LENT IV

by Wilma Jakobsen

John (3:14–21)

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so the Chosen One must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in the Chosen One might have eternal life.

Yes, God so loved the world as to give the Only Begotten One, that whoever believes may not die, but have eternal life. God sent the Only Begotten into the world not to condemn the world, but that through the Only Begotten the world might be saved.

Whoever believes in the Only Begotten avoids judgment, but whoever does not believe is judged already for not believing in the name of the Only Begotten of God. On these grounds is sentence pronounced: that though the light came into the world, people showed they preferred darkness to the light because their deeds were evil.

Indeed, people who do wrong hate the light and avoid it, for fear their actions will be exposed; but people who live by the truth come out into the light, so that it may be plainly seen that what they do
is done in God.

Reflection

God is Love alone. The heart of God is love. That is the central core of the Gospel. I believe it with all my heart and yet it’s a struggle to live it out in all its implications. I forget that God is Love when I fall into perfectionist ways that slide into criticism and judgment of self and others. I forget that God is Love when I don’t see those around me whose theology or politics I disagree with, as loved by God with an everlasting love. I forget that God is Love when I don’t reach out to someone in need with compassion and kindness and a generous spirit. During this Lent I am reminded that I forget this.

God’s love is given to the world in the form of a gift, God’s Child Jesus, who is Love, who is Light. God’s love is given not just to the church, not just to Christians, not just to those who love God, but to the world, the cosmos – that’s everyone and everything. That’s challenging, that’s difficult, that’s the radical, inclusive love of God that we strive to live in, and live out, at All Saints Church.

The text this week centers on Jesus as Love and Light. It begins in the middle of a secret, nighttime conversation between Nicodemus, a religious leader and scholar, a Pharisee who came to Jesus to ask some important religious questions. When Nicodemus does not understand Jesus’ answers because he takes them too literally, Jesus is mystified as to Nicodemus’ lack of understanding. Jesus embarks on an explanation. He uses a story from the Hebrew scriptures in which the Israelite people were healed by looking up at the symbol of a brass snake that Moses carried on a stick, and not looking down at the actual snakes that were everywhere and on everything. In a similar way, people would be healed and made whole by looking to Jesus lifted up on the cross, who would give his life out of love for the world.

Jesus continues to outline this incredible love of God, shown in the gift of Jesus, offered to all to receive this Love and Light. Light has wonderful properties – it warms and heals, yet it also shows up the dust in the corners, and when the light shines in, it exposes the dust, there’s no place to hide. Those who are unable to choose to turn towards the light, miss out on the healing and warmth and life that is offered, and choose instead to stay in dust and shadows and death.

Choosing the light is to choose life, to choose the possibility of becoming fully human like Jesus, of learning to love like Jesus, of experiencing the healing light of Jesus, of being loved by Jesus. This is the challenge of the season of Lent, to choose to turn towards Christ, towards Love, towards Light, to be open to the Spirit challenging me about the ways I forget this, and open to the Spirit at work in healing and setting me free to know once again that God is Love, the heart of God is Love, and I am fully loved by God, and able to love others.

During the Week

Re-read the passage and keep track of what you notice, where your attention goes.

What does it mean to you that God’s most loving gift, God’s greatest gift to you and to the world is Jesus, is Love and Light?

How are you being open to receive the love and light of Christ during this Lent?

In what ways does this amazing, inclusive love of God challenge you this Lent?