Isaiah 55.1-9

1 Ho, everyone who thirsts,
    come to the waters;
and you that have no money,
    come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
    without money and without price.
2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
    and your labour for that which does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,
    and delight yourselves in rich food.
3 Incline your ear, and come to me;
    listen, so that you may live.
I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
    my steadfast, sure love for David.
4 See, I made him a witness to the peoples,
    a leader and commander for the peoples.
5 See, you shall call nations that you do not know,
    and nations that do not know you shall run to you,
because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel,
    for he has glorified you.
6 Seek the Lord while he may be found,
    call upon him while he is near;
7 let the wicked forsake their way,
    and the unrighteous their thoughts;
let them return to the Lord , that he may have mercy on them,
    and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord .
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

 

REFLECTION 

God sends a message of great blessing to the people, but they must come. God sees that they are focused on things that do not give life, and God calls to offer them life in abundance. All they need to do is turn away from the wicked things.

 

Psalm

Psalm 63.1-9

1 O God, you are my God:

eagerly will I seek you.

2 My soul thirsts for you, my flesh longs for you:

as a dry and thirsty land where no water is.

3 So it was when I beheld you in the sanctuary:

and saw your power and your glory.

4 For your unchanging goodness is better than life:

therefore my lips shall praise you.

5 And so I will bless you as long as I live:

and in your name will I lift my hands on high.

6 My longing shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness:

my mouth shall praise you with exultant lips.

7 When I remember you upon my bed:

when I meditate upon you in the night watches,

8 How you have been my helper:

then I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings,

9 Then my soul clings to you:

and your right hand upholds me.

 

 

2nd Reading

1 Corinthians 10.1-13

1 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness. 6 Now these things occurred as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did. 7 Do not become idolaters as some of them did; as it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play.’ 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by serpents. 10 And do not complain as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall. 13 No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.

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REFLECTION   

Paul writes to the Corinthians, and this must be aimed at the Jewish community because it talks about 'Our ancestors...' and refers to a history that only Jewish people would understand. The events are an example of God's punishment on those who test God and Jesus. Paul writes that they are going to be tested. The tests will be with in their capabilities to bear and overcome. The thing is tests are proving grounds of who we are. These test do not test our abilities, but our choices. I believe that there is a point where we are tested to see what we will choose. We may know what God wants us to choose, but in the end will we choose it.  

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Gospel

Luke 13.1-9

1 At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 He asked them, ‘Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. 4 Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.’ 6 Then he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7 So he said to the gardener, “See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still, I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?” 8 He replied, “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig round it and put manure on it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.” ’

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REFLECTION 

Jesus appears to have two conversations, the first stems from the events about the Galileans whose blood was mingled with the sacrifice. I am not sure why he was told, but Jesus uses the event to talk about those who died and if they were greater sinners than other Galileans. This most likely stems from the Jewish idea that bad things happen to you because you are a sinner. Like when Jesus was asked if the blind man was blind because of his sin or his parent's sin. Jesus uses another example to stress this question. His response is to not place it on sin Jesus wants his listeners to know that bad things can happen to anyone. ​

The second story is about the unproductive fig tree, condemned for destruction and then saved by the gardener, who asks that it be given one more chance, but in that time, it is to be dug around and fertilized. He believes it can still bear fruit, but if it doesn't then get rid of it. 

Are these stories connected? reflect before reading on.

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For me they are. Both are about trying to get the people to realize they are being given a second chance. The first story tells the people they could end up like those other people, being good is no guarantee, so look a your life and change before it is to late. The second is telling the people they have been unproductive, and that God is looking to get rid of them, but someone (Jesus) has convinced the Father to relent and give the Jewish people, maybe all humanity, one more chance. We live like we have all the time in the world to get things settled, but we do not know. The message is still relevant to us today. Change while you can.

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