4th Sunday of Lent, Year B
Our readings today all emphasize God’s mercy and love for us. In the First Reading, from the Second Book of Chronicles, chapter 36, verses 14 to 16, and 19 to 23, we heard of how the wrath and the mercy of the Lord were revealed in the exile and liberation of the Israelites. Saint Paul in his Letter to the Ephesians, chapter 2, verse 4 to 10, our Second Reading, points out that God is rich in mercy, and because of the great love for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ, and by His grace we have been saved. Then in our Gospel Reading from the holy Gospel according to Saint John, chapter 3, verse 14 to 21, Jesus tells Nicodemus that because God so loved the world, He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life.
So it is a well known fact that we are loved by God, because we are disciples of His Son, Jesus Christ and we are His children, but do we really love Him like He loves us? How do we show our love for Him in our world today especially when we think about all He does in our lives notwithstanding our sins, that is, all His blessings, graces and mercies upon us? Let us not forget that as disciples of Christ and God’s children, it is expected of us to reciprocate this love by truly believing in Him and doing His will. Jesus reminds us of this point in today’s Gospel reading when He said, “Whoever believes in Him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” Do not forget that the word ‘believe’ in the English dictionary means to accept something as true, genuine, or real. It is to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so. So do you believe in God? If your answer is yes, what shows that you truly do believe in Him? How have you shown or how are you showing this your belief in God to the world? What exactly are you doing with this belief, which is your true, genuine and real love for God? And how are you deepening this belief in God?
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, since Jesus said, “Whoever believes in Him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,” it is time to deepen our belief in God, by giving more attention to Him when we listen to His Word and teachings; by accepting His word we have listened to, and lastly, by striving and working very hard daily to live out His Word. Amen!
