March 10, Fourth Sunday of Lent
Daily Readings: 2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23, Ephesians 2:4-10, John 3:14-21.
The God in whom we believe is rich in mercy, love, and compassion. Whatever He does, He does it out of love for His creation. But that does not mean that God would not punish wrongdoing. Every wrongdoing needs repair. When God repairs, He goes beyond and plans a gradual restoration, which we rightly call salvation. During Noah's time, the people needed an entire washout to make way for recreation.
The people in Sodom and Gomorrah needed fire for purification. The pre-exilic population needed seventy years of purification through exilic life. Isaac Newton’s quote, “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction,” may not be God’s way of dealing with humans, but certainly, that is how humans think. God is not revengeful but rather a loving Father who corrects us in His own time. Humanity needs correction and restoration.
The author of the Second Book of Chronicles narrates in detail the invasion of the Babylonians, which destroyed the city of Jerusalem and the temple, as well as the intervention of the Persians, which sent them back home. The chronicler seems to be a Levite and cantor. His concern is not only historical and legalistic but also God’s Word and how to please God.
The reason for the Babylonian exile is clear: the infidelity of the leading priests and the exceedingly unfaithful people. They polluted the house of the Lord. They kept mocking God's messengers and despising God's words and prophets. It was difficult to find any remedy. King Cyrus of Persia's arrival sends a message of comfort. Although he is a non-Jewish ruler, he feels the Spirit of God stirring him up. He frees Israel's people to return to Jerusalem and rebuild a house for God. There is hope in God’s house. The report of Cyrus' decree is a fitting conclusion to the Chronicler's entire book.
The Gospel Reading of the Day, set in the context of Jesus' life-changing conversation with Nicodemus, recalls the narrative from the Book of Numbers 21:9. Moses lifting the serpent in the wilderness is compared to the Son of Man being lifted. God’s love for the world is so great that He could not withhold His Son but freely offer him, “so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” (John 3:16). God’s saving act continues to rescue the chosen people.
Call to Action for Catholic Living: There is no doubt that God is merciful and forgiving, but that does not mean that we can continue to sin. At some point, there is a need to return to the Lord. What is my take on this matter?
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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