Homily for 10 March 2024 by Fr. Kevin Walsh
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Chron 36:14-16,19-23, Psalm 136, Eph 2: 4-10, Jn 3:14-21
Jesus lifted up on the cross commands our attention as we celebrate the Eucharist today. John carefully constructs the sentence that opens the portion of chapter 3 of his gospel given us today. He refers to the experience of those in the desert, having been bitten by snakes (saraph serpents), when the afflicted looked upon the image of the bronze serpent raised above them on a pole, God imparted the remedy to save them from death.
This reference point of God’s saving work in history, ties together the experience of those in flight in the desert with those of all time, for Jesus enters time and history at Bethlehem in the incarnation, to offer everyone salvation. See how quickly this gospel brings us to consider God’s love. “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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” Make room today to sit with the truth expressed in these sentences. We must never hurry past reflecting on the unwavering merciful love God is constantly offering us. It is our privilege to contemplate the wonder being expressed in these readings.
The truth of our infidelity, that we live in a sinful condition, receives attention in each reading, but notice how Ephesians takes the emphasis from us and sin, to God. The gospel does the same. “God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ — by grace you have been saved — raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”
The one raised upon the cross, raises us, if we turn to him. The third vow in Cistercian life is “conversatio morum,” loosely translated “always turning to God.” It is one of the deepest challenges and greatest privileges of this vocation. As we gathered Thursday evening after Brother Roman Paul’s funeral, one of the things that became apparent in the wonderful stories that were shared, is that he was always turning to God. His physical condition was worsening, he wanted to come to church and pray with us. HIs family wanted to sit and visit with them, he asked his brother to read aloud his lenten book so they could reflect on God with him. The truth that we need God’s mercy doesn’t erase the truth of our sin, but it never allows the truth of sin to eclipse the truth of God’s love, tenderness, pardon and the reality that the shepherd goes after the lost sheep and the father celebrates the return of the prodigal.
Whatever we may be facing that wants to corral our attention away from God’s love, Jesus’ willingness to suffer and die for us, the saving work being accomplished right now by God in our behalf, the truth of God’s love outshines the truth of sin. Lent invites us to disentangle and refocus. Live in the light of the truth that God wants us to share eternity with him enjoying the fullness revealed in the paschal mystery. Approaching the table of the Eucharist, understand you are being nourished to be strengthened to resist anything that would rob you of knowing how precious you are in God’s eyes and how willing God is to help you.
As we view the image of our Lord raised high on the cross, are our minds and hearts drawn to the saving work God is unreservedly bringing about in our behalf? We can never forget the word of God. Jesus is the Word – God’s love made manifest. Ascending the cross he offered his life for us. He is offering his life for us and to us in this Eucharist.
