03-18-2012, 09:23 AM
18 March, 2012, 4th Sunday of Lent
CONVERSION THROUGH CONTEMPLATING CHRIST CRUCIFIED AS THE REVELATION OF GOD’S LOVE FOR US
SCRIPTURE READINGS: 2 CHR 36:14-16, 19-23; EPH 2:4-10; JN 3:14-21
This fourth Sunday of Lent has been given the name “Rejoice-Sunday.” Why is this Sunday in Lent given this name? Lent does not seem to be an appropriate time to rejoice but to lament, to be sorry for our sins which caused the death of God’s only begotten Son. How, then, can the Church ask us to rejoice? Well, today is the mid-way of Lent. We have three more weeks to Easter. Hence, the Church wants to give us encouragement in case we give up hope in our path of conversion. Indeed, some of us might feel apprehensive whether we can make it through this Lent. Some might feel discouraged that they cannot keep up with their Lenten program. Others might feel that they are so sinful and unworthy to come to God as a result of a greater sensitivity to their sins. Others might feel hopeless, for they keep falling back to their sinful habits.
If we are feeling this way, then the Church wants to redirect us in our path of conversion. The danger for many of us is that the emphasis on the necessity to do good works in Lent might be misunderstood that we need to earn the grace and love of God; that salvation is something we can earn through human effort. In other words, living a good life is a question of self-determination, self-discipline and hard work. That is why, for those of us who have tried very hard to undertake the spiritual exercises recommended by the Church during this season of Lent and have failed, we cannot but lose hope. Precisely, although our intention to live a Christ-like life is correct, yet the way we approach this new life that Christ is offering us is wrong. When we rely on our human strength alone, we will find ourselves limited in love and strength.
Not only is such an approach to conversion wrong, but it could even lead to self-destruction because we will feel so unworthy of God that we stay even further away from Him. This explains why quite often people in their sufferings often think that either God does not care or that He is punishing them for their past sins. But this is a human and deficient way of looking at God. We must never think that God is taking revenge on us. Rather, it is our sinfulness that has resulted in the misery we are in. In the first reading, we read of how the Israelites, because of their infidelity and lack of love for God in their lives, and the practice of social injustices, suffered the destruction of their country under the hands of the foreign enemies. As a result, they were exiled to Babylon. In the words of Jesus, by preferring darkness to light, we put ourselves in exile because we become cut off from truth, life and love. We exile ourselves from our loved ones; and like the exiled Israelites, we sit and weep at the rivers ofBabylon. Yes, like the Israelites, we are our own prisoners.
Where, then, do we find the strength for a real conversion in our lives; a conversion that can truly lead us to a new life, that life of happiness as Paul said, “the good life as from the beginning he had meant for us to live it”? It is this: by focusing our eyes on Jesus and believing in His words so that we can walk in the light. This is the exhortation of Jesus: “The Son of Man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” Yes, the key to real conversion in our lives is to focus on the unconditional and infinite love of God for us in Christ Jesus crucified. God wants us to realize that His love for us and the world is so great that God “gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life.” And the sign of God’s love in person is precisely in the Son of Man being lifted up on the cross. God’s love does not hold anything back, not even the sacrifice of His only Son. In the death of Jesus, the heart of God is revealed. It is the cross that tells us that love is more powerful than sin and hatred. The world’s sins and ours are overcome by love. The cross is a sign of hope that nothing can overcome the love of God. Love and forgiveness are the final words, not hatred and revenge.
Only the realization of His infinite, unconditional and everlasting love can heal us and bring us to a real conversion. For when we see the love of God in Jesus, we will become conscious of our own sinfulness and selfishness. Such a realization of our sinfulness will bring us to true repentance; a repentance that will also be manifested in our love for those who have hurt us or misunderstood us. We, too, will realize the meaning of selfless love and solidarity with others. Yes, when we experience His love and surrender ourselves to His mercy, we can once again begin to live that kind of life which God has always wanted us to live – a life that is similar to His – a life of love and self-emptying – which is the eternal life of God. Only that life can give us true freedom and joy.
Certainly, there is no greater motivation to conversion than to realize that our salvation, in the final analysis, is a free gift from God and not by our doing or by our merits. Without this conviction that God loves us unconditionally, it would be impossible also to love unconditionally. This is the only effective way to rebuild the New Temple of God, not of stones but of the heart of love that is inspired by the love of God in the death of Jesus.
Yes, the good news of today’s liturgy is that even in spite of our sinfulness, God has never abandoned us. To all of us then, the Church wants to us say, “Rejoice!” Rejoice because God loves us all the same. So everlasting and great is His love that He gave us His Son, Jesus, to save us by revealing to us His love and the Truth of life. Understanding the Truth of life as Unconditional love is the key to walk in the light of happiness. Only in this way, can we become once again “God’s work of art, created in Christ Jesus to live the good life as from the beginning.” Yes, it is the plan of God that we live a happy life. He does not want us to suffer. Indeed, He wants us, as Jesus told us, to share in His eternal life. He wants to give us a rebirth. For this reason, He continues to send prophets into our lives to lead us to the truth and to life. Indeed, even in our exile, grace is operative. God is forever willing to forgive and reconcile us with Him. Just as He made use of Cyrus, King of Persia to bring back the exiles to Jerusalem; so too, God is using this Lenten Season to give us a chance to rebuild our lives again. Such is the magnanimity of God.
