Dear Friend of Carmel Mission,
Today in the Gospel Jesus takes on one of the most prevalent misconceptions of His time, and perhaps of ours as well, that good things happen to good people and bad things to bad people. That there is a karmic balance, and when tragedy strikes, perhaps there is some kind of divine retribution involved. Jesus dispels this myth entirely. Accidents and tragedies, including those caused by the inhumanity of people to one another, are not a mark of God’s judgement. They are however a reminder of the fragility of life and the need to be ready to meet our merciful God at any time.
The latter part of the Gospel reading reminds me of our Lenten theme, walking home to God. As we look back on our lives, we can all clearly identify things we regret, sometimes saying, “if I knew then what I know now I would never have chosen that!” We see times when we strayed from the path home to God, the twist and turns that present themselves in all our lives. Thankfully, the prevailing aspect of God is mercy. God is the gardener at the end of the Gospel reading, granting a second, third, or tenth chance to every one of us. God knows that with cultivation and care we are all capable of bearing fruit.
God is not simply waiting for us at our destination, waiting to see who makes it home and who does not. God is, whether we acknowledge or welcome Him or not, is walking beside us every step. God is gently showing us the path home, encouraging us to take even one step towards Him, and He will be there to meet us, to show us how to cultivate our soil and return to fruitfulness. God loves each of us uniquely and is committed, as the psalmist says, to heal all our ills. It is never too late, or too soon, to get back on the road home to God.
I wish you and your loved ones Lenten blessings of good health, great hope, and new fruitfulness. Please join me in continuing to pray for peace,
Fr. Paul
Please take a moment to read our Carmel Mission Weekly Bulletin.