The Pastor’s Reflections
“God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” (John 316-17)
Jesus spoke these words to Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin who would visit him under the cover of darkness. Jesus revealed to him that if he were not born again he would not enter the kingdom of heaven. Nicodemus was puzzled by that teaching.
However, after the death of Jesus, Nicodemus found new courage and assisted Joseph of Arimathea in the burial of Jesus. They buried the light only to discover that it would not be extinguished. Three days later the light stepped out of the darkness, the firstborn from the tomb.
That day, Nicodemus came to understand that belief in Jesus meant more than accepting his teachings. It meant personally experiencing his love. When he truly understood that “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,” he would be reborn. From that moment on, God would be his Father, and the life of the Eternal One would abide within him.
I’m celebrating my 51st anniversary of ordination today. They’ve been rich, wonderful years. I’ve met and worked with many good people. But I’ve had one consistent challenge. It stems from the fact that I believe God loves each of us unconditionally. I haven’t been very successful in convincing people of this. I’m surprised how many Catholics believe that God is a harsh judge preparing to deliver a sentence on each of us. Sometimes people say that this is what they were taught as children. I can understand that, and have had my fair share of that kind of negative teaching. But at some point in the course of our lives we need to assess what we have been taught. Today’s quote from the Gospel gives us an opportunity to do so. Let’s think a bit about Jesus’ life.
Jesus pitted himself against the religious legalists of his day, the Scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees. They argued a great deal, and they despised Jesus for his seeming disregard for the religious laws. Here are two examples. Jesus was once walking along a field of wheat with his disciples. They plucked grains off the shoots as they walked and popped them into their mouths. This rubbed the religious leaders the wrong way. By plucking the grains the disciples were breaking the Sabbath law of rest. Jesus reminded them that, “the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27) They had created so many laws to govern the Sabbath that the “day of rest” had become a burden to everyone. He pushed them further when he would cure on the Sabbath.
One day he cured a man with dropsy, what we would diagnose as body swelling due to congestive heart failure. One of the Pharisees took him to task. Jesus’ response was quick and practical. “Who among you, if your son or ox falls into a cistern, would not immediately pull them out on the Sabbath day?” (Luke 14:5) In other words, charity trumps the law.
Think of the parable of the Prodigal Son in which the loving father overlooks everything that his youngest son did without the slightest judgment against him. Think of the woman who was caught in adultery. The Scribes and Pharisees said that according to the law she should be stoned to death. His response cut them to the heart. “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7) They walked away one by one. Then Jesus spoke to the woman. “Has no one condemned you?…Neither do I. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.” John 8:10-11)
Before he died Jesus gave one last tremendous teaching. From the cross he prayed, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) How could Jesus teach compassion and forgiveness to the extent he did if he weren’t convinced of God’s unconditional love for each of us? The primacy of love was Jesus’ message! “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” (John13:34”)
In order to follow his command to love, it is essential that we first realize, and feel with every cell in our bodies, God’s unconditional love. That love will help us push aside all our self-judgment. That love will heal our hearts of negativity.
Our love of one another has to flow from the love of God that has been poured into us. Think of God’s love for you often. Start every day, and end every night, with a short prayer acknowledging God’s love for you. Remember Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus. Meditate on his words to him. “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.” Why did God give his Son? Because he loved us! When that sinks into our hearts we’ll begin to see life, and ourselves, as disciples of Jesus in a different way. We’ll have to be born again. We’ll experience God as our loving Father. We’ll live “in the glorious freedom of the children of God.” (Romans 8:21)
