Homily: 3rd Sun. in Lent, Yr. C
“Cultivate Your Life”
by Fr. William Holtzinger
March 13, 2004

After the events in Madrid, Spain these past couple days, it makes me wonder about the tragedy mentioned in the Gospel today. The people were trying to understand a great mystery: Why do bad things happen to good people? The answer is not simple, nor will I give you a full answer today. There is one thing that we can say with the help of Jesus. He responds to the people by explaining that their deaths were not caused by any sin on their part. They were not killed because they were any more sinful than anyone else. However, we never know when something may befall us. So, we need to give serious attention to sin in our lives and repent.

The more difficult question or challenge is found in the parable Jesus tells. It would seem reasonable to cut down any tree that was not producing the fruit it was supposed to be producing. In the nursery business, this might be very common. The solution Jesus offers is too time consuming and costly for anyone who works in the nursery business. It just seems like a waste of precious time and energy to go through so much effort just to save one fig tree. Yet, that is exactly how God is. He waits for all of us. You see, we are all like that fig tree in some way or another. We all struggle in our lives to be fruitful. Yet, sin in our lives prevents us from ever blossoming and eventually bearing fruit. As Jesus illustrates, the tree (you and me) will only grow in good soil that is cultivated. What could the soil mean? The soil is the environment in which the plant lives. For us, the soil may be our family lives, our spouses, our children, our work places, our activities and hobbies, our Church involvement. All these things should be life giving in order for us to grow. But, we must be careful. We could cultivate them in the wrong way... for our own selfish desires.

How many things do we do in our day are for our own personal gratification? Parents come to understand this in a powerful way. The presence of a new baby in a family shifts many values and priorities. This is a good thing. We learn to forget about ourselves and our needs and rearrange our focus to others. God wants to prune our desires and intentions. We should cultivate the soil of our lives and prune what ever is dead. When we look at the cactus in our sanctuary, we can see it is prickly. In Lent when we fast, we lay bare our needs and can sometimes get a bit testy like this plant. But, we are not to observe these practices without faith, hope, and love. We are being called to change the soil of our lives, to even allow ourselves to be replanted if needed. I see that many of you have decided to change the place where you site at Mass. I wonder if it has given you any new perspectives? One person has reported to me that he can hear better in his new seat. For other, maybe it is more difficult to see. Living in the likeness of Jesus will always call us to change. Like the plant, we too could stop producing fruit in or lives and maybe even die if we do not change.

Jesus is the master gardener. He knows best how to cultivate our spiritual lives as well as our social and love lives. But, we rarely ask him for his opinion or advice. Why do we do this? When in doubt, why not go to the author of love, the author of life? I wonder if it is because we are afraid that the answer will require us to change and be different--something that causes us anxiety and fear. But, my brothers and sisters in Christ, do not be afraid! Trust God that he will know just what kind of fertilizer you need in your life. Let him turn your environment upside down in the process. It might be stressful, but, I guarantee that it will be exciting and freeing.

One powerful way of doing this is by celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation. You are always welcome to our reconciliation room in the entry of the church. I’m there every Saturday from 3:30 pm to 5 pm and at other times by appointment. Next week, on March 17th, and again on March 23, we will be celebrating our Lenten Reconciliation schedule. Both will be bilingual. By receiving God’s forgiveness, you are participating in a very profound way of cultivating the soil of your life. Be not afraid. Come and be reconciled. What days are the reconciliation services? March 17th and 23rd. Wonderful! I wait to see you there.