4th Sunday of Lent, March 14, 2021
The Word, John 3.14 – 21
Jesus talked with Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews in Jerusalem
14 [Jesus said:} Just as Moses lifted up- the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 So that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”
16 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.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
18 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.
19 And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil.
20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed.
21 But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.
A REFLECTION
Our Gospel reading this Sunday is from John’s third chapter. This chapter follows the gospel of last week when Jesus went to Jerusalem for the celebration of the Passover, the great feast of the Jewish people recalling their liberation from slavery in Egypt. We heard that Jesus first went to the temple and there drove out those who are selling animals for sacrifice and overturned the tables of the money changers. The event we hear today possibly happened during that week.
The meeting of Jesus with Nicodemus takes place one evenings while Jesus was there in Jerusalem. Nicodemus is one of the high officials of the temple and therefore of Jewish life in those times. He was a Pharisee, a member of the Sanhedrin, the high place of religious decision-making in Jerusalem and well respected by all.
The first part of this Chapter Three (which we do not hear today) is the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus about what it means to be born again. Jesus had to emphasize it means to be born again by the Spirit, not a human rebirth.
Our reading today contains three themes —
- the Son of Man to be raised up (on the cross)
- God’s love for us
- the Light in the world
Each of these will be themes for our prayer –
MY PRAYER
To start: Sit quietly for a minute or so:
- Recall that you are in God’s presence and that the Lord God is with you
- Read again the gospel passage – note it’s three themes
- Pray to listen intently – as Nicodemus did
- Repeat the prayer below as often as it touches your heart
- Jesus – You will be raised up for my eternal life – I believe – help me to believe intensely
- Father – Thank you for your mercy – for not condemning us –Thank you for sending Jesus your Son to redeem us
- Jesus – I desire to walk in your Light – you, the Light of the World –Take me from the darkness of self-centeredness –Take me from thoughts that destroy, words that hurt, actions that are selfish –
I want to walk in your light – I want to walk in your light –
Jesus, Light of the World, help me to walk in your Brightness!
Father Bill Kreutz, SJ, Loyola House of Studies
