Rejoice Early!

 

Fourth Sunday of Lent

Year B

2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23; Psalm 137:1-6; Ephesians 2:4-10; John 3:14-21

Early and often did the LORD, the God of their fathers, send his messengers to them, 
for he had compassion on his people and his dwelling place.
2 Chronicles 36:15

Today is known as “Laetare Sunday”.  Laetare means “rejoice” and is taken from the first word of the opening antiphon.  On this Fourth Sunday of Lent we rejoice as we are drawing nearer to the Sacred Triduum and Easter.  Our first reading offers us something unique.

The Book of 2 Chronicles tells the story of the Southern Kingdom of Judah.  Throughout their history they had alternately served the Lord with fervor, or gone after idols with equal fervor.  God continually sent his prophets to warn the people that they needed to turn back to Him.  But they refused.  Finally, God brought judgment in the form of the Babylonian Empire who came and defeated the Israelites, leading them captive to Babylon.  That sets the context for today’s Psalm.  We hear the mourning as they find themselves in a foreign land.

However, the anger of the Lord does not last forever, and in time He brought His people out of Babylon to return to Jerusalem.  This is actually the focus of the reading today as we hear of the joy of God’s mercy.

St. Paul echoes this theme when he recounts for us the life of grace that has been given to us in the 2^nd chapter of his letter to the Ephesians.  God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ — by grace you have been saved —, raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus.  That’s good news!  Even though, like the Israelites, we had rebelled against God and were deserving of His wrath, God chose mercy and offered us His grace so that we could become His children and live eternally blessed in Christ.

In the Gospel we hear that classic verse known throughout the world, John 3:16: “For 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.”  Again, we see that God’s love was so great that He went to every length possible to forgive our sins and grant us eternal life.

I find this theme particularly prominent in our first reading when we read that, Early and often did the LORD, the God of their fathers, send his messengers to them.  This notion of early catches my attention. 

Think about what is implied in that phrase.  God didn’t procrastinate.  He didn’t tend to other things first.  He didn’t put this off.  This was the first thing on His agenda day by day.  Early in the morning he sent his prophets to His wayward people.  This shows the priority.  And it shows with what love and patience the Lord is willing to deal with us.

Note also as the verse continues we read, for he had compassion on his people and his dwelling place.  The reason God was so persistent in sending the prophets was that it was His intention to show compassion.  Love drove Him to this every day.

And how did the people respond?  Well, we can’t be exactly sure, but the possibilities range from a yawn of indifference to more willful defiance.  What we do know is that the people did not listen to the repeated warnings of the Lord as given by His prophets.

Sound familiar?  Who of us wants to be preached at… especially first thing in the morning?  We don’t want anyone telling us we’re doing something wrong, or worse, that we will face God’s judgment if we continue.  Then as now, the response is often, “Mind your own business and stop judging me!”  We don’t see God’s warnings as a sign of His compassion and we usually don’t regard His messengers very well as a result.

But if we heed the word of the Lord then we reap the benefits and blessings He desires to bring us.  I suggest that the same phraseology of “early” should characterize our response.

Let’s not put off our repentance.  God has given us this season of Lent to be a blessing.  It’s not about our sacrifices and our penances.  It’s about God’s mercy.  Let’s receive what He’s offering, and let’s do it “early”.

How do we do so?  Make your first priority in your day prayer.  Before you do anything else, begin your day with prayer.  Offer yourself to God, at least for a few minutes, in prayer every day.  If you are able to attend Mass, then do that.  Even go “early”.  If you haven’t been to confession for a while, go as soon as possible.  Don’t put it off any longer.  Have you been living in a way that you know does not please God?  Then change it- today!  Go to God and ask His forgiveness.  Receive the mercy which He has offered you “early” and then go on with His grace to the newness of life He intends.

Our God comes to us “early” so He can offer us His blessings.  As we receive them we have great cause for rejoicing!  “Laetare!”  “Rejoice!”  For God is coming to us in His compassion, His mercy, and His love!