For God So Loved the World

Fourth Sunday of Lent

Cycle B: Chr 36:14-16, 19-23/Eph 2:4-10/Jn 3:14-21 OR

Cycle A: Sm 16: 1b, 6-7, 10-13/Eph 5:8-14/Jn 9:1-41 (2nd Scrutiny)

This Sunday we celebrate Laetare Sunday.  Latin for “Rejoice”, the entrance antiphon from Isaiah 66:10-11 reminds us:

Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were in mourning; exult and be satisfied at her consoling breast.

Many priests will wear rose vestments and some Churches  will be adorned with flowers. A little over half-way through this penitential season, there are signs of hope. We are a people of hope. John’s Gospel from the Cycle B reading reminds us why we have such hope.

I facilitate catechetical formation topics and one of my favorite questions to ask is: “If we are to proclaim the Good News, what is it?” The usual response is a deer-in-the-headlight look followed by guesses on how Jesus loves us and how He calls us to love one other. Not stopping, I then ask if they can give me the nugget of Scripture that contains the entire proclamation of the Good News. A deafening silence usually ensues.

How can we evangelize, how can we catechize, if we do not know the message of the Good News? How can we hope to draw people to life in Christ and His Church if we do preach the message with conviction and zeal?

The root of the word ‘evangelization’ comes from the Greek ‘evangelion’, or Latin “evangelium” which means “to proclaim.” The words of the Roman emperors were proclaimed as evangelium (good news) because as self-proclaimed gods, their words had profound effects for the people of the empire. Heralds of evangelium announced victories in battle and advancements that were more than words—they were life-changing realities. How much more life changing is the news of the victory over the grave won for us by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?

As we turn our eyes towards Jerusalem in our Lenten journey, we must remain people of hope. Hope is the theological virtue given to us by God to remain faithful. Perseverance is closely connected to hope—for it is hope in God and His Good News that allow us to persevere the trials and tribulations of this life so we can be with Jesus in His Eternal Kingdom.

Now, back to the reason for our hope. What is this short kernel of Scripture, that Good News that we are called to proclaim? We need to memorize this and have it with us at all times. It must be the foundation of all we do. It is the hope of why we believe and the reason we persevere. Found in the Gospel of John, I have seen it on a poster at just about any sporting event-- it seems someone always has a sign that reads: John 3:16. Let us never forget this Good News: For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life.

Let us live as a people of hope and shout this from the roof-tops, for this message proclaimed by the True Son of God is truly Good News for all people! It is the reason for our joy and is the foundation of our hope. Amen!