Third Sunday of Lent/C
Massimo Palombella
In today’s Gospel (Lk 13,1-9) Jesus tells the parable of the fig tree that does not bear fruit and the master’s desire to cut it down.
Each one of us can find himself/herself in the same situation as the fig tree, that is, of not being able, of not finding the strength to live the truth, of understanding very well what we should do, but not being able to do it.
And it is precisely these situations, where we touch and experience our weakness, which by breaking down all our ancestral defences, dispose us – not without pain – to be able to grasp the concrete and at the same time discreet presence of God in our lives.
A God who reveals himself in the people around us, who shows his love and patience by taking care of us beyond all our expectations and loving us beyond all our schemes.
A God who, like the vine-dresser, takes care of our inabilities, never ceases to be patient, looks “beyond” our punctual failure so that we may learn to do the same with those around us.
The ‘tract’ of today’s celebration comes from Psalm 122 (Ps 122:1-3) with the following text:
Ad te levavi oculos meos, qui habitas in caelis.
Ecce sicut oculi servorum in manibus dominorum suorum.
Et sicut oculi ancillae in manibus dominae suae.
Ita oculi nostri ad Dominum Deum nostrum, donec misereatur nostri.
Miserere nobis, Domine, miserere nobis.
I have lifted my eyes up unto you, who dwell in the heavens.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hands of their masters;
And as the eyes of a maidservant to the hands of her mistress;
So do our eyes look unto the Lord our God until he have mercy on us.
Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us).
The attached music, in Gregorian Chant, is taken from the Graduale Triplex published in Solesmes in 1979. The music track can be found on YouTube where there is no indication of interpretation.
A blessed Sunday and heartfelt greetings.
