Lenten Reflections: Week Four

Fouth Week of Lent: Reflections 

Hello Engin! Fourth week of Lent Reflections are here. Do take a look and reflect on the past 3 weeks. How has it been for you? If it wasn't all that good for you, do read the reflections following the Gospel.

John 3:14-21

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Drawing From Life Experience

"I am only human lah!"

We hear this all too often either from others or from ourselves. It is our perfect excuse for not being perfect. We blame our fallen human nature for our wrongful desires and for succumbing to these desires. There may come a time when we become aware of the harm done to ourselves and to others, and we want to get out of the messiness of our own lives. But we find that we are unable to, or even if we do manage to escape, it is only temporary. Larry is an example of one such person.

Larry runs his own business and he enjoys his mug of beer every now and then. However this changed when his business encountered problems during the financial crisis. Alcohol became his solace and soon he began to be dependent on alcoholic drinks. This dependence persisted even after his business started to recover.

With more money now, he began to indulge in fine wines and liquors and was seldom sober when he arrived home at night. He no longer spent quiet evenings with his wife or played sports with his children.

To fill up the void caused by Larry's absence, his wife turned to Korean serial dramas and his children occupied their free time gaming. The fabric of his family life deteriorated and the alienation from his family drove him further into the darkness of alcoholism. One day, he saw the misery he was in and became determined to restore the happy family life he once had. Larry decided to stop drinking. His newfound sobriety did not even last three days.

It is obvious that alcoholism is harmful. However, there are other persistent behaviours and actions that may initially appear harmless, but over time can cause significant damage to a person's Christian lifestyle. For example, some of us may spend too much time on Korean serial dramas or gaming, or some of us may be quick-tempered or quick to put others down.

Meeting God in the Word

How perceptive Jesus was when He said, "Let the one who has no sin, cast the first stone." (John 8:7)

All of us have fallen. Repeatedly.

We are like the people of Israel described in the first reading, who added infidelity to infidelity. God tirelessly sent them messenger after messenger but Israel ridiculed these messengers and despised their words. Sometimes, we too, refuse to heed the advice of others, some of whom are messengers sent by God. We prefer to be exiled from the love of God and select our own 'loves' instead - self-indulgences, wrongful pleasures, oppression of others and worshipping false values.

Wrong love leads to destructive consequences, just like how the Israelites lost their Temple and homeland due to their infidelities toward God. God did not need to punish them directly; their own sinful actions resulted in their own pitifull downfall. They chose to alienate themselves from God, and in the end, the Temple where the Israelites believed God's presence dwelt, was destroyed. However, this destruction is not the end of the story. We have to remember that this fourth Sunday of Lent is also called 'Laetare Sunday', and 'laetare' means rejoice! What is there to rejoice about? We turn to Scripture.

In the first reading, we continue to read that God restored both the city of Jerusalem and the Temple in the end. God has not abandoned Israel and has rescued Israel out of its darkest moment. In the Gospel of John, we are told that God loved the world so much that he gave us His only Son. And He was not sent to the world to condemn it but to save it. This is our good news; this is our cause of joy!

Reflection Questions

What are some other actions and behaviours we have observed that are harmful to Christian living in today's world?

Do I experience a joy in my life that is constant? Is such a joy even possible? Where does it come from?

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am Going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. Amen.