His Holy Cross Redeemed the World
2 Chr 36:14-16,19-23; Ep 2:4-10; Jn 3:14-21 (B Lent 4)
Sometimes, the fourth Sunday of Lent is called Laetare
Sunday. Laetare is a Latin word meaning “rejoice.” Traditionally, every
Sunday is named after the first word of the liturgy’s opening antiphon. On this
Sunday, the antiphon is taken from the book of the prophet Isaiah: “Rejoice you
Jerusalem” (Is 66:10). We rejoice in anticipation of the joy that will be ours
at Easter.
The evangelist John goes back to an Old Testament story in the
book of Numbers 21:4-9. On their journey through the wilderness, the people of
Israel murmured and complained and regretted that they had ever left Egypt. To
punish them God sent a plague of deadly, fiery serpents. The people repented
and cried for mercy. To heal themselves was beyond their power. Innumerable people
died.
Moses prayed to God for them. In answer to his intercession
God appointed that a brazen serpent should be erected, and that by looking to
it they should be healed.
Similar to this, God gave his only Son to be nailed upon the Cross
for the sins of the world. It is used of his being lifted up upon the Cross in
two senses. William Barkley, understands that there was a double lifting up in
Jesus’ life – the lifting up on the Cross (Jn 8:28); and of his being lifted up
into glory at the time of his ascension into heaven (Jn 12:32; Acts 2:33; Acts
5:31; Phil 2:9). And these two are inextricably connected. The one could not
have happened without the other. In the same way we obtain glory only by our Crosses.
Through the agency of the old serpent the devil, sin had entered
the world, and inflicted a deadly wound on every child that is born. To heal
ourselves it is impossible for us. Death, eternal death, awaited us. And, as
the only means of averting it, God, in his tender mercy, sent his only Son into
the world to die hanging on the Cross for us, and to save all who would look
unto him for salvation. Our looking at the crucified Christ shall instantly
remove the guilt of all our sins, and infuse into our souls a new and Divine
life. Israel confessed their sins, and implored for mercy. Let us then direct our
eyes to the Cross on which the Lord Jesus Christ is crucified for us.
How much would one feel the great bitterness of sin, still can come
to obtain deliverance from its guilt and condemnation. Let no doubt about our
own unworthiness keep us away from the crucified Christ, trust in him, today salvation
is ours (Is 45:22). The Lord Jesus Christ offers a full and perfect
satisfaction to obtain Divine justice. Let us not prefer the darkness. Let us
not keep our sins hidden, even from God. Jesus dies to reveal our sins so that we
may be forgiven. This is the Good News. This is the reason for our rejoicing in
this season of Lent and throughout our lives.
“All
peoples, bless our God, who gave life to our souls” (DO)
The evangelist John goes back to an Old Testament story in the book of Numbers 21:4-9. On their journey through the wilderness, the people of Israel murmured and complained and regretted that they had ever left Egypt. To punish them God sent a plague of deadly, fiery serpents. The people repented and cried for mercy. To heal themselves was beyond their power. Innumerable people died. Moses prayed to God for them. In answer to his intercession God appointed that a brazen serpent should be erected, and that by looking to it they should be healed.
Similar to this, God gave his only Son to be nailed upon the Cross for the sins of the world. It is used of his being lifted up upon the Cross in two senses. William Barkley, understands that there was a double lifting up in Jesus’ life – the lifting up on the Cross (Jn 8:28); and of his being lifted up into glory at the time of his ascension into heaven (Jn 12:32; Acts 2:33; Acts 5:31; Phil 2:9). And these two are inextricably connected. The one could not have happened without the other. In the same way we obtain glory only by our Crosses.
Through the agency of the old serpent the devil, sin had entered the world, and inflicted a deadly wound on every child that is born. To heal ourselves it is impossible for us. Death, eternal death, awaited us. And, as the only means of averting it, God, in his tender mercy, sent his only Son into the world to die hanging on the Cross for us, and to save all who would look unto him for salvation. Our looking at the crucified Christ shall instantly remove the guilt of all our sins, and infuse into our souls a new and Divine life. Israel confessed their sins, and implored for mercy. Let us then direct our eyes to the Cross on which the Lord Jesus Christ is crucified for us.
How much would one feel the great bitterness of sin, still can come to obtain deliverance from its guilt and condemnation. Let no doubt about our own unworthiness keep us away from the crucified Christ, trust in him, today salvation is ours (Is 45:22). The Lord Jesus Christ offers a full and perfect satisfaction to obtain Divine justice. Let us not prefer the darkness. Let us not keep our sins hidden, even from God. Jesus dies to reveal our sins so that we may be forgiven. This is the Good News. This is the reason for our rejoicing in this season of Lent and throughout our lives.
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