4th Sunday in Lent
March 18, 2012
5:30 PM Liturgy
J.A. Loftus, S.J.
“John 3:16.” How often have you seen that sign? You can see it at
Fenway, in the Garden, on bumper stickers, along the Mass Pike in various
and sundry spots. You could even have seen it in a rather widely distributed
photo of the Denver Broncos quarterback wearing “John 3:16" on his “eye
black” on the field in Denver. (You know, eye black is that black stuff
various sports figures put under their eyes to avoid glare from lights or the
sun.) Yep, there was Tebow with his John 3:16 eye black, praying.
I thought for a minute of actually wearing some eye black with John
3:16 on it tonight. Only for a minute. Because I figured that someone
would then ask me to “do a Tebow” for you. You know, a Tebow has
entered the popular dictionary; it is when you “get down on one knee and
start praying even if everyone else is doing something completely different.”
Doing “Tebows” became very popular a few months back when Denver
looked like it might win the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, if I did a “Tebow”
for you, I would have to do the rest of the Eucharistic celebration from the
floor.
A Saturday Night Live skit actually showed Jesus coming into the
Broncos’ Locker room and suggesting that Tebow “take it down a notch.”
Why mention all this today? Because we just heard the rather
infamous line from John’s gospel proclaimed a minute ago. “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.” It is a beautiful sentiment.
And it is true. But it does have a context too.
Only a few lines later we hear John say: “And this is the verdict: that
the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because
their works were evil.”
Ah, context is everything! You don’t see too many
“John 3: 19" bumper stickers, do you?
The message in all three readings today is about God’s extraordinary
love and mercy. It is good news for us all! But there is also a rather blunt
caution and invitation to us all as well. God’s love invites a response in the
way we live our own lives: always has, always will.
In the days recorded by the Book of Chronicles, we hear that “all the
princes of Judah, the priests, and all the people added infidelity to infidelity,
practicing all the abominations of the nations, and polluting the Lord’s
temple....” Early and often the Lord reminded them of God’s love and
mercy. But they were swept up into Babylon to weep by the streams as they
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remembered God’s love in Zion (today’s beautiful Psalm 137).
As an aside, notice that it is the strangest and most unlikely figure who
will bring the Jews back to Zion. Cyrus, the pagan king of Persia, a complete
stranger and foreigner to them becomes their champion. God’s mercy and
love sometimes show themselves in strange ways.
In the gospel another strange figure, one who is clearly frightened and
timid yet fascinated and drawn, finally intervenes in support of Jesus and
provides for his burial. His name is Nicodemus. Timid, shy and frightened,
he too channels God’s love and mercy. Another aside.
Only the letter to the Ephesians is completely one-sided. The author
writes: “God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us,
even though we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with
Christ...raises us up with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus....”
This is not
a future fact, but a present reality! We are already raised with Him and in
Him here and now.
So, taking all the messages together: God’s love is boundless. But it
really wouldn’t hurt to cooperate a little with the gift. The gift of life really
needs to be lived.
So, by all means continue to “John 3:16,” you all! Go ahead, paint it
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on your eye lids if it helps. Celebrate God’s boundless love! But remember
we’re still in Lent. Continue to repent, turn yourself around a bit, and look
at your response to so great a love.
It’s all about God’s love, and our reply.
Lent continues. Peace!
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