Love is an action word which is used loosely and also
has a lot of power. When used loosely it does not carry strength in it’s
meaning, for example: “I love chocolate chip cookies.” However, when love
carries power, it sounds more like, “Until my dying breath I will love you” and
these words are followed through with actions which show the power of this
love.
The Fourth Sunday of Lent is known as Rejoicing Sunday
because we are over the half point in our Lenten journey. We may be rejoicing
because our Lenten practices are going well or we may be rejoicing because soon
it will be Easter and our feeble attempts of Lenten disciplines can fade away
until next year. Regardless of where we are this Rejoicing Fourth Sunday of
Lent the depth of love is at the forefront of the scriptures.
In the story from Chronicles even in the unraveling of
the people and their unfaithfulness, God meets them with compassion to stir
their hearts. Even when they do not respond God remains faithful to the power
of love. Where have we encountered the love of God in our life? When we feel
like life is unraveling do we trust the love of God is meeting us, strengthen
us, restoring us?
“For God so loved the world he gave his only Son” is
one of the most quoted pieces of scripture. It’s nice to quote, but it must be
more than a tag line in our Christian experience. Like Nicodemus we have a
choice when we hear these powerful words. We can raise our eyes to see the
promise of eternal life through the cross and resurrection or simply leave it
as nice story told once a year. We can believe we are saved through the gift of
Christ with us or not. We can trust his light is infused in us and enables us
to serve others or we can ignore the light. It is good to ask ourselves: Why do
I believe? Where has the light of Christ been made present to me? Where have I
encountered the depth of God’s heart? What are my reasons (or the cause) for
rejoicing this week of Lent?
We are “made alive, raised up with Christ and gifted
with eternal life” (Ephesians 2.4-10), these alone are gifts to rejoice in. The
challenge is to consider where in our living and in the lives of others do we
see these gifts. St. Francis of Assisi once said, “where there is love
(charity) and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance.” Let us lean into
power of love for from it comes the wisdom to live well, to preach the gospel
with our lives and to rejoice in the depth of the love of God which is always
for us.
By your Love, O God, you have gifted us Eternal
Life.
Photo Credit: Anna
Kolosyuk
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