Nicodemus is in spiritual darkness searching for the Light that we have discovered – Jesus is the Light of the World, the Son of God. Today is Laetare Sunday, a name that comes for the entrance antiphon for this Mass, “Laetare Jerusalem” – “Rejoice Jerusalem.”
We are almost ½ way through Lent, a good time to reflect on how our Lenten sacrifices and preparations are going. On Laetare Sunday the Rose color vestments, symbolize Joy, at dinner tonight if you are able, put some roses on your dinner table as a reminder that although we are in Lent, we are still a joy-filled people.
Our
reading from 2 Chronicles tells us that messengers were sent to the people as a
wake-up call. Jeremiah awaits a new
covenant with God. Our Responsorial
Psalm stresses that we shouldn’t forget God in our actions, in our words really
in our entire life. And St. Paul
instructions to the Ephesians, also, pertains to us.
“God … is rich in mercy ….” By Grace we
are saved, though God’s mercy we receive His grace.
God sent His only son that we might have eternal life. Nicodemus is searching for the Light, and Jesus declares to Nicodemus “… so must the Son of Man be lifted up that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” Jesus is the Light, Jesus is the Way, Jesus is Salvation. We are called to follow His Light, His Way – to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Our world and our culture live in denial of darkness, of sin.
As disciples of Christ, we are called to let the Light of Christ shine in the world by our lives.
The world and the culture need Christ’s Light. “There are things we just don’t want to see.
We don’t want to see how our self-centeredness and sense of entitlement hurts or injures another. We have difficulty admitting that our actions or inactions, our lifestyles — contribute to the darkness of our world. Light can be dangerous because its illuminates’ things we don’t want to see. Light reveals the darkness of sin in our own lives and Lent reminds us to look deeply into our own lives.
Jesus makes clear to Nicodemus the darkness we accept in our life spurns God’s vision for the humanity that God has loved into being. God created us to live in His Light. God planted the seeds Joy & Hope, in our Hearts so we could love and be loved.
Following the Gospel, the Way of the Lord, we can see the good we are capable of and the sins we should confess. This Lent reflect on God’s law which is written on our hearts, is it the G.P.S of your life?
If YES keep it up; if NOT commit to following the Light, in particular the light of God’s mercy and peace. [Adopted from Connections, March 2024, “In the safety of the dark”]
May God Be Praised.
Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031024-YearB.cfm
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