However, many of us simply cannot believe that God loves us and loves us unconditionally. Many of us doubt the love of God for us. The question confronting us today is whether we will open our eyes and hearts to recognize the sign of the crucified God in Jesus on the cross as the signature and guarantee of God’s ultimate love for us. Unless we are convinced of this love, we cannot be saved because we are not healed. That is why Christ says, “No one who believes in him will be condemned; but whoever refuses to believe is condemned already because he has refused to believe in the name of God’s only Son.” With this promise, there is also a warning. If we reject His love, then we will continue to live in darkness. We will continue to live a sinful life, a life of falsehood and evil deeds. As a result, we will bring condemnation to ourselves because, as Jesus tells us, we live in fear that we would be exposed and find ourselves cut off from God and from others.
Consequently, we are encouraged to take the leap of faith and trust in God’s love. Nicodemus was a Jewish intellectual. He sought Jesus in the darkness of the night to get a deeper appreciation of the Lord’s message because he was fearful that others, especially his fellow rabbis, would ridicule him. Like Nicodemus, perhaps we too are hesitant to open ourselves to the gift of God, fearful of making the leap of faith in God’s love and mercy. Today, we are exhorted to open our eyes and see the love of God in the death and passion of Jesus and in our own lives. We are called to spend this Lenten Season contemplating His love on the cross.
Yes, the fears about our past and our future are unfounded. God is always ready to share more of Himself with us. He wants us to be receptive to His love. He does not force His love on us. He respects our personal freedom. As we approach the halfway mark of Lent, let us then ask whether our life is a joyful response to God’s love. Are we walking through Lent out of obligation or fear of God’s judgment, or out of a deep response to His love? When there is love, then the Lenten program will be easy because our almsgiving, our sacrifices, our fasting will be done in love for God and in solidarity with and for our fellow human beings. Only that kind of Lenten program done in response to God’s love will be liberating, enriching and life-giving. Only such a life is a participation in the eternal life of God already in this world and fully in the next because such is the life of God Himself.
Written by Rev. Fr. William Goh
Spiritual Director, Catholic Spirituality Centre (CSC)
© All Rights Reserved
CONVERSION THROUGH CONTEMPLATING CHRIST CRUCIFIED AS THE REVELATION OF GOD’S LOVE FOR US
SCRIPTURE READINGS: 2 CHR 36:14-16, 19-23; EPH 2:4-10; JN 3:14-21
This fourth Sunday of Lent has been given the name “Rejoice-Sunday.” Why is this Sunday in Lent given this name? Lent does not seem to be an appropriate time to rejoice but to lament, to be sorry for our sins which caused the death of God’s only begotten Son. How, then, can the Church ask us to rejoice? Well, today is the mid-way of Lent. We have three more weeks to Easter. Hence, the Church wants to give us encouragement in case we give up hope in our path of conversion. Indeed, some of us might feel apprehensive whether we can make it through this Lent. Some might feel discouraged that they cannot keep up with their Lenten program. Others might feel that they are so sinful and unworthy to come to God as a result of a greater sensitivity to their sins. Others might feel hopeless, for they keep falling back to their sinful habits.
If we are feeling this way, then the Church wants to redirect us in our path of conversion. The danger for many of us is that the emphasis on the necessity to do good works in Lent might be misunderstood that we need to earn the grace and love of God; that salvation is something we can earn through human effort. In other words, living a good life is a question of self-determination, self-discipline and hard work. That is why, for those of us who have tried very hard to undertake the spiritual exercises recommended by the Church during this season of Lent and have failed, we cannot but lose hope. Precisely, although our intention to live a Christ-like life is correct, yet the way we approach this new life that Christ is offering us is wrong. When we rely on our human strength alone, we will find ourselves limited in love and strength.
Not only is such an approach to conversion wrong, but it could even lead to self-destruction because we will feel so unworthy of God that we stay even further away from Him. This explains why quite often people in their sufferings often think that either God does not care or that He is punishing them for their past sins. But this is a human and deficient way of looking at God. We must never think that God is taking revenge on us. Rather, it is our sinfulness that has resulted in the misery we are in. In the first reading, we read of how the Israelites, because of their infidelity and lack of love for God in their lives, and the practice of social injustices, suffered the destruction of their country under the hands of the foreign enemies. As a result, they were exiled to Babylon. In the words of Jesus, by preferring darkness to light, we put ourselves in exile because we become cut off from truth, life and love. We exile ourselves from our loved ones; and like the exiled Israelites, we sit and weep at the rivers ofBabylon. Yes, like the Israelites, we are our own prisoners.
