels and birds, and especially for human beings.

We depend very much on the fruit produce of trees and plants for our daily bread. It can, therefore, be said that a tree that produces much leaves is doing well for itself, whereas a tree that produces fruit is doing good to others. We are called, as followers of Jesus, to bear not only fruit but leaves.

The Bible tells us that Jesus went about doing good – taking care of others. Today, many of us go about doing good taking care of our selves. What do you say of the man or woman who has a good income, a good house, is happily married, rides a luxury car and lives a comfortable life? We say that he or she is doing well. But when that person begins to do something to help other people, when that person volunteers time and resources to alleviate the needs of the less fortunate, then we say that he or she is doing some good for others. Jesus is reminding us today that what counts is not how well we are doing but what good we are accomplishing.

In other words, Jesus is inviting us today to “look beyond.” Moses is drawn to the burning bush. He could have just kept going, but he is drawn to the bush and then invited to see beyond the bush and discover the presence of God who chose to speak from that place.

In the gospel, Jesus offers a short parable about the owner of the vineyard, the gardener, and the barren fig tree. It has been three years since the tree was planted. It’s time for fruit and instead, there is nothing. So, it’s time to dig this tree up and plant another. But the gardener looks at the tree and sees possibility. He asks the owner for a chance – a chance to nurture the tree, feed it, fertilize it, and hope for results one more time! He sees possibility in the tree! He is able to look beyond the barrenness.

God’s word invites us to look beyond. Sometimes we need to look beyond what we find in ourselves; sometimes we need to look beyond what we find with God; and sometimes we need to look beyond what we find in another person.

We can so easily look at ourselves and be so aware of our weaknesses and shortcomings. Perhaps the season of Lent has made us even more aware of our inability to stick to our resolutions.

Jesus certainly looks beyond our failure and finds a good heart – finds someone who is weak and frail, but someone who is willing to try. And we need to see that in ourselves – we need to recognize the good that we do, and we need to see that there have been even little successes in what we have tried to change.

We can become discouraged with God. We pray and nothing seems to happen. We pray even harder and still nothing. And we can so easily feel that God is not listening or doesn’t care – and we need to see beyond, we need to recognize God as always being there, but sometimes with a plan we can’t quite understand or one that we find difficult to accept. But this certainly does not mean God doesn’t care – and we need sometimes to take a moment to see that.

Another person can often be the challenge for us – it might be one of the children; it might be a parent, or a spouse or a very good friend. In spite of how much we love that person; we wonder why the person continues to do the thing that disturbs us so much. It might be something that we know will ultimately hurt that person very much.

We can be ready to give up, ready to let go of any attempt to reach out. But think of the gardener! Is there something we are missing? Is the person crying out for help – for encouragement; for affection; for help in letting go of the past? So often what we first see is so negative and so alienating, but the gardener, the Jesus figure, would invite us to see beyond.

We come to a table and we see bread and wine – and Jesus and our faith invite us to see beyond and know the presence of the Lord with us at this table. We are called to be people like Moses and the gardener – people who can see beyond – people who can catch the beauty of the sunrise or sunset – and most of all – people who can see beyond in our own selves, in our relationship with God, and in the special people around us.

A tree needs to bear leaves as well as fruits. We need to do well as well as to do good but if we are doing well and have no avenue for responding to the needs of those around us, if we care only for our own welfare and not for the welfare of others at the same time, then we are like the barren fig tree that produces only leaves. Then we need to repent and begin to bear fruit of love and solidarity with our neighbor in need, in order to secure for ourselves a lasting place in the kingdom of God.