4th SUNDAY OF LENT (Cycle B)

Every sinner is, without a doubt, a person who has lost their way.

(2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23; Psalm 137:1-6; Ephesians 2:4-10; John 3:14-21)

   The Fourth Sunday of Lent is known as Laetare Sunday, a day of joyful anticipation during the Lenten season. Each Mass includes an entrance antiphon, a brief yet meaningful phrase or two, often taken from the Scriptures, which is sung at the start of the celebration. Historically, every Sunday Mass was given a title based on the initial Latin word of that day's antiphon. For Laetare Sunday, the antiphon comes from the 66th chapter of the Book of Isaiah, which begins with the call to “Rejoice, Jerusalem! Come together, you who love her.” The Latin word for "rejoice," which is "laetare," gives this Sunday its name. This designation serves as a reminder that we have reached the midpoint of our Lenten journey, evoking a sense of joy and hope as we move towards Easter.
   During the Lent readings, especially for the First Readings on these Sundays, we have observed a review of key milestones in salvation history. These readings have emphasised God's lasting covenant relationships, starting with His promise to Noah after the great flood, then with the covenant made with Abraham following his trials of faith, and extending to God's promises to the Israelites at Mount Sinai. On this Sunday, the First Reading draws our focus to the devastating fall of the Davidic Kingdom. This kingdom was founded on God's promise to David that it would endure forever, as seen in passages such as 2 Samuel 7:16 and 2 Chronicles 13:5, and this enduring promise is echoed throughout the Psalms, especially in Psalm 89:2-5.
   In a profound moment of divine judgment, God used the Babylonian army as an instrument to bring penalties to the citizens of Judah, who had turned away from His Covenant. This led to the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple and the exile of the people to pagan Babylon. Nevertheless, despite this serious situation, God’s devotion to His chosen people remained unwavering. Centuries earlier, through the prophet Isaiah, God delivered a prophecy of hope, assuring their eventual return to their homeland. This promise was fulfilled through Cyrus, a pagan king who became an agent of restoration, showing that God’s sovereignty goes beyond earthly kingdoms.
   The Responsorial Psalm reflects the sorrowful lament of the displaced covenant community, who mourned their separation from the land promised to them. In their distress, they held on to the assurance of God’s promise of future restoration and the hope of a Davidic king who would shepherd them in an everlasting covenant, as foretold in 2 Samuel 7:16-17 and Ezekiel 34:23-24.
   In the Second Reading from St. Paul, we are reminded of God’s abundant mercy and faithfulness in keeping His promises. The assurance of a Davidic legacy, where David’s kingdom will thrive eternally, and a future heir to his throne will reign over all nations, is reflected in Psalm 2:7-9. This heir is identified as Jesus, the son of David (Luke 1:31-32), whose reign leads to the restoration of all repentant sinners. Through His sovereign authority, Jesus offers restoration to those caught in the exile of sin and death, guiding them back to the heavenly promise of eternal life.
   The Gospel Reading conveys Jesus' profound message of spiritual rebirth. He calls all who are in exile due to sin to undergo a transformative return, becoming children of the family of God. This chance for renewal is offered to those who genuinely repent of their separation and desire restoration. Ultimately, salvation is made possible through the atoning sacrifice Jesus offered on the Altar of the Cross, enabling every sinner to regain their rightful place in the embrace of God’s love.
   In verse 14 of the Gospel of John, Jesus draws a profound connection between Himself and the healing image of the bronze serpent that God commanded Moses to build during the Israelites' difficult journey through the wilderness to the Promised Land (Numbers 21:4-9). In this biblical story, the Israelites were plagued by venomous snake bites that caused suffering and death. The solution to their problem was remarkably simple: they only had to look at the bronze serpent placed on a pole to find healing and be saved from death. This event acts as a powerful foreshadowing of Christ’s crucifixion.
   Just as the Israelites were called to look upon the bronze serpent for salvation from physical death, we, too, are called to look to the crucified Christ for deliverance from the spiritual death brought about by sin. To be “lifted up with Him” signifies the necessity of believing in Christ as the one true Son of God. Through faith, we receive true salvation and the remarkable gift of eternal life (John 3:18). When individuals turn in faith to Christ and genuinely repent of their sins, He cleanses them through the purifying blood and water that flowed from His pierced side during His crucifixion (John 19:34 and Zechariah 13:1). This understanding is what inspired St. Paul to proclaim in 1 Corinthians 1:23 that “we preach Christ crucified,” which is why it is essential for an image of the crucified Christ to be present at every Catholic Mass, serving as a constant reminder of His sacrifice.
   Jesus refers to Himself as the "Son of Man" in verse 14, a title He frequently used throughout His ministry. This particular designation emphasises Jesus's humanity, while the previous verse highlights His divine origin. He is the one who “has gone up to Heaven except for the one who came down from Heaven, the Son of Man” (John 3:13). This reference alludes to the prophetic visions of Daniel, where the divine Messiah is described as having the appearance of a son of man (Daniel 7:13-14). Jesus alluded to this imagery during His trial before His crucifixion (Matthew 26:64 and Mark 14:62).
   Another significant verse in this discussion is John 3:16, one of the most well-known passages in the Bible. Here, Jesus explains that God the Father did not send Him into the world to judge humanity. Instead, His mission was to announce the coming of the Kingdom of God and to offer the remarkable gift of salvation to all. The idea of judgment would come later and depends on an individual's decision to accept Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
