Third Sunday in Lent - Reflection with Fr Robin Gibbons

3rd Sunday in Lent March 8th 2015 I'm glad I had a monastic training, even though I am now a Melkite priest, the Rule of Benedict still helps me work out the checks and balances of my life both personally and as a priest and academic. It points me at the gospel working in life and reminds me that I am still a 'monos', a seeker of God, who must 'put nothing before the love of Christ!' (RSB 4.)*

That's why the reading from Exodus 20 means a lot to me, especially the first three commandments about God. Jesus in the New Testament adds that wonderful touch by reminding us that the sum of the commandments is to love, but here in Exodus we have a framework to help us reflect on our love of God!

I don't want to cause offence, but religious people can easily fall into the trap of thinking 'we' know all about God, or a can find somebody who does. We can get very glib about it, and do a lot of harm to those seeking God, by putting them off or giving them bad advice. You have only to look at some religious blogs or letter pages in many faith papers to see what I mean. In God's name we can all be rather nasty at times!

These first three commandments come directly from God and are about our attitudes to the Holy One, so we'd better pay attention to them. The Orthodox theologian Fr Alexander Schmemann put it, ' Our God is one, but our God is not alone', for God loves us and seeks our love so the first question is, do I know what loving God means? So be honest, I've got to, and I have to say, 'no!', I probably don't-because it will take my lifetime to find out!

Secondly, what idols do I replace God with? We are all guilty of this at times. It can be a person, or things, career, money, fame, celebrity even 'religion'. Whenever we give something more power in our life than God, we are making an idol of it!

Thirdly, do I misuse God's name, not only by swearing, but perhaps in the ways I talk or portray God to others? Jesus helps us, saying the 'Our Father' is a great antidote, and just as he cleansed the Temple of falsehood and greed, so we can pray,' Lord cleanse my heart of attitudes that come between us'. Amen

* (Rule of Saint Benedict Chapter 4.)

Fr Robin Gibbons is an Eastern Rite Chaplain for the Melkite Greek Catholics in Great Britain.