Bangalore (India), 03/14/2021, Sr. Anula Irvin Suguna.- The fourth Sunday of Lent is called Laetare Sunday. Laetare, denotes rejoice as this Sunday, Church rejoices on her journey half way through lent as she looks forward to the light of Easter.
The readings present today two contrasting imageries: Light and Darkness.
In the first reading (2 Chr 36:14-16), the people of Israel are seen as exceedingly unfaithful, practicing all the abominations (2 Chr 36:14). They lived in darkness disobeying the commandments, and defiling the temple. God sent His messengers and prophets to make them aware of their sinfulness, but they mocked them in their hardness of heart. As a result, the temple was destroyed and they were driven into exile. It is during their exile that they recognized the great works of God and became aware of their own darkness. They remembered Zion (Jerusalem temple) and sang the beautiful Psalm 137: “By the rivers of Babylon…” God took the initiative to lead the people from darkness to light. He inspired King Cyrus to allow the chosen people to worship in Jerusalem once again (2Chr 36:23, Ez 1:1-10).
The Gospel narrates about Nicodemus, a Pharisee who is looking for Jesus. He is a man frightened by what is happening not only around him, but also within him. Therefore, He goes to Jesus at night (Jn 3:2), because he seeks the light, finds the courage and gets out in the dark. Nicodemus, a Pharisee, probably rigid in his thinking like all Pharisees, may be frightened by his role and his image in the society.
What is essential here is that Nicodemus does not remain with his doubts or thoughts on his understanding of Jesus words, may be Jesus' words “put him to the test”. He enters into a serious search to know the truth, at the same time reflects profoundly, introspects, probably he goes through a crisis of losing his certainties.
Nicodemus wants to understand more about Jesus, reread his own thoughts and ideas in the true light which dispels all darkness. This journey of Nicodemus can be compared to the road travelled by all of us: we all experience situations where everything seems obscure, where shadows take on strange and frightening shapes. We are all afraid of losing our security, being forsaken, loosing certainties that we have built for years and held on with confidence. But sometimes reality knocks on our door and puts us in crisis.
Nicodemus does not try to overcome his fears alone, but he looks for the light, he goes to Jesus and He gets behind that True light and walks. He finds new meaning, new security and is born again, born from above by water and the Spirit in Jesus (Jn 3:3,5). John presents Nicodemus in the beginning and at the end at of the Gospel among those who go to take the body of Jesus after his death (Jn 19:39). Nicodemus no longer needs to hide. We can call the journey of Nicodemus a passage from darkness to light, a way of liberation.
God always desires to bring us to light “for by grace you have been saved through faith, …it is the gift of God;” (Eph 2:8). It is easy to choose darkness rather than light. But it’s a challenge to remain in the light. Jesus tells us to take a good look at the cross that frightens us, all our fear, uncertainties, that darkness which overpowers time to time in order to discover that Jesus has taken it upon himself the cross and only by looking at the cross we can be healed.
Lord Jesus, bring forth your bright rays of light and dispel the darkness within me. I desire to experience your great love that refreshes and renews me. Help me to ‘look up’ at your redeeming cross and live a committed life. Amen.