4TH SUNDAY OF LENT B
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(dedicated to my godson, JJ... thanks for reading!)
THAT CONSISTENT LOVE
A friend visited me the other day
to share her struggles in her relationship with her eldest son. She expected
this son to finish college after this semester and her husband who works
overseas has been boasting to his co-workers that soon, he will have his first
college graduate. But in a surprised admission, the son finally revealed that he
cannot graduate until he fulfills many course requirements he failed to take in
the past years. This woman was struggling with anger, frustration, and sadness.
Surprisingly, however, she is still full of concern, forgiveness, and support
for her son until he finally reaches graduation.
As we continue our spiritual walk
through Lent with the help of the readings from the Old Testament, the first
reading of every Sunday, we now come to 2 Chronicles 36. The sacred writer
describes how much the Lord loves his people. And to this love, the people
reciprocated with infidelity and indifference. This caused God’s heartbreak and
anger. The people felt its effect in the loss of their beloved Temple and in
the sufferings that came to them in their captivity to foreign colonizers.
As God is God, his anger will
never overcome his beating heart. 2 Chronicles ends with a surprising promise,
a note of hope, and hint of restoration and new life. A benevolent king will
come, the Temple will be rebuilt, and the people will once again set foot in
their native land.
Sometimes people complain that in
their experiences, God seems to be oppressive, harsh and unkind. Is God the
cause of our sufferings, or did we throw ourselves down the pit because we did
not listen to his voice? Even in the moments when God chastised his people, wasn’t
he in fact acting like a responsible parent who knew how to give discipline to
his children? God’s discipline is a fruit of his love.
What pains do we endure in our
lives today? If we see the hand of the Lord in this, let us thank him for
correcting us and reforming our lives through life’s lessons. It is so much
better to fall into God’s hands than into the hands of our enemies. God is
indeed more merciful, loving and forgiving.
And if we cannot find any reason
for our pains, let us still continue to trust that in the end, the love of God
will prevail. “This too, will pass,” we assure ourselves when we are in trouble.
It is good to console ourselves that whatever happens, there is one who will
never abandon us because he does not want us to perish, but through his Son, he
wants us “to have eternal life.” (Jn 3:16). In the hands of a loving Father,
every pain, every trouble, will indeed pass away…
(dedicated to my godson, JJ... thanks for reading!)
