Fourth Sunday of Lent, Yr B. March 10, 2024.
Readings
1st: II Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23
2nd: Ephesians 2:4-10
Gospel: John 3:14-21
Theme: Saved And Restored By Grace And Mercy
My dear people of God, today is Fourth Sunday of Lent, Yr B. Our reflections would briefly touch on all our readings of today. It helps to be aware that sin is an offence that can either be against law (crime) or against love (abuse of grace). Sin against law is punished either by a fine or imprisonment or both, depending on the magnitude of the particular sin/crime. Sin against love is immeasurable and can only be forgiven by the offended. Forgiveness is the only condition that can bring full restoration to a relationship broken by sin against love. That is how it is with us and God. We can't earn God's forgiveness, we can only accept it. To think of God's ever willingness and readines to offer us forgiveness brings joy, which is the main theme of today's liturgy. All the three readings of today call on us to be unconditional lovers after the example of God. That is the only way we can reflect the image of God whose love has no condition and limit. The reporter of Israel's history in our First Reading of today reminds us of the immense compassion God had on His people, even when they were repeatedly unfaithful, profaned God's name and defiled and desecrated God's dwelling place. Moved by love and compassion, God sent His only begotten Son to rescue us from the exile of sin. God's whole essence is love. His love is not only deep but also broad. He loves everybody including you and I who, in human terms, are unlovable and should be despised, if at all possible. That He sent His Son into the world to die confirms this assertion. Upon all that, we know, in all honesty, that God's love offered is not necessarily accepted by all people in all intances.
The Gospel alludes to the above fact - that the coming of God's Son inevitably brought about judgement. Some people condemned themselves by turning away from the light. Of course, God respects our freedom but the exercise of our freedom also goes with responsibilities because God's grace is free but not imposed. St. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, popularly called "the Queen of Epistles", also reminds us that we were once dead in sin but came to life, not on any merit, but because of God's great love and mercy. That should constantly inspire us to look to the future with new hope. By implication, God reversed the ordinary deteriorating process of life, caused by sin, to a life that is always renewing and generating. When sin kills innocence, God does not only restore us, He also takes away the guilt of sin. That was the personal experience of the Prodigal Son (Lk 15:11-32). The protagonist in that parable is not "a sinful son" but "a loving/forgiving Father".. That is the central theme in that nocturnal conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus in today's Gospel - God forms us, sin deforms us, Christ, by His Cross and Resurrection, transforms us.
There is something very funny about the man Nicodemus which can easily elude the eye at a cursory look. He appears three times in Scripture but only in John's Gospel. For a reason not known to us, all his appearances took place in the night. Given the fact that there was growing opposition and hostilities mounting on Jesus in Jerusalem, Nicodemus probably did so to avoid public notice, lest he be seen as an ally/associate with its repercussions. What matters for our purpose is the content and "predicted" purpose of the conversation between him and Jesus. Their conversation centered on God ordering Moses to make a bronze serpent and hang it on a pole so that all who look at it may be cured of the bites of poisonous snakes. This was during that trying journey through the Egyptian derset. We would not forget that the First Commandment strictly forbids and sternly prohibits the worship of any other God except Yahweh. So, for the Jews that was not only a strange story but also abominable. The teachers of the Law made the people to believe that it was not the serpent that healed them but God who asked Moses to act on His behalf. According to their interpretation, the serpent was only a sign and symbol that point to God. Jesus actually used the (serpent) story in reference to Himself - that for the salvation of a world plagued and crushed by sin, He Jesus would be lifted up and whoever looks up to Him shall have his/her sin forgiven and have eternal life. By the lifting up Jesus meant two things: Lifted up on the Cross and lifted up to glory by His Resurrection and Ascension. The eternal life Jesus promised to give has nothing to do with how long one lives (duration) but how much one leaves behind (quality) on the lives of other people, the direct and indirect impact of one's life on society. Remember Jesus Himself died at 33. It is sad and disappointing that some people live as if they are not going to die and eventually die as if they never lived; no one misses them and no one remembers them for any good reason. We are saved and restored by grace and mercy. Experince, it is said, is the best teacher. May we strive daily to remain in this pool of grace and mercy and also help others to experience same. Please, continue to Pray, Fast and Love/Give. Make time also to pray the Holy Rosary daily. God richly bless you and your family.
Rev. Fr. Thomas L. Debuo - Catholic Diocese of Damongo, Ghana. (0244511306/0243711926)