Where, then, do we find the strength for a real conversion in our lives; a conversion that can truly lead us to a new life, that life of happiness as Paul said, “the good life as from the beginning he had meant for us to live it”? It is this: by focusing our eyes on Jesus and believing in His words so that we can walk in the light. This is the exhortation of Jesus: “The Son of Man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” Yes, the key to real conversion in our lives is to focus on the unconditional and infinite love of God for us in Christ Jesus crucified. God wants us to realize that His love for us and the world is so great that God “gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life.” And the sign of God’s love in person is precisely in the Son of Man being lifted up on the cross. God’s love does not hold anything back, not even the sacrifice of His only Son. In the death of Jesus, the heart of God is revealed. It is the cross that tells us that love is more powerful than sin and hatred. The world’s sins and ours are overcome by love. The cross is a sign of hope that nothing can overcome the love of God. Love and forgiveness are the final words, not hatred and revenge.
Only the realization of His infinite, unconditional and everlasting love can heal us and bring us to a real conversion. For when we see the love of God in Jesus, we will become conscious of our own sinfulness and selfishness. Such a realization of our sinfulness will bring us to true repentance; a repentance that will also be manifested in our love for those who have hurt us or misunderstood us. We, too, will realize the meaning of selfless love and solidarity with others. Yes, when we experience His love and surrender ourselves to His mercy, we can once again begin to live that kind of life which God has always wanted us to live – a life that is similar to His – a life of love and self-emptying – which is the eternal life of God. Only that life can give us true freedom and joy.
Certainly, there is no greater motivation to conversion than to realize that our salvation, in the final analysis, is a free gift from God and not by our doing or by our merits. Without this conviction that God loves us unconditionally, it would be impossible also to love unconditionally. This is the only effective way to rebuild the New Temple of God, not of stones but of the heart of love that is inspired by the love of God in the death of Jesus.
Yes, the good news of today’s liturgy is that even in spite of our sinfulness, God has never abandoned us. To all of us then, the Church wants to us say, “Rejoice!” Rejoice because God loves us all the same. So everlasting and great is His love that He gave us His Son, Jesus, to save us by revealing to us His love and the Truth of life. Understanding the Truth of life as Unconditional love is the key to walk in the light of happiness. Only in this way, can we become once again “God’s work of art, created in Christ Jesus to live the good life as from the beginning.” Yes, it is the plan of God that we live a happy life. He does not want us to suffer. Indeed, He wants us, as Jesus told us, to share in His eternal life. He wants to give us a rebirth. For this reason, He continues to send prophets into our lives to lead us to the truth and to life. Indeed, even in our exile, grace is operative. God is forever willing to forgive and reconcile us with Him. Just as He made use of Cyrus, King of Persia to bring back the exiles to Jerusalem; so too, God is using this Lenten Season to give us a chance to rebuild our lives again. Such is the magnanimity of God.
However, many of us simply cannot believe that God loves us and loves us unconditionally. Many of us doubt the love of God for us. The question confronting us today is whether we will open our eyes and hearts to recognize the sign of the crucified God in Jesus on the cross as the signature and guarantee of God’s ultimate love for us. Unless we are convinced of this love, we cannot be saved because we are not healed. That is why Christ says, “No one who believes in him will be condemned; but whoever refuses to believe is condemned already because he has refused to believe in the name of God’s only Son.” With this promise, there is also a warning. If we reject His love, then we will continue to live in darkness. We will continue to live a sinful life, a life of falsehood and evil deeds. As a result, we will bring condemnation to ourselves because, as Jesus tells us, we live in fear that we would be exposed and find ourselves cut off from God and from others.
Consequently, we are encouraged to take the leap of faith and trust in God’s love. Nicodemus was a Jewish intellectual. He sought Jesus in the darkness of the night to get a deeper appreciation of the Lord’s message because he was fearful that others, especially his fellow rabbis, would ridicule him. Like Nicodemus, perhaps we too are hesitant to open ourselves to the gift of God, fearful of making the leap of faith in God’s love and mercy. Today, we are exhorted to open our eyes and see the love of God in the death and passion of Jesus and in our own lives. We are called to spend this Lenten Season contemplating His love on the cross.
Yes, the fears about our past and our future are unfounded. God is always ready to share more of Himself with us. He wants us to be receptive to His love. He does not force His love on us. He respects our personal freedom. As we approach the halfway mark of Lent, let us then ask whether our life is a joyful response to God’s love. Are we walking through Lent out of obligation or fear of God’s judgment, or out of a deep response to His love? When there is love, then the Lenten program will be easy because our almsgiving, our sacrifices, our fasting will be done in love for God and in solidarity with and for our fellow human beings. Only that kind of Lenten program done in response to God’s love will be liberating, enriching and life-giving. Only such a life is a participation in the eternal life of God already in this world and fully in the next because such is the life of God Himself.
Written by Rev. Fr. William Goh
Spiritual Director, Catholic Spirituality Centre (CSC)
© All Rights Reserved