'Let it alone this year also, until I dig round it ...'
The readings this week encourage us to repent.
Reflecting on what happened to the people of God in the Old Testament can help us to avoid making the same errors. As St Paul tells us in today’s Epistle, many Israelites fell away from their belief, in spite of God’s goodness.
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In the First Reading Moses is drawn towards a burning bush, where God reveals himself as the creator of all things and indicates his name: ‘I am who I am’.
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St Paul (Second Reading) reminds the Corinthians of how their forebears failed to please God in the desert. This should be a warning to them: they must be on their guard at all times. Being baptised is no guarantee against falling into temptation.
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The Psalm expresses our gratitude to God for being loving, patient and compassionate.
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This same compassion is exemplified in the Gospel. After a call to repentance, the parable of the fig tree illustrates how patient God is, even when, like that tree, his people – us – do not bear fruit over a long period of time.
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As Pilgrims of Hope in this Jubilee year, we pray to be granted greater compassion and forgiveness towards those who repent of their trespasses against us. Perhaps we can also look more closely at our own lives. What might we change this Lent to bear more fruit?
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A moment of reflection …
The Lord is compassionate and gracious. (Psalm)
‘Sir, leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it; it may bear fruit next year …’ Gospel (Old Jerusalem transl.)
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God. (Gospel Acclamation)
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Father in heaven, may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit ,reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom.
May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel. May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when, with the powers of Evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally.
May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven.
May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth. To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever. Amen
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Pope Francis, Jubilee Prayer
To aid our reflection on the Sunday readings each week we are reproducing, with permission, content from St. Bueno's Outreach. If you would like to know more about them or access their guided prayer resources, 'Prego', you can contact them via their website.​
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QR Code for Readings at Mass
By scanning this with your phone, you will be able to access each of the Mass Readings for today.
Fra Angelico, The Annunciation
The feast of the Annunciation of the Lord celebrates the archangel Gabriel's appearance to the Virgin Mary (Luke 1 26:38), his announcement that the Blessed Virgin had been chosen to be the Mother of Our Lord, and Mary's fiat - her willing acceptance of God's holy plan.
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It is one of the most important feasts in the Church's calendar.
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Originally a Feast of Our Lord, but now celebrated as a Marian feast, the feast of the Annunciation dates back to at least the fifth century and the date, which is determined by the date of Christmas, was set as 25th March by the seventh century.
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The first chapter of the Gospel of St. Luke describes the news given to Mary that she was to become the mother of the Incarnation of God, and records the "angelic salutation" of Gabriel to Mary, 'Hail, thou who art highly favored. The Lord is with thee." This is the origin of the "Hail Mary" prayer; and Mary's response to God's will, "Let it be done to me according to thy word."
Her exultant hymn, the Magnificat, found in Luke 1:46-55, has been part of the Church's liturgy of the hours, at Vespers (evening prayer), and has been repeated nightly in churches, convents and monasteries for many centuries.
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My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever.
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