Lent Is Not A Season To Grieve

 

Our salvation is victory over sin.

Reflection on Today’s Readings, 4th Sunday of Lent B, March 10th, 2024
Texts: 2 Chronicles 36:14-16.19-23; Psalm 137:1-6; Ephesians 2:4-10; John 3:14-21 

Today is fourth Sunday of Lent, which is also known as Laetare Sunday. Laetare is a Latin word which means “rejoice”. This reminds us that Lent is not a season to grieve; it is a season to rejoice. Lent is a season we celebrate the merciful love of God. God loves us that He sent His only-begotten Son to die for our sins. St. John, in today’s gospel reading, puts it thus: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” 

St. Paul also speaks of God’s merciful love  and the nature of salvation we have in Jesus. In today’s second reading he says, “God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ”. Our salvation is victory over sin. Jesus Christ saved us from being dead because of our sins. This salvation is the function of God’s merciful love. If God has not been merciful we would have not been saved.   

God had mercy on them, ardoned their sins

Today’s first reading tells us how the people of God were exceedingly unfaithful and did abominable things. They polluted the house of God and scorned His words. God handed them over to other nation to enslave them. They lost their land, the heritage from the Lord. However, the reading ended with God’s visitation of the people. God had mercy on them, pardoned their sins and set them free. 

Lent is a period we come back to life from being dead because of our sin. It is a period of renewal and revival in the spirit. It is a period we give up our sins, we are sorry for them, return to the Lord to seek His mercy. During Lent we come back to life from being dead in sin; we were lost but now we are found. In the words of St. Paul: “when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ”. Lent is a season of grace.  

We had to celebrate and rejoice

Our being alive again calls for joy. The father of the prodigal son says, “But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.” (Luke 15:32, cf. 23-24) 

Lent is also a period of preparation for participation and worthy celebration of our Lord’s resurrection. Hence, Lent shows us the path to follow to attain resurrection at the end of time. What make the path are confession, renunciation of sins, seeking God’s mercy and living righteously. Those things are focal points of Lent.  

Prayer  

O God, who through your Word reconcile the human race to yourself in a wonderful way, grant, we pray, that with prompt devotion and eager faith the Christian people may hasten toward the solemn celebrations to come. Amen  

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke