FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT, YEAR B.
14th March 2021
2 Chronicles 36:14-16,19-23; Ephesians 2:4-10; John 3:14-21.
Today’s gospel reminds us of the obvious fact that we prefer darkness to light. Jesus told Nicodemus in the gospel, “… the light has come into the world men have shown they prefer darkness to the light because their deeds were evil”. Jesus Christ is the light which has come into the world. Just as the bronze serpent saved the Israelites of old, Jesus Christ will save humanity from death due to sin. Why do we prefer darkness to light?
The reason we prefer darkness to light is because we fear being exposed by the light. Jesus told Nicodemus, “… everybody who does wrong hates the light and avoids it, for fear his actions should be exposed; …” We do not wish to be associated with the shame and the guilt of our sins. At the same time we are unable to redeem ourselves. All effort is waisted in covering up our sins in the dark corner of our lives. We are not disposed to bear the responsibility of a righteous life. We have become so weak that we allow the weight of our sins to keep us perpetually defeated. We say to ourselves, ‘why confess my sins when I will commit them again’.
But if we acknowledge our helplessness before the grace of God, we can begin to do something about our wretched state. The second reading reminds us that it is by grace that we are saved! When we acknowledge our weakness, the grace of God comes to our rescue. God’s grace is our light.
Anthony Ekpunobi, CM.
