Fourth Sunday of Lent March 10, 2024
2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23; Ephesians 2:4-10; John 3:14-21
A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening
appeared; he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to
force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any
progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no
farther. Then the man decided to help the butterfly, so he took a pair of
scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then
emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man
continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the
wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would
contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of
its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was
able to fly. What this man in his kindness and haste did not understand was
that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get
through the tiny opening were nature's way of forcing fluid from the body of
the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it
achieved its freedom from the cocoon. Sometimes struggles are exactly what we
need in our life.
The Fourth Sunday of Lent, also known as Laetare Sunday,
invites us to rejoice in the midst of our Lenten journey. The readings for this
Sunday remind us of God's boundless love and mercy, calling us to embrace
repentance and renewal.
In the first reading from the Book of Chronicles, we hear
about the Israelites' return from exile. Despite their past disobedience and
sinfulness, God welcomes them back with open arms, ready to forgive and restore
them. This passage reminds us that no matter how far we may have strayed from
God, His love and mercy are always available to bring us back into communion
with Him.
In the Gospel passage from John, we encounter one of the
most well-known verses of Scripture: "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." This passage summarizes the heart of the
Christian message – God's infinite love for humanity and His desire for our
salvation. As we reflect on this passage, we are invited to respond to God's
love with faith and repentance, knowing that through Jesus Christ, we have the
opportunity for eternal life.
Don’t we see a kind of exile around us? Time and again we
see them pass by on our television screens, the refugees, driven away from
their homes by floods, famine, wars. They live in miserable shacks or refugee
camps. Clothed in rags, with starving babies on the hip, they stand in line
with a plate, waiting for some meagre food. What human misery! These people are
homesick. They want desperately to go back to their homes and farms, but often
machine guns and barbed wire prevent their return. As we reflect about exile,
Manipur violence comes to our mind, isn’t it?
What about the exile within us? The bondages we are in! In
light of these readings, let us consider how we are journeying through this
season of Lent. Are we truly seeking conversion of heart, turning away from sin
and towards God? Are we availing ourselves of the sacrament of reconciliation,
allowing God's mercy to cleanse and renew us? Are we living lives of gratitude
and praise, recognizing the gift of salvation that has been freely given to us?
Are we ready to let go of our bondages?
The Jews carried away into exile in Babylon were exactly
like the dislocated persons of our day. And since the Hebrew writers saw exile
and suffering as a divine punishment for sin, the miserable situation, famine,
want, and longing for home of these exiles point to the sinful human condition
of all.
The Lenten season invites us to be aware of how alienated
sinful humankind is. Return is possible through Christ our Lord, who was lifted
up on the Cross, died, and rose again, "so that everyone who believes in
him may have eternal life"
As we continue our Lenten journey, let us take comfort in
the knowledge that God's mercy knows no bounds. Let us rejoice in the
opportunity for repentance and renewal that this season affords us. And let us
strive to live each day in faithful response to God's love, trusting in His
promise of eternal life.
May this Fourth Sunday of Lent be a time of spiritual
rejuvenation and growth for each of us, as we draw ever closer to Easter – a time
to rejoice in the newness of life. Therefore dear friends, as you heard in the
story let us go through the cocoon of our life and that we may able to fly high
with Christ who came to die for us on the Cross and showed us the love of the Father.
Happy Laetare Sunday
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