The Third Sunday in Lent

Friends in Christ,

Read Exodus 3:1

Many of us have to get up early in the morning , well certainly on a week day. When we hear the alarm going off, we are tempted to stop the bell with the ' snooze' button. When the bell rings yet again, then we give the matter of rising our immediately attention.

For some people, Ash Wednesday is just enough to rouse the Lenten spirit of prayer and penance. Many need another warning that we must get serious about Prayer, Discipline and Almsgiving. Lent does involve so many different types of responses.

We have to ask ourselves, " What is God calling me to do with my life? What is my 'call'? You recall the story of the burning bush, when God appeared to Moses? Moses must have wanted to run far away when God appeared to him then. The Lord overruled all his objections and commanded him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. What a wake up call!! Frightened and unarmed, he began what seemed to be an impossible task. He had one advantage, of course, ( besides the help of his brother Aaron.) God had revealed to Moses what had been kept secret up until then - and that is His Name. The great I AM . God's Name helps us to establish our own identity.

If God is pure existent Being, then my own life is dependent on His will. My own identity is that of creature and servant. Everything I am and have hangs by a thread from God's own mysterious and awesome Life. Am I a true lover and servant? Lent is a time for me to check out my own name.In the parable of the barren fig tree, the Lord emphasizes the importance of repentance and change of heart. And even though His Father is patient with sinners, there is a time limit. There will come a day when the time of mercy is past, and Christ will judge us on our performance as faithful, obedient, and loving followers. A whole life of fidelity can seem overwhelming, but it's all so possible when we live it day by day with whatever prayer form fits our schedule, hopefully attendance at Mass, some kind of prayer, study, reaching out to those in need, devotions like a Holy Hour or Stations of the Cross.I have four weeks left to journey with Jesus to Calvary---and Easter Rising.

Have a truly blessed week.

Ed Bakker