Toward the glory of Easter: God so loved the word
4th Sunday of Lent. 2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23; Ps 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6; Eph 2:4-10; Jn 3:14-21
As we reach the middle of our Lenten season, we rejoice that Easter is near. So this Sunday is called “Laetare” and we put on rose chasuble as an expression of joy.
The Book of 2 Chronicles was written some years after the return from Babylonian exile. Jerusalem and the temple might have been built some time ago yet the rule of the expected Messiah was not yet established. The author reshapes the past event to provide hope for the future.
There is an invitation to look at the past with gratitude and the future with optimism.
As we go through today’s passage, we discover the defilement of the temple, the infidelity of the people to God’s commandments that caused them to lose their homeland. God's love was shown to them through the sending of the prophets, but the people did not listen; rather they hardened their heart, mocked the prophets and they faced God’s anger. The temple was destroyed, Jerusalem was sacked and the people were taken into exile in Babylon. Despite all this the Lord God raised Cyrus who ordered the people to return home and to rebuild the temple.
This foreshadows the salvation that God will accomplish for all of us in the death of Jesus Christ, in spite of our rebellion.
This portrays the loving mercy and the compassion of God for all humanity.
In the second reading taken from the letter to the Ephesians, Paul summarizes the truth of our salvation. While we were dead in our transgressions and could do nothing to save ourselves, God took action and sent Jesus to die and rise from the dead and therefore offered salvation for us all. God’s salvation is a gift to us sinners without discrimination. Henceforth St. John gives us the best known and the most powerful Bible quote.
“For God so loved the world that, he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16)
just as God commanded Moses to raise up the serpent in the desert to save those who will look at it (Numbers 21:4-9), so will everyone who believes in Jesus be saved from death and have eternal life. Jesus' purpose coming to the world was to save humanity from sin and death because God loves the world. St Augustine tells us that
“God loves each one of us as if there were only one of us to love”. What is our response to this love? John tells us again that” the light has come into the world but people love darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19).
Sometimes, we choose to live in this darkness: pride, greed, envy, jealousy, anger, gambling, addictions, drugs, pornography, sexual deviations, sexual immorality, environmental irresponsibility, religious fundamentalism, human trafficking, domestic violence, rape and other forms of abuse, lack of discipline in spiritual and social lives; lack of consideration of the dignity of others. Sometimes, we pretend that these shadows do not exist.
As we come close to Easter, let us examine ourselves and even remind ourselves that Jesus did not come to judge and to condemn us but to love and to save us.
Let us allow Jesus to love as he wishes to love us. Let us allow him to forgive and to restore us anew.
The reality of God's love through Jesus Christ becomes so true in our world today, when we give a response of love to God for one another. Yes God so loved the world that he gave his only Son for you, but how much do you love God and your neighbor? What do you give to show your love for God and for your neighbor?
On this Latarae Sunday, let us make ours these beautiful words of St. Teresa of Calcutta: “Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.”
Happy Laetarae Sunday!
Father Georges Roger BIDZOGO SAC