Reflection for Sunday March 14, 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:

The story is told about a woman who was being convinced by her neighbor to leave the Catholic Church. So, the woman asked her neighbor, “Why would I leave the Catholic church to join your church?” The neighbor said to her: “Because you have images in your church which is prohibited in the bible and you worship those images.” The woman said: To have images are allowed in the bible and we don’t worship those images.  

Why do we have images in the Catholic Church? Is there a specific passage in the bible that refers to this? There are actually many passages in the bible that God commanded his people to create images. One of these is cited in the gospel reading for today. (Jesus said to Nicodemus: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” Jesus was referring in this Old Testament passage (Numbers 21:4-9). Then, Jesus said: “So that everyone who believes may have eternal life.” 

Those who are deep in their Catholic faith know what Jesus is talking about. We know that our deep faith in Him will carry us through eternal life. We know that our life here on earth is just temporary and fleeting and this can be taken away from us anytime. But we don’t worry about it for we know what awaits us in our afterlife.  

Let us shift our attention to this bible passage: “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.” (John 3:16)  

The love of God for us is always ours for the taking it’s perpetually there for us and it’s free it’s given by God to us without strings attached on it. God loves us so much that He gave His only begotten Son for us. Can we fathom God’s love for us? No we cannot! Our finite minds will not be able to comprehend the infinity of God’s love.  

How come that there are those who are not aware of this eternal love of God? The answer to this question is very simple—their life is so much taken by the lure of riches, trappings and worries of this temporary world. This is the reason why they are not aware of this great love of God.  

If only we would make ourselves available for Holy Mass most especially Sunday Holy Mass If only we would regularly find time to read the bible the grace of the Holy Spirit would be upon us. And it would slowly but surely give us the gift of awareness of the love of God.  

Let us always make time to know more about God, let us nurture it until it blossoms in our hearts. Why? Because the time we invest with God will become our key to the doorway of heaven someday. – Marino J. Dasmarinas