Reflection/Homily:
Fourth (4th) Sunday of Lent Year B (March 15 2015)
Theme: God’s
Immeasurable Love for Humanity
Today’s readings
challenge us to reflect on God’s immeasurable love for humanity and its implications
for us. In the first reading (2 Chr. 36:14-16, 19-23), the Israelites with
their political and religious leaders all rebelled against God and defiled
God’s dwelling place. Out of love for them, God constantly sent messengers to direct
and teach them but their messages were treated with scorn. God did not abandon
them but He kept on watching them as they neglected His Love and wallowed in
sin. Being vulnerable for being outside of God’s love, they were attacked and
taken into captivity by the Babylonians. When they suffered and learnt their
lessons, God had to intervene because of the love He had for them by raising up
a king who will proclaim their liberty, offer them treasures and help them
rebuild the Temple as we see in Ezra chapter 1.
The second
reading (Eph 2:4-10), also confirms this love of God not just for the
Israelites alone but for all of us. It says that because of God’s love for us,
He was generous to us with His mercy, to the extent that even when we were
spiritually dead because of our sins, He had to look for us and gave us life.
In our sinfulness, we run far away from God and brand ourselves enemies of God
but in God’s love, He finds us wherever we go, brings us nearer to Himself and
brands us His friends, not by merit but by virtue of His mercy built on grace.
Thus, a reflection on the love of God is a reflection on the mercy of God which
brings about a salvation built on the platform of grace. That is why the
reading also exhorts us never to claim to be worthy of God’s salvation since it
is a privilege gained through grace and not on merit. But this grace has to be
activated to bear fruits through faith.
In the gospel
reading (John 3:14-21), we see the apex of God’s love. It recalls some
significant events propelled by God’s love. It was because of God’s love for us
that He gave out His only son so that those who believe in Him may not perish
but gain eternal life. The Son of God incarnated in love came not to condemn
the world but to save the world. People only condemn themselves when they recalcitrantly
or deliberately refuse to believe. This love also made him to be the light of
the world, to dispel the darkness in the hearts of men. To culminate this, this
love which emanated from the Father through the Son caused the Son to be lifted
up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert.
These
significant events therefore, have several implications for us especially
during this period of lent. Love is sacrificial and as God sacrificed His son
to save us, what have we sacrificed for the benefit of others? Have we fasted
to feed others, prayed to edify others and performed charity to help others?
Have you believed in Jesus so as to gain eternal life? Faith in Jesus includes
total resignation to His will, accepting the cross and following Him. Do you
decide to do your will or the will of God and do you carry your cross
patiently? Our faith should be proved by our good works which should please God
in all circumstances. This Son came not to condemn but to save the world. What
efforts have you made to save your derailing brothers and sisters or do you go
about condemning them? Jesus came to save by being the light of the world,
shinning for all to see and dispelling the darkness everywhere He went. Have
you been a light where there is darkness? Have you sown peace where there is
discord and love where there is hatred? As the light you should be a standard
and your good works should be shinning for others to see and emulate.
More
significantly, for the same love, Jesus allowed Himself to be lifted up as
Moses lifted up a bronze serpent in Numbers 21:9. Jesus was lifted up on a
cross so that all those bitten by the deadly serpent of sin might look up to
Him for healing and salvation. He also wants to draw our attention from
distracting sideways to elevated things (signifying interest in heavenly
things). He wants us to see our crosses as elevation and not as depression. He
wants to be the standard we shall look up to and emulate. He also wants to heal
and bless us from above. Are you actually looking up to Christ on the cross? Beloved
friends, as the love of God and its benefits are communicated to us today, bear
in mind that this love of God at the universal level cannot gain you salvation
unless you appropriate it to a personal level and make it a deep personal
encounter with God. To do this, Jesus is there on the cross to help us with the
required graces, for He says “when I am lifted up, I will draw all men to
myself” (John 12:32). Therefore let us go to Jesus with this song on our lips
“draw me nearer, nearer to Thee, Lord….” God loves you.
-
Uwakwe Chibuike MFC
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