FLOATING WITH JOY (LAETARE) - 4th Sunday LENT B

POINTING TO THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD

Dear Friends in Christ,

All of us dear friends have habits. Some of these habits are good – and some bad. Generally speak, good habits, are often, hard to acquire – Whereas, bad ones are very easy to learn – Sin is something that can become habitual. And unfortunately for us many sinful things are accepted in our culture and society today. Consequently, it takes great courage and resolve to break with that culture and to eliminate ingrained habits of sin! All the scriptures for today have much to say about cultural – and habitual – sin in our society and in ourselves. The central theme of today’s readings is that our salvation is the free gift of a merciful God, given to us sinners through Jesus, His Son. The readings stress God’s mercy and compassion and remind us of the great love, kindness, and grace extended to us in Christ.

In the first reading, from the Second Book of Chronicles (chapter 36:14-16,19-23,) we see the compassion and patience of God. God chose Cyrus the Great, a pagan conqueror, to become the instrument of His mercy to, and salvation of, His chosen people exiled in Babylon.

In the second reading, St Paul in his letter to the Ephesians (2:4-10) tells us that God is so rich in mercy that He has granted us eternal salvation and eternal life as a free gift through Christ Jesus.

. Today’s Gospel tells us how a perfect God sent His perfect Son, Jesus, in order to save an imperfect world and an imperfect people - a people whose lives is filled with mistakes, sin, and helplessness but we are still precious – so precious that He sacrificed his Son to save them.

Brothers and Sisters, God did not send His Son into the world to condemn us – but to save us. Jesus is the revelation of God’s Light and Love. But to live in this Light and Love, we must break with the darkness that sinful habits always bring.May God’s Love inflame our hearts and souls – so that we may strive daily to live each moment according to whatever God is asking of us!