Reflection for Sunday March 10, Fourth Sunday of Lent: John 3:14-21

Gospel: John 3:14-21

Jesus said to Nicodemus: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” 

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. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 

And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

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Reflection:

Why do some people decide to end their lives? There are many reasons, but perhaps one of those reasons is the lack of knowledge about the infinite love of God. If only they knew beforehand the encompassing love of God, they wouldn’t dare decide to end their lives. 

This is the tragedy of our modern times: many of us strive to learn how to use high-tech smartphones, navigate social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and so forth. Yet, many also fail to exert any effort to understand the great love of God freely offered to each and every one of us

For instance, consider our Sunday Holy Mass obligation. If we attend Holy Mass with fidelity and devotion, the Holy Spirit will open our minds so that we may come to know the redemptive and salvific love of God. Unfortunately, many fail to prioritize this sacred Sunday Holy Mass obligation. 

God’s love for us is encompassing. For example, if someone committed a mortal sin such as abortion or adultery.  Does this make the person already unloved by God? The love of God is by no means constrained by our sins even mortal sins. For God’s love is always there for us, it’s ours to take, so to speak. We have to own this love of God that He freely gives to us. 

What kind of love is this that God gives us so freely? It is a salvific love and a redemptive love—a love that saves sinners like you and me. Yes, we sin every so often, but our sins do not diminish the salvific and redemptive love that God has for us.

During this season of Lent, let us wholeheartedly embrace the encompassing, salvific, and redemptive love of God by humbly submitting ourselves to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. – Marino J. Dasmarinas