THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT MARCH 20, 2022 Moses was drawn by curiosity to a bush that was on fire. The Lord speaks to Moses from the bush: “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is Holy Ground.” Imagine the awe and fear Moses experiences in the presence of God. When you came into Church today, you genuflected before the tabernacle as a sign of reverence because you believe God is present. This too is holy ground. God is here! Lent is a time to search for the presence of God in our lives and in the world around us. And them respond to that presence. Lent is a time for taking off our shoes. Elizabeth Barret Browning put it this way in poems: “Earth is crammed with heaven / and every bush afire with God / and only he who sees takes off his shoes / the rest sit around and eat blueberries.” If every bush is a burning bush, and every ground is holy ground, then nothing in life is ordinary. Everything is touched by God. Our challenge is to see the power and opportunities of the moment, rather than blindly sit around and eat blueberries. Lent is a time of reform. A time to prune, to cut off the dead branches in our lives, to fertilize our spiritual soul. What in our lives is of God? What has to be changed? Can we be surrounded by the presence of God and not be touched by it, be consumed by it, be transformed by it? When Moses met God in the burning bush, he was transformed. He went out to lead his people to freedom. He bore much fruit for the Lord. We have met God too, in the word. Soon God will come in communion. He will be not only in God’s presence, God will be in us. This is Holy Ground. Why remove your shoes?