Fourth Sunday of Lent - March 14, 2021

2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23 Ephesians 2:4-10 John 3:14-21

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him…

As children of God, we are forgiven. Clean slate, no judgment, no grudges, no strings, just clearly and absolutely forgiven. How amazing is that? Even when the wheels seemed to have completely fallen off and we find ourselves frustrated and alone. Life happens, things happen, and before we know it, another day or another week goes by and we haven’t really talked to God. Sure, we attended Mass, Bible studies ... we even went through the motions of prayer before each meal. But, truly, we haven’t really talked to God. We’ve been hamsters on the wheel, spin- spin-spinning. Putting our time and energies into empty pursuits, leaving us to feel aghast and overwhelmed.

But all the while, God is ever-present watching, ever-knowing, and everloving. He is waiting. Waiting for us to acknowledge him and embrace his perfect compassion. The joy and peace that he offers is so much greater and authentic than many of the things on which we tend to place such heavy importance.

We live in a BLESSED community. Much has been given to many. And, sadly, (and I speak to myself here) too much importance is placed on these earthly items. In fact, on certain days, it can seem like these items can be the measure of one’s worth. And then we search. We search for things to make us feel better. We find things to distract ourselves from whatever is making us feel inadequate. And, more often that not, the searching leads us further and further away from the truth. The truth that tells us how perfect we are in every way. The truth that we are loved, we are forgiven. We are children of God. Nothing, I repeat, nothing on earth is more important than this pure and simple truth. Nothing is more authentic and more beautiful than the love of Jesus Christ. No house, no promotion, no net worth, nothing. He is waiting. He is Love. He is all you or I will ever need. Truth.

Q: What things in my life distract me from my relationship with Jesus? In these final weeks of Lent, what can I do each day to be more deliberate about maintaining and strengthening that relationship?

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