Father Michael Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 (edited) March 10th, 2024 Fourth Sunday of Lent Message from Father †Michael Today’s Theme: “Accepting or Rejecting the Light” Reflections on Today’s Scripture (2 Chronicles 36:14-23) God allowed His people to be exiled in Babylon, because of their sins, but His mercy is seen in their homecoming. He remained faithful to them in spite of their infidelities. In weaving the tapestry of human events, there are many hands at work, nimbly plying multicolored threads to create its beauty; its light and shadows; and even its flaws. Only the Artist Who conceived the work knows the overall plan and the expected result. However, God’s involvement in human history does not lessen personal responsibility! ~~~ (Ephesians 2:4-10) †Paul taught it is not through our own efforts we are saved, but through the love and mercy of God. The only credible explanation for God’s generosity is His incredible love for us. God’s rich mercy and lavish love cannot be explained, only appreciated. The enormity of His magnanimity shows that we owe our salvation not to our own efforts, but to His goodness. Unlike any ordinary “weaver,” the great Artist has shared His insights, His abilities and His purpose. ~~~ (John 3:14-21) When, at long last, time fades and unravels the tapestry, the vision created by both Artist and the multicolored threads will live forever. In His love for us, God sent His Son into the world, not to condemn us, but to save us. His love and mercy were shown in Jesus’ coming as the Light of the World. Sadly, some people prefer darkness to light, and seal their own condemnation. Judgment is not passed by God; People judge themselves by their response to His Light. To see Jesus against the sun, on the Cross, and to believe, is to open ourselves to healing and to life. ~~~ Coming Out, Into the Light †John wrote, “Whoever does what is true (good,) comes into the Light.” Therefore, coming to the Light is conditional upon doing what is “true.” The shortest journey to the Light is by doing good. However, in practice we don’t always act like this. It’s not the one who “speculates” about what is true, but the one who acts in accordance with the truth who comes to the Light. Normally, it’s common practice to realize a state of “inner peace,” and then perform the peaceful deed. However, in order to achieve inner peace, we must first do a peaceful act and thereby, experience it. So, a better approach would be to reach a state of joy and gratitude, and then, do the joyful and grateful thing! If we are in darkness, but we do a good deed, most certainly, the Light will shine through us…. Anyone who does wrong, hates the Light and avoids it. But those who do good, love the Light and come out into it! We might ask ourselves, “How many of our deeds are done in the Light.” Or, perhaps, “How many of them could bare the scrutiny of the Light?” We must first accept there is darkness in our lives and in our world; by recognizing that darkness, we can learn how-to-live in relationship with it. It is futile to wait for darkness to “go away….” We might wish it would, but we have to accept that it’s here, and will always be. The 1960s, comic, Flip Wilson, coined the phrase in his comedy, “The Devil made me do it.” In keeping with that, it has become fashionable for some people to “personify” temptation in the person of “the Devil.” That makes temptation easier to resist, in some ways, to consider it to be an “inner urge” to do evil. Further, such a viewpoint puts the onus of responsibility “outside ourselves.” The truth is, however, is that we are constantly barraged, from within, and there is no real “entity-outside-ourselves” causing it! This requires us to recognize that the source of evil has always been within the hearts of mankind. Such darkness is manifested for us in the “seven deadly sins”—lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, pride and sloth. Our taking personal responsibility for our sins is the natural development of this perspective—but still remains one that is so very difficult for many people. What we must never do is call the darkness “Light.” If we do that, we will become trapped by it. Calling sin “darkness,” we can learn how to live so that it does not overcome us. For example, in today’s progressive world, so many human activities have become corrupted, and become “permissible,” that our ability to distinguish between light and dark has become compromised. Those of us who were raised to understand “acceptable parameters of behavior,” tempered by “the golden rule,” will attest to that. Calling activities and beliefs that were always understood to be truly “evil,” for the purpose of becoming “enlightened,” is a prime reason for the breakdown in morality in today’s world. If the entire meaning of human existence could be summed up in a single phrase, it would be, “God’s love is the one constant in a world of shifting philosophies, politics and fashion.” It is the anchor that keeps humanity from drifting helplessly off course; the magnetic center that keeps the world from spinning completely out of control. From the first spark of Light, to the universe’s last breath, God’s love remains unchanging, undiminished. Faced with such love, we have a choice: Either come into the Light of God’s love, or remain in darkness. Those who cannot believe that God is so loving avoid the Light, and thereby, remain trapped in the guilt and condemnation of their sins. Coming into the Light exposes our sins, but only so that they may be forgiven. Knowing God as our Father, Whose love never diminishes, gives us the courage to open our hearts and trust that He will pardon (not condemn) us. People who have come to know the love and joy of God do not deny the darkness, but they choose not to live with it. They trust that the “Light that shines in the darkness” can dispel a great deal of it. The Light of Christ is such that no darkness can overpower it. If we always strive to do the “good thing,” then that Light will shine for us. May God Richly Bless You! God So Loved the World-Glad.docx To view a recording of today's Holy Mass, click here: Edited March 9 by Father Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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