LENT IS A TIME OF REPENTANCE AND SPIRITUAL CULTIVATION

Homily for the Third Sunday in Lent, Year C

Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch

Biblical Texts: Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15; 1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12; Luke 13:1-9

Dear friend, we continue our 40-day sacred journey of Lent. On the first Sunday of Lent, we reflected on Lent as a desert experience – a time of testing and purification. On the second Sunday, we saw how Lent is an ascent to the mountain, a call to encounter God in his glory and listen to his voice. On this third Sunday in Lent, we journey to the bush and vineyard, where God reveals himself as the One who calls us to mission and spiritual fruitfulness.

Scripture frequently uses the imagery of trees and fruits to describe spiritual growth and productivity. The Gospel reading of this third Sunday from Luke 13:1-9 presents the parable of the barren fig tree. A landowner had a fig tree in his vineyard that had failed to bear fruit for three years. He wanted to cut it down, but the gardener pleaded for one more year to cultivate and fertilize it, hoping it would eventually bear fruit.

First, this parable shows the patience of God, who gives us ample opportunities to repent and transform our lives. Second, it also warns us against complacency and spiritual stagnation. Just as Paul warned the Corinthians in the second reading, let us not take God’s grace for granted but strive for holiness daily. If we fail to bear spiritual fruit, we risk being cut off, like the barren tree. This echoes Jesus’ teaching in John 15:2: “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

Lent is an opportune time for self-examination and renewal. Spiritual cultivation requires effort, just as soil must be tilled and weeds removed for crops to thrive. The practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are the tools given to us to enrich the soil of our hearts and promote fruitfulness. Through prayer, we deepen our communion with God and align our will with his. Through fasting, we purify our desires and strengthen our self-discipline, and through almsgiving, we foster charity and detach ourselves from materialism. 

The barren fig tree represents those who fail to respond to God’s grace. Jesus warns against spiritual sterility, urging his followers to produce fruits that reflect true conversion. The prophet Isaiah rebuked Israel for their lack of righteousness, likening them to a vineyard that produced wild grapes instead of good fruit (Isaiah 5:1-7). Similarly, in Matthew 7:19, Jesus declares, “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Lent is a time to ask ourselves: Are we bearing spiritual fruits or are we merely occupying space in God’s vineyard? Do our actions reflect the love and mercy of Christ? Have we become spiritually complacent? The barren fig tree had potential but lacked the nourishment necessary to bear fruit. Likewise, many of us have received the sacraments, heard the Word of God, and enjoyed the blessings of faith, yet we remain untransformed.

But the truth is that despite our shortcomings, God is patient and merciful. The gardener in the parable interceded for the barren tree, mirroring Jesus’ role as our mediator (1 Timothy 2:5). The additional year granted for cultivation symbolizes God’s willingness to give us time to change. However, this period of grace is not indefinite. There is an urgency to repentance; as 2 Corinthians 6:2 states, “Now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation.”

Lent is a time to examine which areas of our lives need pruning so that we may bear spiritual fruits abundantly. Are we growing in love and kindness? Are we striving for holiness? Are we being patient with others and extending forgiveness and mercy to others? Lent is not just about avoiding sin but about producing good works - spiritual fruit that testifies to our faith (John 15:8). It is a call to repentance and a season of renewal, where we allow God to cultivate our hearts so that we may bear lasting spiritual fruits. The barren fig tree teaches us that time is a gift, but it is not unlimited. We must respond to God’s grace now, committing ourselves to a life of faith and transformation. 

Today, as we stand before the burning bush of God’s call like Moses, let us remove the sandals of our excuses, heed God’s call to conversion, and allow his grace to transform our lives. May this Lenten season be a time of deep spiritual cultivation, leading us to a fruitful and Christ-centered life. Amen.