As we enter the Lenten season and its emphasis on introspection and spiritual cleansing, it's a useful corrective to balance out the tendency to dwell on the darkness of human sin with a healthy dose of the Good News -- and that's especially needed when the headlines feature an endless parade of bad news. The lectionary reading from Deuteronomy this week gives us a helping hand, as it focuses on the bountiful gifts that God has given us ("a land flowing with milk and honey") and the gratitude and thankfulness that we therefore ought to show, symbolized by the collection of first fruits.
