March 20th, by Mr. Julian Ohizu: Theology Teacher and Campus Minister

March 20, 2022: Third Sunday of Lent Cycle C
Mr. Julian Ohizu: Theology Teacher and Campus Minister
Ex 3:1-8a, 13-15/1 Cor 10:1-6, 10-12/Lk 13:1-9 (30)
The kindness, mercy, compassion, and forgiveness of God is a central theme in our readings
today. In the Old Testament, the words hesed and emet are very popular in expressing how God’s
loving kindness and faithfulness endures forever. These characteristics of God are very evident
in how God is faithful to His covenant. God’s covenant loyalty and relational fidelity was seen as
the most important character of God as he led the Chosen People throughout the Old Testament.
The first reading from the book of Exodus is very familiar. Most of us are aware that God
appeared to Moses in the burning bush where he revealed himself as YHWH. In this theophany,
God is allowing we humans to have an intimate way of relating to Him. 
The name YHWH is, however, not just a name, but also and most importantly, the name reveals
Who God is.  YHWH is a name that is unique to God alone. God is fundamentally a God of
being, a God of presence, a God of active relationship with humans. 
In the first instance, God’s relationship with humans is the compassionate and merciful way. It is
this essential nature of God, his merciful, truth, kind, and compassionate, that the Responsorial
Psalm reiterates. The Responsorial Psalm gives us a very noble way to respond to God’s
invitation to enter relationship with him. We should respond to God with our whole being, our
mind, body, heart, and soul.
In the Second Reading, St. Paul reminds us that God had taken care of all the people whom the
Lord our God had led out of Egypt including all of us, the New People of God.  Paul urges us,
those who have been set free from sin, not to fall into the same pattern as the sinful Israelites of
old who sometimes forgot how kind and merciful the Lord our God has been with us.  
In the Gospel, Jesus addresses His disciples with messages of God’s mercy which is universal.
God does not seek to punish evil doers in this lifetime, but desires that all repent and turn back. 
And this is the purpose of the Lent season. Jesus urges his disciples then and now to repent, to
change our hearts (metanoia), and turn back to God.
The good news in today’s readings is that God is willing to forgive and give another chance to
those who refuse to have a relationship with the Lord God.  It is because of this great loving and
compassionate attitude of God that Jesus came to share our humanity, to allow us the best
opportunity to be in relationship with God.   
As I reflect on the readings, I am once again awestruck by the compassion and mercy of
God. What God is seeking from us this Lent is our repentance, to turn back to God. Our response
to the compassionate love which God continues to pour out upon us is the most important thing
in today’s readings.  We should seek the God YHWH who is ever present to us. Our response
should be in consonant with the psalmist today: “Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all my being,
bless God’s holy name (YHWH).  Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all God’s benefits.”