Reflection: Fourth (4th) Sunday of Lent Year B (March 18 2012)
Theme: God’s Immeasurable Love for Humanity

In today’s readings, we are challenged to reflect on God’s immeasurable love for humanity and its implications for us. The concept “love of God” could mean either God’s love for us or our love for God but in this period of lent, we consider God’s love for us first because it will inspire our love for God which will also be translated in our love for our neighbours.

In the first reading (2 Chr. 36:14-16, 19-23), the Israelites with their political and religious leaders all rebelled against God and defiled God’s dwelling place. Out of love for them, God constantly sent messengers to direct and teach them but their messages were treated with scorn. God did not abandon them but kept on watching them as they neglected His Love and wallowed in sin. Being vulnerable for being outside of God’s love, they were attacked and taken into captivity by the Babylonians. When they suffered and learnt their lessons, God had to intervene because of the love He has for them by raising up a king who will proclaim their liberty, offer them treasures and help them rebuild the Temple as we see in Ezra chapter 1.

The second reading (Eph 2:4-10), also confirms this love of God not just for the Israelites alone but for all of us. It says that because of God’s love for us, He was generous to us with His mercy, to the extent that even when we were spiritually dead because of our sins, He had to look for us and gave us life. In our sinfulness, we run far away from God and brand ourselves enemies of God but in God’s love, He finds us wherever we go, brings us nearer to Himself and brand us His friends, not by merit but by virtue of His mercy built on grace. Thus, a reflection on the love of God is a reflection on the mercy of God which brings about a salvation built on the platform of grace. That is why the reading also exhorts us never to claim to be worthy of God’s salvation since it is a privilege gained through grace and not on merit. But this grace has to be activated to bear fruits through faith.

In the gospel reading (John 3:14-21), we see the apex of God’s love. It recalls some significant events propelled by God’s love. It was because of God’s love for us that He gave out His only son so that those who believe in Him may not perish but gain eternal life. The Son of God incarnated in love came not to condemn the world but to save the world. People only condemn themselves when they racalcitrantly or deliberately refuse...

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