Lenten Reflection: Fourth Sunday of Lent

Fourth Sunday of Lent

"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."
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Do we accept Jesus' invitation to new life?

Meditation:
​"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)." This is probably the most famous Bible verse of all time. When one contemplates its incredible meaning, it is no wonder that it is so well-known. This single Bible verse contains the Kerygma of our faith. The Kerygma is the central Gospel message and comes from the Greek word which means preaching.

There are four aspects of this Kerygma, all of which are expressed in John 3:16: Creation, the Fall, Redemption, and our Response. God created the whole world and man to be good and beautiful, but when Adam and Eve ate from the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, they fell from grace. One of the consequences of their sin was death. Our redemption came about when God sent his only Son so that we might not perish. By Jesus' death on the Cross, we are given the grace to become "a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17)." We are no longer doomed to die; we have been offered eternal life. What is our response to this?

​Do we accept Jesus' invitation to new life, or do we choose death instead? Do we choose darkness or light? Strive everyday to respond to Christ's sacrifice on the Cross with love. His merciful heart is always open to receive those who come to him. 

Prayer:
"Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were in mourning; exult and be satisfied at her consoling breast (Is. 66:10-11)." - Entrance Antiphon, Fourth Sunday of Lent