Having committed murder, Moses is on the run. He has hidden himself well; a new life with a new wife and a job to pay the bills – or so he thinks. On the ‘Mountain of God’ where he is looking after sheep, he sees a fire that does not consume, and hears a voice, coming from the heart of the fire, telling him he is on Holy ground. Margaret Clarke takes the view that since all flows from God, all ground is holy. I think she is right! On this piece of Holy Ground, God reminds a barefoot Moses that he still belongs to a community. Moses covers his face but what is it he is afraid to see? The One who speaks or perhaps himself as the man who ran and walked away?
It is interesting that God does not mention his crime. Instead, God shares a heartfelt concern for the suffering of His people, His intention to liberate them from their oppressors and to lead them to a better life with Moses at the front! And Moses can’t believe what he’s hearing. He says to God, “So you want me to go back to the place I’ve been running from all these years?” “And if I do this, who shall I say sent me?” Jim Finley has a wonderful take on God’s answer, “I Am who I Am.” He puts it like this, “Tell them reality sent you”. It’s worth pausing here to consider these words.
As he describes this strange encounter, the author holds the same vision that we, as individuals and as a parish community are growing into. There is no doubt that Moses’ vocation; his Contemplative Heart and his mission to liberate and ease the suffering of others, are movements of the same dance. And so, the psalmist sings.
In today’s Gospel Reading, the group described as ‘some of those present’ represent a conventional point of view. If you like, Jesus is speaking to humanity in general as they try to make sense of tragedy. It seems that some people from Galilee were visiting Jerusalem and went to offer sacrifices in the Temple. Tragically this involved the killing of animals. For some unknown reason, Pilate sent in some of his troops who murdered the Galileans, mixing their blood with the blood of the ‘sacrificed’ animals. If the blood of these animals were sin offerings, the Galileans were murdered in the very act of repenting. Could it be that their fate was somehow tied to the magnitude of their sins? Thinking like this is more common than we might like to admit.
But before Jesus corrects them, He pushes their question a little further. What Pilate did was morally evil. So, what about physical disasters and the accidental events that destroy people’s lives? He reminds them of a recently tumbled tower that killed 18 people. Was it the hand of God that pushed it over? Is all misfortune punishment for sin?
The Beloved Son of God is absolutely clear that this is nonsense and admonishes them to stop thinking like that.
But, as we know, listening to Jesus can be comforting as well as challenging. Jesus shifts their attention away from the fate of others and asks them to consider the more important question of their own fate. A fate that does not depend on Pilate getting out the wrong side of bed or shoddy workmanship on a building. Fate requires a personal decision. The invitation to become an intentional disciple can only be embraced if we stop looking out and start looking within. Gods will and God’s call to a new life on earth are revealed in the heart. Speculating about moral evils and tragedies will only leave us feeling confused and deflated. But bringing God’s Will to earth is clear and uplifting. This is the change of mind. This is the repentance that is needed.
Which is why Jesus tells the Parable of a fig tree with no figs. Why does a fruit tree produce no fruit? Fruitless, it is about as much use (in Kingdom terms) as a lamp in a tub or salt that has lost its savour. The tree is not doing what it is supposed to do. A tough and realistic Jesus teaches that we either produce or perish. This makes great sense to me and opens a reflection on how we carry a personal and a community responsibility for each other. Listening to Jesus, we sense an urgency in the situation. We must act as faithful disciples and we must act now! He will create the right conditions for us to flourish and grow. There is soil, manure, a gardener, a shovel, and time. But the time is not endless. If we do not change, we will perish – not by sudden and tragic events – but because we failed to bring heaven to earth when we had the chance to do so.
All of this is beautifully captured in The Lords’ Prayer. As we pray it, we stake our claim to a common humanity who hallows the name of God as Father of All. We work tirelessly to make His Kingdom come on earth – as it is in heaven. I do believe this is what Jesus means when He talks about bearing fruit. He is clearly saddened by those who look in the wrong direction to find answers to the puzzles of human existence. But sadder still that so many are yet to see the Wisdom of making the journey within. So many are yet to kiss the Fathers will. So many are yet to arise, in the face of too much suffering, to enact that will and create a better world.
