3rd Sunday of Lent Year C
Readings: 1Sam. 26:2,7-9,12-13,22-23, 1Cor. 15:45-49, and Lk. 6:27-38.
“Give Me Time.”
Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
1. On several occasions one gets a person’s reply to request for help, “I cannot help you; I have no time.” At times complaints are made “Peter is spending much time at the Beach or Eveline is losing her time, she is lazy.” Some others never have time for others and if you want something done without delay, you may say “Now, now is the time to do this”. Often, we comment that time flies and often, time is too short, and we have the saying “time waits for no one.” One of the things that will never actually be yours once it has gone or passed is time. Time is part of our lives. We measure it, spend it, lose it, run after it and it seems we never normally have enough of it. Years seem to have gone by so soon, notwithstanding how long they seemed to have been. My formation for the priesthood took eight years after High School studies and now I am about to celebrate the 27th anniversary of my priestly ordination April 17th, 2025. It all seems like yesterday. Time flies and we, many times, need more time. More time, we would have won the match; more time I would have passed the examinations; more time I … Yes, time waits for nobody.
2. In the gospel text today, Jesus clearly dissociated untimely death from sin and guilt. He emphasized in his response the need to always be prepared – the end could come unexpectedly. Are you ready? Then, we got the landowner disappointed with the fact that he had never harvested anything from the particular tree for the past three years and wanted to destroy that particular tree. The man looking after the Vineyard of his master wanted and indeed, asked for more time. “Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future.” He is asking for more time, indeed, one more year; to do something yet again. For the master has commanded for its destruction due to its fruitlessness.
3. The man asking for time is hopeful that the tree will be productive, it will yield some fruits. This should remind us that we are in a very special time or season of the Church’s year. The Lenten Season, the time to repent, to bear fruits and to facilitate conversions. On Ash Wednesday, we received the ashes, and we were told or reminded “Repent and believe the Goodnews.” This is the time for our hearts to be turned to the Lord. He called all of us on Ash Wednesday saying – “Come back to me with all your heart. Let your heart be broken and not your garment torn.” Our Lenten observances help to sharpen our ability to be transformed and to respond in such ways that can set us ablaze with divine love, like the bush that cause Moses to turn aside and look. This is the time to let go of any overconfidence, as Paul admonishes the Corinthians, allowing ourselves to be enveloped in mystery, to be fashioned anew by the One who Causes All to Be. All of us, no matter how good we think we are, need to stay alert for the creeping effects of sin in our lives; instead to cultivate virtue and thus build a strong character worthy of our Christian calling. God is not trying to trap or trick us, but it is all too easy to let our hearts become distracted from our pursuit of God. Lots of other things are vying for our attention, and many of them can take the place in our heart that ought to belong only to God. God must have a central place in our lives. Only the best for Him.
4. Lent is the time to bear fruits. The fruits expected of us during Lent are obvious - to pray, fast and give alms. These are the fruits of Lent. If God were to knock at the door of your heart now or today, which of them will He find? Will He leave disappointed wishing the tree (you are) is cut down or happy that there is something to harvest, and thus, need for us (you) to live on. Experience has shown that at times some of us are careless with our Chirstian life. We lose a lot of time in a very unaccountable manner with regards to things of God. We let time go without doing much for God and for His people. Not long enough for us, we realize it is time to return to God without much to account to Him for or to present to Him. It may be an accident, illness, old age … and you realize there is not much time left. It pains to meet a person at death-point full of regrets and guilt. If only I did this, that or the other, I would have been satisfied. Mr. “If” with reference to the past is very dangerous. At times some people truly beg God stating that they may be granted another year or years so that they may try to correct a mistake made, reconcile with a brother or sister long abandoned; but the question remains - what did they do with the time they longed had. Some of us may still complain at 65, 70, 75, 80, 85. 90, or even 95, asking for more time. They had been given much time indeed. What did they do with the time they had? What are you doing with the time you have both for God and for other human beings?
5. In his book titled “Perfectly Yourself”, Matthew Kelly observed “… time is always being lost. You never find time. Time is either used wisely or wasted foolishly. We wear watches and look at clocks. Their hands go around and around, or they have digital numbers that renew themselves with the same frequency. All of this creates the illusion that time is constantly there. It gives the impression that time is circular. It is not. Time is linear. Once it has passed, it has passed.” (pp.47-48) Julius Sevilla shared similar views to Kelly but added some caution. He writes: “Time waits for no one. Time stops for no one. Your excuses will not slow down time. Your indecisions will not delay time. Your complaining will not stall time. Your regrets will not turn back time. So don’t waste your time in anger, regrets, worries and hate, because time will not turn back and cry along with you. It’s time to let go of the past and stop worrying about the future. Your only time is now! So, make sure you spend with the right purpose, right deeds, right emotions, right thoughts, and with the right people. Time flies, that is a fact, and you can always spread your wings and soar with time and navigate life the best you can. Remember, you will never pass this way again, make it count. Time, do what it does, keep moving!”
6. Dear friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, Scriptures were written as warning and lessons to us of the present age. Paul concluded the 2nd reading that ‘… whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall.” This already is the 3rd Sunday of Lent. Have you started doing something to fully return to God or revitalize your life in God? Lent may soon go by when you are still hoping or planning to begin. Are you among others who claim there is still time? Now, I mean now is the favorable time – not next week, not next month and not next year or years to come but now! May God grant us the grace of a sincere repentance in utilizing the time accorded us to yield the required fruits. To God be the glory and honor forever and ever. Amen.
Fr. Anthony D. Lawir,
Pastor, St. Agnes and Our Lady of the Snows Parishes, Pittsfield and Dexter.