It is 14th March 2021 the readings are from 2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23; the second reading is Ephesians 2:4-10; and the Gospel from John 3:14-21.
We have been reflecting last three weeks on Temptation, Testing, cleaning our temple and now on this fourth week, we are invited to lift up Jesus in our life.
In the first reading, we are reminded that people of Israel were slapped with Babylonian exile because of their choices and sins but God’s mercy brought them back to the land of blessing.
“Whoever is among you of all his people, may the Lord his God be with him! Let him GO UP.” (2 Chro.36:23). Lent is the time to go up doing the good things we were neglecting or conveniently forgetting to do for the Lord and people around. We are born to do good.
A young boy used bring steal from his schoolmates. The first day he brought a book and showed it to the mother. Instead of correcting the boy, she said did not say anything. The second time he stole some pen and pencil and showed it to the mother. Mother did not correct him but she told the boy that it was ok as long as no one would see him. When he grew up, he continue his habit of stealing a big and killing people for money. So he was condemned to death. Just before hanging him, he expressed his desire to talk with his mother. The mother was brought near and he told her to come near to him as if he wanted to whisper something. When she came near, he bit her ear and spit it. Then the boy told the people gathered: when I was young started to steel but my mother never scolded me, punished me or corrected. It is because of her that I am here today.
Are we teaching our children doing good things? St. Paul teaches us that we are created by God to do good. “For we are God’s work of art, created in Christ Jesus to live the good life as from the beginning he had meant us to live it.” (Eph.2:10). Most of us do not believe that we are God’s work rather we believe that we are God’s mistake. We need to LOOK UP to God’s boundless love shown to us.
It is the Gospel that strengthens our hope that we are created in God’s love. It is time to lift up Jesus to dispel darkness from our life. There is a desperate need to come out of the darkness we are comfortable with. Nicodemus visited Jesus in darkness to get clarification from the Light, Jesus. The light of God never comes to judge and condemn us but to bring us closer to the light.
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Mt.5:16).
For John, the crucifixion of Jesus is the high point that pulls everyone to Him. Everyone who look up to him has eternal life. St. Augustine inspires us telling that God loves each one of us as if there was only one of us to love. No matter what we have messed up, God wants to save us through Jesus. Our personal surrender to the Lord is the requirement to experience our salvation. If we continue doing the works of darkness hate light. Choice is ours. Whether we wish to live in the light or to search in the darkness. It is time to take a stand for the Light that has come to our being. By constantly looking up to Jesus on the Holy Cross and being faithful to the Word of God, we come out of darkness gradually.
Yes we need to make our children come near the light but not by force and exaggerated concern and love. A man saw a cocoon of a butterfly as it opened and the journey butterfly began. The little butterfly was struggling to force its body through that little hole. All of sudden it stopped. Then the man decided to help the little butterfly to come our without its effort. He took a scissors and cut the cocoon. Right away the little butterly came out but with the swallen body and shriveled wings. The butterfly grew up but never was able to fly.
Obstacles never cripples our growth rather it frees us with the struggle to succeed. We need to lift up eyes to see the healing power of the cross. The poison of sin is flushed from our being by lifting our life to the Lord. If we have not experienced the love of God flowing from the crucified Lord, we will not be touched by the misery of the poor. God never condemns us that is why God sent God’s only Son to save us yet our actions and choices delay and deny the offer of God by remaining in the darkness. Let us expose our children to the warm of the crucifix. Let us not become the channel of sin that poisons our community, family and the world around.
A biblical commentator, Marsh describes, “the magnitude of the God’s love is matched by the magnitude of the gift. God loved all there was, and gave all God had.” When we live in the light, there is no fear, anxiety and judgment. Shame and guilt are wrapped in the work of darkness.
Love is not loved – St. Francis of Assisi. Yes, time has come in our life to go up, rise up and lift up in our life. May you have a lovely day. God bless you.