Have you seen the new McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish commercial? This humorous ad features a toy mechanical fish mounted on a wall who sings, “Gimme that fish, O Gimme that fish…” announcing the return of the Filet-O-Fish sandwich. Have you ever wondered why the Filet-O-Fish Sandwich is so heavily promoted the same time every year? Hint: The special fish promotion always occurs during the 40 days of Lent. That’s right. It all started in a predominately Catholic neighborhood in Ohio when, in 1959, a McDonald’s franchise owner named Lou Groen noticed plummeting hamburger sales every Lenten season. Instead of just suffering through the 80% drop in sales, he decided to meet the needs of his customers by developing a non-meat alternative. The incredible success in delivering what his community needed is, as they say, history.
What does the Filet-O-Fish have to do with Jesus’ words about the fig tree from our text this week from Luke 13? As we will discover during this Sunday’s message titled, “Fish, Fig, Discipleship” the origin story of this popular sandwich can teach us a lot about our mission. You see, the fig tree Jesus spoke about was not producing the fruit the other crops needed, nothing for three years. But, instead of destroying the barren fig tree, the owner agreed to let the fig tree have one more year to deliver what was needed.
Fish and figs can teach us a lot about discipleship as we follow Jesus during lent as we deliver spiritual nutrients our neighbors need.
We know figs are remain a very popular fruit in the United States, but did you know that it was the abundant vitamins found in figs that motivated a Philadelphia baker in 1851 to produce a machine that could stuff the nutrient rich fig jam into pastry dough. 
In the photo (right) you can see Jerusalem through a window from inside the Dominus Flevit Church. The church gets its name because its designed in the shape of a teardrop to symbolize the tears of Christ (Luke 19) when Jesus becomes overwhelmed by tears of love for the city and its people.
The church’s name, Dominus Flevit, is Latin for “Jesus has wept.” This week’s Gospel also describes the intense love Jesus has for us. For you! Can you recall a time when you were moved to tears of love and compassion for another or others? Of course, some of us express deep emotion with tears, while for others, the tears appear less so, but we all can intensely feel empathy and loving concern that moves us to action on behalf of another.
What is the color for St. Patrick’s Day? Sure, white! No? How about orange? Well, for some it is! But you’re right, green is the color usually associated with St. Patrick’s Day. . But did you know that St. Patrick’s Day also includes the colors orange and white. Do you know why? Because the Irish flag has these three colors! The white in the middle represents the peace between the Irish (Green) and the Northern Ireland (Orange). St. Patrick loved the people of Ireland and is know to have cried tears of love and went to Ireland to tell them the story of Jesus. Jesus sheds tears for us, too. Jesus loves all of us, of every color and nation. Let’s remember this St. Patrick’s Day Jesus’ tears of joy. Each of you can have a green, crystal glass teardrop to represent God’s love for you! Let’s share the teardrops with others in the congregation this morning!
Why do so many Biblical hero’s end up in the wilderness? While Adam started in a garden, he and Eve ended up in the wild. Jacob, Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist, and the Apostle Paul, to name a few, had wilderness experiences, too. Oh, and of course, Jesus! This week we will meet Jesus where the wild things are. And we will discover that God is present with us when resources run out and unexpected challenges make the way unbearable. God provides a way where there is no way. Do you ever feel you’re in the wilderness? Sure, we all do, at least from time to time. This Sunday, find wilderness tools for the Lenten journey. There is a place for you, here! (If you’re new to our church, discover more about what we believe and why we do what we do by visiting a special Welcome First-Time Guests page on our website.)
Mardi Gras is all the buzz this week. From New Orleans to Cape May, the festive celebrations that precedes Lent’s constraints is a lot to take in as groups of people interact at arm’s length along streets and balconies.
Where did Mardi Gras come from? Well, it means Fat Tuesday. Why is it called Fat Tuesday? Because people wanted to eat-up all the foods they decided not to eat during the 40-days of Lent so they had festive parties to empty their cupboards and refrigerators. They also decided not to wear fancy clothes and jewelry during Lent. Lent is Latin for the number “40”, and the 40-day Lenten Journey begins on Ash Wednesday and concludes at Holy Week and Easter when Jesus was raised from the dead! So let’s get ready for what’s ahead by sharing these beads to celebrate that Jesus walks with us every day. We should share that message with others, too. These beads will help. Would you help me give away these beads to the congregation today?! What do the beads say on them? Peace, Justice, Power, Hope, Love! God loves us and is powerful to protect us and give us peace, justice, and hope!