   In verses 18-21, Jesus explains that to believe in His “name” means having faith in all He has revealed about His true nature, both His humanity and divinity. This belief affirms that He is truly the Son of God, the one who sacrificially died for our sins and triumphed over death, granting eternal life to those who trust in Him. Concerning judgment, there is no middle ground; rejecting Christ forfeits salvation and the hope of eternal life. This crucial truth is echoed by Peter in Acts 4:11-12 when he addresses the members of the Sanhedrin, stating, “This is the stone which you, the builders, rejected but which has become the cornerstone. Only in him is there salvation; for of all the names in the world given to men, this is the only one by which we can be saved”.
   A question arises regarding those who have never heard the Gospel and thus have not had the opportunity to choose their faith. In such cases, they will be judged based on their consciences and the natural law inscribed by God in the hearts of all humanity, as outlined in Romans 2:12-16. It is important to note, however, that sin can greatly impair a person's conscience, possibly leaving individuals unaware of the extent of their wickedness. This underscores the vital need to spread the Gospel worldwide to ensure every individual has the chance for salvation (Luke 12:47-48 and the Catechism of the Catholic Church #846-48).
So, what was Jesus inviting Nicodemus, a man who approached Him in secrecy (John 3:1-2), to do? He urged Nicodemus to come out of the “darkness” of disbelief and step into the enlightening “light” of faith. This change into the “light” involves professing belief in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God, and the “Light of the world” (John 1:5 and John 8:12). By doing so, individuals can receive God’s divine grace and the renewal of their fellowship with God, extending this offer to all humanity.
   Grace, especially in its deepest understanding concerning Christ, can be seen as nothing less than divine sonship. As explained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC# 1997), “Grace is a participation in the life of God,” which draws us into the profound intimacy of the Trinitarian life shared by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This remarkable gift of grace that God grants to humanity is, fundamentally, nothing less than His own divine life. It is infused into our souls by the Holy Spirit, acting as a healing balm for our sins and a path to sanctification. This sanctifying or deifying grace is vividly evident in the sacrament of Baptism, where we receive God's life in a transformative way, enabling us to become new creations.
   The Apostle Paul powerfully conveys this transformative experience in his Second Letter to the Corinthians, writing, “So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:17-18; CCC # 1999). At the start of our existence, God created us as creatures made in His own image, reflecting His divine nature. However, we remain creatures, distinct from the Creator. Christ, the eternal Son, is uniquely "begotten" of the Father and is the perfect image of the Father, while we are created in His likeness.
   In the New Creation brought about by Christ, we are given a rebirth into a permanent state of sonship, a gift of His divine life. The Apostle John highlights this profound gift in his letter, stating, “You must see what great love the Father has lavished on us by letting us be called God’s children, which is what we are!” (1 John 1:3). Through His blood, Christ unites us in a rebirth that goes beyond mere titles; we are truly children of God, no longer just recognised as such by virtue of being part of His creation.
   The Greek term used for this rebirth is "anothen," which means "from above or again." We are reborn “from above” to become authentic children of God, a renewal that serves as a hallmark of Christianity. This concept of divine sonship is eloquently expressed by Pope Pius XI, who proclaimed, “Ours is a religion of Divine Sonship. We are made partakers of the divine nature.” St. Peter affirms this truth by saying, “His divine power has bestowed on us everything that makes for life and devotion, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and power. Through these, he has given us the precious and very great promises so that through them you may come to share in the divine nature, after escaping from the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire” (2 Peter 1:3-4; CCC# 1994-5).
   God’s grace is a true participation in the life of God (CCC# 1997), through which we not only receive the gift of divine sonship but also attain justification. In Catholic teaching, justification is understood as what Christ has merited for us through His Passion and sacrifice on the Cross. This concept of justification is closely linked to our conversion, which involves two key aspects: being moved by grace, we turn away from our sins and towards God. By submitting our lives to His will, we not only accept forgiveness but also receive righteousness in our transformed souls, infused with the very life of Christ by the Holy Spirit.
   The process of justification involves the remission of our sins, sanctification, and the ongoing renewal of our inner selves throughout our lifelong journey toward salvation. As stated in the Catechism, “Our justification comes from the grace of God. Grace is favour, the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to become children of God, adoptive sons, partakers of the divine nature and eternal life” (CCC# 1996; John 1:12-18; 17:3; Romans 8:14-17).
   Unlike the previous view of simply being called “children of God” as part of the Creator’s creation, the New Covenant reveals a deeper, transformative truth. In this new relationship, we are no longer just children living in the exile of Adam’s family. Through our Baptism, administered by water and the Holy Spirit, we undergo a true rebirth from above, becoming genuine members of God’s family and infused with the life of the Son. The Catholic Church teaches that justification and salvation involve more than just a declaration of being children of God or being “declared just”; they actually include a mystical infusion of Christ’s life, which is our real justification.
   St. Augustine profoundly expressed the belief that the gift of salvation and the justification of sinners is a greater work of God than the creation of Heaven and Earth, affirming that “heaven and earth will pass away but the salvation and justification of the elect…will not pass away.” He further stated that “the justification of sinners surpasses the creation of the angels in justice, in that it bears witness to a greater mercy.” Ultimately, Jesus came to call all men and women out of their exile from sin, leading them towards eternal life as citizens of the Promised Land within His heavenly Kingdom. This invitation is both a profound gift and a solemn responsibility, beckoning us into a deeper relationship with God as His beloved children.