Third Sunday of Lent 2022 St Andrew’s
Today we are very grateful to the Rev Sally Gorton for taking the service for me at the last moment. Our thanks also go to Hugh, playing for Gordon in his absence. Fraser tells me it was a lovely service.
Notices for this week:
Tuesday 10am Prayer Group in the Garden Room.
Thursday 10am Sung Holy Communion followed by coffee in Friendship House
Zoom Lent Group 7pm Thursday 24th March postponed a week to Thursday 31st March
Church Walk planned for next Saturday 26th March has been postponed a week to Saturday 2nd April – meet 10am Tesco car park followed by soup lunch in the hall.
Readings for next Sunday – 4th Sunday of Lent / Mothering Sunday – Joshua 5:9-12 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 Luke 15:1-3,11-32
Further news from the diocese and church can be found on the St Andrews website. Click on the link below.
https://standrewsmilngavie.church.scot/
Below is what would have been my reflection on today’s readings
Isaiah 55 1-9 1 Corinthians 10:1-13. Luke 13:1-9
Today’s ’s scripture is all about God being there for us when things go wrong. And things do go wrong all the time. Over the last two years the world has faced the challenge of pandemic and now we face an even greater challenge and threat. Throughout this week we have read and seen unspeakable news reports and updates of the situation in Ukraine provoking much discussion and analysis.
How did we not see it coming is a question that is being asked? One answer is that perhaps we have been too obsessed with our sins of the past or the world of the future to see what was developing now in our present time. Whatever, we got it wrong
And scripture is full of people who get it wrong. Moses got it wrong when he killed an Egyptian who beat Hebrew. The disciples got it wrong many times – often they were slow to understand the significance of Christ and to recognise him as the messiah. “who is this man that even the wind and the waves obey him” they say when he clams the storm.
And then James and John giving themselves earthly positions of power “Lord, grant us to sit one at your right hand and one at your left in your glory” they say.
At the passion Peter slips up three times. And they all fall asleep at Gethsemane.
St. Paul states in the epistle that “our fathers” all shared the same deliverance from slavery, all ate the same manna in the wilderness and drank the same “spiritual drink”. And yet “with most of them God was not pleased” Even Paul himself admits that he too is challenged as he states in his letter to the Romans “I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do “
The point here is we have all “got it wrong” at some point. We all need to “return to the Lord”. To repent.
In the gospel we are told the Galileans whose blood Pilate had shed and the 18 who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell were no better or worse and deserved their fate nor more or less than anyone else. Again, Jesus’ reaction shocked the crowds when told of these stories. No words of sympathy for the victims or outrage for the perpetrators. Instead, the tables are turned against the messengers: “unless you repent, you will all perish.”
Jesus then tells the crowds a parable to explain himself more clearly. He often does this in the gospels follows up a teaching with a parable. In this parable even the fig tree gets it wrong by not producing fruit. But this is a parable about second chances. A fig tree normally takes three years to reach maturity, If it is not fruiting by this stage, it is unlikely to fruit at all. But this fig tree was given a second chance.
Through his forgiveness it is always Jesus’ way to give us another chance. Peter, Mark and Paul all experienced this. God is infinitely kind to those who fall and rise again. So, we mustn’t be discouraged. Like the gardener digging round and feeding the fig tree So, we need to feed our souls with God’s love and forgiveness, with his word and the fruits of his spirit.
The prophet Isaiah in the OT reading echoes this as talks about the “abundant life”. He likens it to receiving the best wine and the richest food. God’s everlasting commitment of love to all people is like a great banquet. And everyone is invited. It is our task to invite everyone to God’s banquet. But God says “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are my ways your ways.” God longs for everyone to come to him, all we need to have is a bigger vision and a will to do so.
In the meantime, we can trust that God is there for us when things go wrong or don’t seem to be working out as we would hope. We pray and trust that God is there for the people of Ukraine in their suffering and despair, even when things look desperate.
As Paul says in the epistle: “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”
Amen