John 3: 14-21
Dear Friends, In today’s Gospel selection we have the fundamental message of Jesus in John’s Gospel. In taking on flesh to be one us, Jesus has a singular mission. He is going to bring us back to God. Everyone who believes in him will be delivered from the darkness and death into the light of eternal life.
Just as Moses lifted up the serpent and brought healing, so too, Christ will be lifted up on the Cross to bring eternal life. For the Israelites, it meant looking at the image of evil to be set free of their afflictions. In the crucified Christ, we look beyond the deepest expression of evil to see the ultimate revelation of God’s love.
John says: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (Jn 3:16) In John’s Gospel, the ‘world’ is a loaded term. It is expression of all that is against God. It is an expression of darkness and evil. Yet we read, “God so loved the world…” (Jn 3:16) Jesus, as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, revealed a love so complete and so overwhelming that even the world’s rejection of Christ in the Crucifixion could not overcome it. The absolute power of God’s love is revealed in total weakness of the crucified Christ. In the light of the Easter Candle, we celebrate that greatest of gifts, life eternal with our loving God.
In the final verses of today’s passage from John, we have the clear message that Jesus is not about condemnation of our sinful world. Jesus came to save us. If we reject that loving call, we are the ones who condemn ourselves.
In this singularly powerful Gospel passage on this fourth Sunday of Lent, we are invited to gaze on the Crucified Christ. We are called to open our hearts to the Light of the World that is Jesus. We are asked to accept the gift of eternal life when we walk with Jesus in love in our daily life. As we develop a relationship with Jesus, we begin to see with new eyes and to love with a new heart. The life that Jesus offers liberates us from fear, violence and the bondage of sin. This life draws us to the ever-expanding borders of acceptance and tolerance. This is all part of the conversion process that is integral to the Gospel journey. Lent is an invitation to focus on this call to change and expand the healing presence of the Gospel within our hearts.
The life that Jesus offers us liberates us from fear, violence and the bondage of sin. This life draws us to the ever-expanding borders of acceptance and tolerance. We slowly are freed of the blindness created by our idols, attachments and addictions. We see our possessions, and things in general, for what they are supposed to be, a means to grow in our love of God. We begin to see people beyond the labels of race, sexual orientation, wealth or whatever else our twisted hearts and self-interest use to divide, isolate and exclude.
Today’s message is loud and clear. God is love revealed in Jesus. Our call is to get to know and love Jesus as we gradually understand that eternal life begins now. We express the richness of this gift of eternal life whenever we love our God and our brothers and sisters.
Just as Moses lifted up the serpent and brought healing, so too, Christ will be lifted up on the Cross to bring eternal life. For the Israelites, it meant looking at the image of evil to be set free of their afflictions. In the crucified Christ, we look beyond the deepest expression of evil to see the ultimate revelation of God’s love.
John says: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (Jn 3:16) In John’s Gospel, the ‘world’ is a loaded term. It is expression of all that is against God. It is an expression of darkness and evil. Yet we read, “God so loved the world…” (Jn 3:16) Jesus, as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, revealed a love so complete and so overwhelming that even the world’s rejection of Christ in the Crucifixion could not overcome it. The absolute power of God’s love is revealed in total weakness of the crucified Christ. In the light of the Easter Candle, we celebrate that greatest of gifts, life eternal with our loving God.
In the final verses of today’s passage from John, we have the clear message that Jesus is not about condemnation of our sinful world. Jesus came to save us. If we reject that loving call, we are the ones who condemn ourselves.
In this singularly powerful Gospel passage on this fourth Sunday of Lent, we are invited to gaze on the Crucified Christ. We are called to open our hearts to the Light of the World that is Jesus. We are asked to accept the gift of eternal life when we walk with Jesus in love in our daily life. As we develop a relationship with Jesus, we begin to see with new eyes and to love with a new heart. The life that Jesus offers liberates us from fear, violence and the bondage of sin. This life draws us to the ever-expanding borders of acceptance and tolerance. This is all part of the conversion process that is integral to the Gospel journey. Lent is an invitation to focus on this call to change and expand the healing presence of the Gospel within our hearts.
The life that Jesus offers us liberates us from fear, violence and the bondage of sin. This life draws us to the ever-expanding borders of acceptance and tolerance. We slowly are freed of the blindness created by our idols, attachments and addictions. We see our possessions, and things in general, for what they are supposed to be, a means to grow in our love of God. We begin to see people beyond the labels of race, sexual orientation, wealth or whatever else our twisted hearts and self-interest use to divide, isolate and exclude.
Today’s message is loud and clear. God is love revealed in Jesus. Our call is to get to know and love Jesus as we gradually understand that eternal life begins now. We express the richness of this gift of eternal life whenever we love our God and our brothers and sisters.
