Fourth Sunday of Lent

Reflection

“Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,” Jesus says in today’s Gospel from John (3:14-21), “so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.” It wasn’t enough for God to become flesh in Jesus. It wasn’t enough to heal the sick, feed the poor, and raise the dead. It wasn’t enough for Jesus to give us His very self—His Body and Blood—at the Last Supper. Through Jesus, God kept giving the human person signs that He loves us. In our stubbornness, we beckoned for more signs, more wonders. And God kept delivering. God must’ve wondered if we would ever get it. 

God did not give up. He let the unthinkable happen. He gave His only Son over to the authorities who put Him to death. He allowed Him to be lifted up on the cross, as today’s Gospel reminds us. Just maybe we will now understand and believe in God’s love.

The Church is two weeks away from Palm Sunday and Holy Week. We will walk with Jesus through His passion, death and resurrection. We do so every year as a reminder of what God has done for us. It wasn’t enough simply to be here; He had to die and rise for us to get it. Do you get it now?

Prayer

Dear Lord, inspire me to get it. To understand. To know You and love You as You love me. In this is found eternal life!

Msgr. Bernard W. Bourgeois, Saint Michael’s College Board of Trustees

Scripture

First Reading: 2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23

Psalm 137:1-6

Second Reading: Ephesians 2:4-10

Gospel: John 3:14-21

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website