Reflection of the Word of God, Marcth 10th, 2024. Fourth Sunday of Lent

First Reading (2 Chr 36,14-16, 19-23): God gives his people new opportunities

Second Reading (Eph 2,4-10): Everything is grace.

Gospel (Jn 3,14-21): Saved by the Cross of Christ

The first reading tells us about the return of the Israelites deported in Babylon; and the psalm sings of the deep pain they felt while they were far from Jerusalem. That exile was a consequence of the sin of the people. But their liberation was not caused because the deportees had converted but because of pure love of God that inspired King Cyrus to decree liberation.

This is proof that “God loves us, and does the impossible so that we can be saved.” This is what Saint Paul states when he writes to the community of Ephesus: “The mercy and love of God are very great… you have been saved by grace, through faith; and this is not due to yourselves, but is a gift from God.” The apostle Saint John expresses this same thing in his Gospel: “For God so loved the world that he gave him his only Son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” 

P. Tarcisio