“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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.”
Aren’t these words in today’s gospel beautiful? It is a healing experience and a balm for the soul, just to read these words in sacred scripture. So many people are afraid of death and what lies beyond our earthly existence. Death terrifies them. But, God knows this. He knows our deepest fears and He concretely addressed them for us, by giving us His own son’s life, in atonement for our sins. This applies not only to ourselves, but to those we love as well.
No one dies in a perfect state of grace though. Jesus and his mother Mary, were the only perfect people who ever lived. Have you ever worried about a family member or friend that passed away unexpectedly, because they had not practiced their faith in a long time? An unexpected death of a loved one can cause a lot of restless nights, tears and many prayers offered on their behalf.
My father was raised by Christian parents, but he lived his entire life as an atheist. I worried myself sick over my dad after his death and I cried many tears and offered many prayers on his behalf. Then, a priest told me that a person can accept Christ right up to the very last second of their life. They can change their mind at the last-minute and still receive salvation.
My father knew all about the stories in the bible, and had obviously been taught about Jesus as a child, but just didn’t understand any of it. Added to his lack of understanding, he encountered many so-called “Christian” people who did not actually live by what they professed to believe. His lack of understanding and the bad witness to Christianity that he had experienced during his lifetime, caused him to turn away from God.
This is something for us to think about during this season of Lent. Are we giving an authentic witness to our faith, by how we live our lives?
The first reading for Mass today began by saying that:
“In those days … the priests, and the people added infidelity to infidelity, practicing all the abominations of the nations and polluting the Lord’s temple …”
I can’t help but think this is what my father witnessed in his lifetime. Preachers who had extramarital affairs. Christians who cheated on their taxes. Powerful television evangelists that mainly seemed to want your money. Is it any wonder why the Catholic church always stresses the merits of chastity and poverty? If a Christian has nothing to gain by telling you about Jesus, then his witness is more authentic. People are more willing to listen to what you have to say, if there is nothing in it for you. Jesus also sent his own disciples into the world, without a money bag or possessions of any kind, perhaps for this very reason. So, people would see they had nothing to gain by telling them the Good News about Jesus.
Motives are what the last verses of the gospel are about today too:
“For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.”
These words in scripture can also be a healing balm for people who feel like they have been misjudged, or their motives are being questioned, or they have been accused of something they didn’t do. If we haven’t done anything wrong, regardless of what others think, then we can be at peace, knowing that God knows the truth about our lives, even if no one else does.
The second reading for Mass today is especially beautiful though, because it tells of God’s unconditional love for us, even when we have at times, failed Him:
“God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ … raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus … For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance that we should live in them.”
The original beauty of our human dignity and holiness will be restored this Lent, through the sacrament of confession. May we take extra care to preserve this great gift that we have been given.
